Social Media And Healthcare – A Healthy Guide

Technology makes the Internet pervasive in society, and social media is essentially a national recreation. Easy to manage smartphones and tablets empower the individual—people of every age group—anywhere, anytime. So, it would be appropriate to say that social media and healthcare go hand in hand nowadays when it comes to mental healthcare.

Social media has become extensively used by individuals and businesses to stay connected, interact, and even market products or help. 

As these sites evolve and become a common way of stretching out to consumers, healthcare experts are finding new, effective techniques to utilize social media.

Social media and healthcare are a power combo!

Since the evolution of social media in 2004, many patients have used this technology for health-related reasons. 

Social media has become an essential part of many healthcare organizations’ marketing and communications strategies.

Physicians and other healthcare providers have been keen to adopt techno-tools for their private and professional communications. 

How has Social Media Changed the HealthCare World?

Information shared on social media relinquishes millions of people at the click of a button. 

Therefore, social media should be utilized as much as possible. The effectiveness of the information depends on the persistence of knowledge, time, and target audience.

• Patients are better acquainted with healthcare consumers.
• Barriers to specific online health support and information are reduced.
• Users are more likely to have and utilize at least one health app.
• Patients take a more effective role in their own health choices.
• Adults are assumed to exchange personal health knowledge, and also expertise via social media.
• Doctors say social media advances the quality of care presented to patients.
• Social media teaches and informs both doctors and patients.
• The healthcare system is more direct and open regarding outcomes, costs, and benefits.
• Greater trust follows assertive relationships between patients and doctors.
• Social media promotes brand recognition and organizational and individual reliability.
• The time and reach shrink between doctors and separated or isolated customers.
• The advantages of provider work for patients in requirement is highlighted through social media.

How has Social Media Helped with Healthcare?

Crisis Situations

In times of emergency, the use of social media has developed to provide minute-by-minute information to consumers. 

Social media has proved to be a handy tool in times of crisis by instantly providing information to consumers. 

Hospitals and other healthcare organizations can regularly update on hospital capacity, operation standings, and emergency room access through social media networks during natural catastrophes or disease outbreaks.

Share Information

Social media aims to grant individuals the ability to access information quickly and interact with others. 

Healthcare organizations use these tools and websites to distribute information with consumers in various forms, such as dispensing general information about flu shots and tips to avoid a cold.

Train Medical Personnel

Some healthcare institutions have started to use social media channels, and as a component of their training process, and they are fully leveraging the social media and healthcare combine.

Physicians most often seek online communities where they can browse news articles, and listen to specialists, research medical developments, discuss with colleagues regarding patient issues, and network.

There they can accord cases and ideas, discuss practice administration challenges, get referrals, disseminate their analysis, market their practices, or engage in health espousal.

An increasing minority of physicians also utilizes social media to communicate instantly with patients to expand clinical care.

General Awareness and Medical Information

Social media provides an immense possibility for healthcare organizations to raise consciousness about most sought-after health obstacles like diabetes, cardiac conditions, allergies, and geriatric medication. 

By broadcasting knowledge that is fact-based and appropriate, healthcare organizations can improve general health and wellbeing by implementing practical precautionary standards and better lifestyle choices.

Peer Support

The entire idea of social media is to relate to people. 

When someone is going through a challenging time, just knowing that there are several people out there who have proceeded through the same or are undergoing the same problems, provides emotional comfort to the patient. 

Social support has been identified to show positive health consequences, with some studies showing that patients’ consent and general health are enhanced when they get help from family and companions.

Cost-Effective

Studies exhibit that social media affects the image and perceptibility of a medical institution or hospital. 

A study showed that 57% of consumers were affected by the hospital’s social media presence and chose those organizations to receive health care. 

The sharp social media image of the hospital appealed to 81% of consumers as an organization that offers cutting-edge technologies.

How has Social Media Negatively Affected your Mental Health?

Social media has a significant impact on our lives; it’s only set to increase in the future. 

The effect of social media, particularly on teenagers’ crops up again, is mainly due to the negative influence it can have, driving to poor mental health.

So, Is social media dangerous for our mental health?

There’s no uncertainty social media has transformed our lives – accessing information is easy and quick.

Finding products, services, opinions, reviews, real-time reports on news and sports, and watching informative, music, or amusing videos on YouTube is now a regular part of most people’s everyday lives.  

Accessing information is secure, and we have used instant response and a wide variety of information out there.

Most young adults utilize social media, and specialists are asking if this use can hurt mental health. 

Here’s what you need to know.

The most common social media platforms are Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. 

According to the Pew Research Center, 78% of 18-24-year-olds use Snapchat, while 71% use Instagram, and 68% use Facebook. 

Besides, 94% of 18-24 years olds use YouTube, and 45% use Twitter.

The study also ranks the leading five social media platforms in times of their positive and negative influence on young people’s health and wellbeing.

With YouTube ranking, the most accurate and Instagram the most negative, the main factor for Instagram being dangerous is the effect on body image.

Fear of missing out FOMO, peer pressure, and continuously matching to others is commonplace on most social media forms. It is a critical factor that can contribute to feelings of low self-esteem and heightened anxiety and despair.  

Using social media as a life measurement tool is not healthy; we should avoid frequently comparing ourselves to others in terms of fashion and life standing.

We need to learn that many images are digitally manipulated, and people tend to overestimate and overshare – what we perceive and read is not fundamentally a real reflection of someone’s life.

Depression Because of Comparison

Jealousy is an ugly word!

Nobody wants to hear that about themselves.

But let’s get real for a minute.

Once you start comparing your life to others based on things they own or the places they go to, you know you have a problem!

The capability that lets people choose what to post and what not to share has opened floodgates to create the online personas that have nothing to do with their originality.

Lack of face-to-face communication leaves you more lonely and depressed.

Your social media addiction has started to reach a very serious high if you hate social media because of what others post, and get jealous of whatever you see.

Social media addiction statistics show that people get depressed not only because of the things they compare themselves to, but some of them also have to go to extremes as suicide to avoid addiction.

Agitated With No Internet

How many times has it happened that you kind of feel bored because you have nothing to do just because there is no internet?

Like the world around you has stopped, and you feel outraged and jump towards the Wi-Fi device, trying to engineer a way to make it work?

Social media statistics 2020 show that people feel vulnerable, and boredom hits its peaks when they have no internet.

Why is this?

This happens when your life revolves around social media, and you get irritated because you feel empty without it.

Sure, you think you have self-control and will be able to quit anytime you want.

But reaally, can you??

You get happy when the number of your followers increase.

And get sad when you are left on ‘seen’ in a messenger without a reply, sometimes leaving you friend-zoned.

You get angry when you get disconnected from the Internet.

Sometimes, you get scared when you accidentally, ‘very unintentionally’ like a picture of someone from 2 years ago.

And then you feel proud when that cute picture of yours get a hundred likes on Facebook.

You get excited when you hit a new high on the leader board of an online game.

This shows how your emotions, whether it be anger, irritation, happiness, sadness, are connected to the artificial intelligence world when it should be connected to the real world.

And thus, getting you your dose of social media addiction, leaving you emotionless for the real world and full of emotions for the virtual world.

Check EVERY Buzz

You eat, sleep, work, play, brushing your teeth, going for a walk, blah blah blah blaahhhhh, do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING with social media.

You are logged into multiple devices so you can check and track all of your social media accounts from anywhere you are.

Do you continuously feel like taking pictures?

Is the first thing that you do in the morning is checking your phone?

Can you not leave your phone alone if there is even a slight buzz? 

(Even when it doesn’t buzz, and you have imaginary buzzing in your head?)

Do you check-in every place you go to your social media accounts?

Do you prefer notifications over speaking to an actual person?

If the above answers of yours were all in favor of social media, then I’m sorry, my friend. 

Because you are a social media addict.

Social media addiction statistics reveal that the first thing a social media addict does in the morning is, check their phone.

And it is also the last thing they do before they go to sleep.

Also, the most annoying thing perhaps, #you #hashtag #every #thing #that #you #type #in #the #caption!!

Sleep Deprivation

The negative impact on sleep is also a significant concern; social media can be addictive.

Electronic devices that are too close to sleep have been proven to disrupt sleep due to the blue light emitted from these devices, delaying the release of sleep-inducing melatonin. 

Lack of sleep leads to poor mental health and vice versa.

Major FOMO

FOMO has been connected to intensive social media utilization and is associated with lower mood and life satisfaction. 

We have matured to become more conscious of what we are missing out on, for example, seeing pictures of friends having a pleasant time together in one’s absence. 

‘Always on’ connection technology can cause feelings of stress, loneliness, and inadequacy through highlighting these exercises, compelling users to stay engaged continuously and up to date due to fear of not being connected. 

Humans are social beings who crave group interaction. Therefore perceived rejection can have damaging psychological consequences.

Attention Span

It’s not just your subliminal brain that you need to bother about, but also the extent to which your mind can entirely focus when you’re awake.

While it’s incredible to contemplate the amount of available knowledge at our fingertips, thanks to social media, it also suggests that people have become far more easily bewildered.

What are Some of the Mental Health Issues in This Time of Panic?

Coronavirus has jumped the world into ambiguity, and the constant news about the pandemic can feel harsh. 

All of this is catching its toll on people’s mental health, especially those already living with health issues like anxiety and OCD. 

So how can we preserve our mental health?

It’s essential to recognize that social media has the potential to be both enhancing and damaging during or after a crisis. 

There will be numerous rumors and misinformation spreading during an emergency, creating confusion among the public, with the aim of causing the information to ‘go viral.’ 

Population education or empowerment is essential to ensure that the general population doesn’t fall victim to such rumors. 

Healthcare organizations must limit damage in this way by generating awareness. 

People should be taught to distinguish between accurate and misleading information. 

A few recommendations are as follows;

Anxiety

Anxiety is one of the most comprehensive problems in almost everyone these days. 

There are plenty of reasons, and the top is the fast pace of life and digital addiction. 

For some, anxiety may not be as bad as for others. 

They usually overcome it with distractions like work, leisure time, or any other means. 

However, some people need professional help.

Regardless of the degree of anxiety, you feel in regular days, it can get out of hand during the lockdown. 

The reason being, more time to think and fewer distractions.

The following few ways might help you with coping up with anxiety.

Activity 1:

Use the grounding of the senses method. Start backward counting from 5 and associate each sense with a number.

The number you associate your sense with is the number of times you have to make it function. For example, five things you see, four things you hear, and so on.

This method helps bring your senses back to your present and current surroundings.

Activity 2:

One of the best ways to reconnect with your body is to feel.

Anytime you are anxious, take an ice cube, place it on one palm, and concentrate on it. Notice how long it takes for it to melt, the temperatures, and where it melts, follow the trail of the water it leaves behind, and more.

Activity 3:

Now this one you can do as a game and is my personal favorite.

Blindfold yourself and move around your house. Be careful not to hurt yourself.

Pick a random object and try to guess what it is.

Talk to yourself and feel it and describe it. Say it out aloud.

Pro tip:

Before starting any of these, take three deep breaths.

Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Make sure to focus on your breath and hold it in for a couple of seconds.

PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder is usually triggered by a stressful or traumatic event in your life.

Sometimes it does not trigger until it resurfaces.

Since we are all in quarantine, it may resurface.

Anything may come up. We strictly recommend going to a professional.

However, try the following meanwhile.

Activity 1:

One of the best things you can do is come back to your presence.

PTSD brings a lot of different emotions.

To help overcome them, do something to help you be aware of your surroundings.

Use methods like identifying relationships to do this.

Notice where you sit. If you can, then make room for yourself and love it and spend time there to feel safe.

Activity 2:

PTSD causes an overflow of emotions.

They are usually unidentifiable.

Start writing a list of emotions you feel.

Think them over and find them out.

You can also use arts and crafts to spread your feelings onto something more concrete.

Activity 3:

PTSD sometimes may bring self-hate and a feeling of being a stranger. Spend time with your pets to resurface the motherly affection within you. This will help you in developing compassion.

If you do not have pets, then try starting plantation.

Apprehensive Behavior

Apprehensive behavior is threat assessing and imagining something bad or unpleasant might happen.

Of course, we keep hearing and learning about the virus. It is undoubtedly terrifying. 

Being anxious about it is very normal. 

Apart from being safe by staying in quarantine and taking all the necessary precautions, there is more you can do.

Activity 1:

The first and foremost thing you can do is take a few deep breaths.

Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth.

Hold your breath for a couple of seconds before you breathe out.

Focus on your body.

And then repeat positive affirmations.

These may include the following:

‘I am taking all the necessary measures.’

or ‘I am fine!’

‘I am strong!’

‘I do not have the symptoms’

And others. Tell your body that as long as it takes care of itself, it works the best!

How to Work from Home in the Pandemic?

In the nucleus of the new coronavirus pandemic, many companies are executing voluntary or mandatory work-from-home arrangements. 

That involves lots of us dealing with an unexpected challenge: working from home for the first time, full-time.

These points will help you make sure that you’re thriving, both at getting your work done and maintaining your mental wellbeing:

 Get Dressed

It may seem like a mere suggestion, but it’s a crucial one.

It is tempting to stay in my pajamas all day, but any day you have to give in to temptation was much slower to start and less productive overall.

Getting dressed also refers to other appearance-based responsibilities: 

Take a bath, comb out your hair, even apply makeup if that’s what you’d typically do. 

You don’t have to go as all out as you would for the job if you don’t want to, but rising and taking care of your image can go a long way to help you feel like you’re taking care of yourself.

Designate a Workspace or Home Office

Make your workspace happy; by happy, I mean comfortable and bright, with a chair you can sit in for straight eight hours a day and a few accessories. 

Find an area with ample natural lighting, if at all possible. 

Even if you don’t usually spend a lot of time outside, losing out on time you spend out-of-doors through your commute can start to weigh on you immediately, and it will only happen quicker if you don’t have natural light coming in.

Keep Precisely Defined Working Hours

Just as you prefer and separate your physical workspace, you should be distinct about when you’re working and not. 

You’ll get your most beneficial work done and be most eager to transition back to the office if you hold with your regular hours. 

Plus, if your role is collaborative, being on the same schedule as your coworkers make everything much more comfortable.

How to Manage a Remote Team During Lockdown?

The world was running wild, and everything was going speedily. 

But then an almost invisible particle entered our safe space and stopped everything. 

The Corona Virus or Covid-19 is one of the most crucial viruses of the century. 

It seems as if the world is at a halt. 

Since no one knows for how long, we must find a reasonable way to work through this. 

Of course, there are so many different tactics to work through this, but let us talk about businesses. 

Small and large businesses have the most challenging time in managing a remote team. 

Let us talk about how some of these are easy to overcome in this time of crisis. 

Remember, if you play your cards right, you can have better productivity. About 40% of workers feel that remote working is beneficial. 

Obstacle 1: Time!

One of the most challenging things to do is to manage the time. There are so many different problems that ‘time’ seems to bring about. 

We will discuss all of them to overcome these. 

Hours

One of the major problems that businesses tend to face is employee working hours. 

They expect employees to give the same eight or nine hours a day. 

From a business perspective, it is kind of fair. 

However, it is time you realize that this is almost impossible. 

The system is straightforward to track, and you will get nowhere. Employee productivity might even fall at a high level. 

The solution to this is straightforward. 

It is time you trust your employees and not calculate hours. 

Instead, it is fair to estimate the tasks. The idea should always be about work. 

However, in this pandemic, it is essential to focus on productivity. 

When you have everything ready, then why does it matter what amount of time is spent in front of a computer?

A great way to assign and manage tasks is through management apps. 

There are free tools that help teams coordinate and create jobs with deadlines. 

The relevant member marks off everything or passes it on to the other member. 

You also have room to comment and make remarks in such tools, so that your concerns follow through. 

You can get the premium version too, but for basics, it is beneficial. 

Working hours

Think from a subjective perspective. 

When you are at home, how many times do you face disturbances? 

Or do you have to get up and do something meaningful? 

Or sometimes, they are even distracted. 

Just like you cannot practically calculate the hours of the employees, you cannot force them to work in certain hours. 

At home, everyone has a different schedule. 

You may think that in typical situations, it is good enough. 

However, in this global pandemic, not everyone may be up to working in the hours designated. 

It’s about empathy, and you need to have it! Even if you do not like it! 

Here’s a tip: try thinking about productivity only. 

It is difficult when you need a member of your team, and they are unavailable. However, it is not impossible. You can do the following.

• Set regular meetings: One on one sessions among the team members is very important. 

Schedule them. Tell your employees that they HAVE to attend it even if they are not working in those hours. 

• Briefing: One of the best things in the world you can do is briefing, almost like in police stations. 

If you have a small business, then you can take every person on board. However, for the most prominent companies, it is smart to have team briefings. 

Pick a time convenient for everyone and ask them to attend. Let there be a small penalty if they do not attend. Let everyone talk one by one and brief about their tasks. 

This helps keep employees under the idea that their productivity is accountable. 

• Communicate: Encourage your team to communicate. An attractive way to do that is to use a team program. 

Free apps that help maintain communication are today’s hit tool to get. They help everyone come together and allows everything in writing.

Overworking

Do not forget that you have individual responsibility for your employees as well. 

If you keep them happy and safe in their work, they will give you the best results. 

You are a team, and you will have to play your part. You cannot count on your employee answering to you after their working hours 

When you assign tasks, keep in mind that they are not overwhelming, so that they take all day! 

Your lack of empathy can prove fatal to your own company. So make sure you bring that work!

Obstacle 2: Lack of equipment

Unfortunately, you will always hear technical glitches. 

Employees will want to slack off from time to time and will present you with excuses. The most useful thing to do here is to accommodate them. 

Yes, it is difficult, and you may thing unfair too. However, if you want productivity, then you will have to make some sacrifices also. 

Let your team take appropriate equipment at home like laptops. 

This will allow them to have everything that they need. Not to forget, some employees may genuinely have this deprivation. 

Handing out internet devices is also a good idea. 

This is so that they have fast and stable connections. 

Giving them a backup internet also allows their availability every day at the relevant hour. 

This may seem like a skeptical idea. But keep in mind that companies that invest in remote working are more likely to get 25% better turnovers. 

Obstacle 3: Back and forth

Expect a lot of miscommunication. You just have to! There will be a lot of back and forth and miscommunication every day! 

Once you expect it, it’s time to find a solution. 

Of course, the solution mentioned above to use programs like slack is an excellent way to go. However, the great idea is to get over miscommunications is meetings. 

Use Google Calendar or a similar app to schedule different meetings to stay in communications. 

If you work in digital marketing, you need more than a necessary connection. 

How to Look After Your Mental Health in the Corona Outbreak?

While it is essential to stay notified, there are also many elements we can do to support and maintain our wellbeing during such times.

Here are some suggestions we hope will help you, your colleagues, peers, and family look after your mental health

Narrow Down the News Consumption and Be Picky

Reading lots of headlines about Coronavirus has led to many people’s panic attacks, who live with constant anxiety.

• Limit the quantity of time you spend browsing or watching things that aren’t performing to make you feel fresh. Perhaps decide on a particular time to check in with the news
• There is a lot of misinformation rolling around – stay informed by clinging to trusted sources of information.

Support Your Loved Ones

Check-in with your loved ones often. Virtual communication can help you and your loved ones feel less lonely and isolated. 

Consider connecting with loved ones by:

• Telephone.
• Email.
• Mailing letters or cards.
• Text messages.
• Video chat.
• Social media.

Avoid Burnout

With weeks and most probably months of the coronavirus pandemic ahead, it is important to have downtime. 

The mind recommends continuing to access nature and sunlight wherever possible. Do exercise, eat well, and stay hydrated.

Anticipate Distress

It is OKAY to feel defenseless and overwhelmed as we read news about the outbreak. 

Especially if you have undergone trauma or a mental health dilemma in the past. 

But how you regain yourself, and power through is what matters the most!

Also, if you have a long-term physical health condition, it presents you to be more exposed to the Coronavirus’s effects.

Avoid Conjectures

Don’t judge people and evade jumping to results about who is liable for the spread of the disease. 

The Coronavirus can affect anyone, despite gender, ethnicity, or sex.

Following Coronavirus Around on Social Media

There is extensive news coverage about the outbreak. 

If you find that the news is causing you immense stress, it’s essential to find a balance.

It’s best that you don’t avoid all news and inform and educate yourself, but limit your news intake if it bothers you. 

How can Social Champ Help to Reshape Healthcare Experience through Social Media?

Five years ago, if someone was asked, where do you go for medical advice? The answer might have been “To the Doctor.” 

Today, with 80% of the adults having access to the Internet and social media, the answer is more likely any website or social media page.

Looking for health care or medical information is considered as one of the most popular activities online. 

Why not use social media to spread the authentic medical details?

Communicate, Collaborate, and Grow Trust through Social Media

An endless amount of information is voluntarily available online. 

People are looking for medical advice online mostly through their social media channels. 

Connect with your potential audience by pushing out more content daily.

Share the latest updates, keep them engaged by scheduling content across all the platforms at once, connect with them to improve the quality of care.

Let your experienced consultants participate in spreading the valuable content that informs and educates people for a higher purpose. 

Tweet about it using relevant hashtags. 

Use Social Champ’s hashtag suggestions feature to find the best ones for you.

Help Them in Making Healthy Decisions

Let people know that you care about them through your social media networks. 

Share the most relevant and authentic medical news on your social accounts. 

Be a part of their journey of living healthy. 

Give them the right motivation and inspiration to make healthy decisions about their lifestyle. 

Make them believe in you and your healthcare services through social media. 

Let Social Champ take care of your content curation.

Connect websites with authentic medical information through Social Champ to get fresh content and share their blogs directly to your social profiles.

Spread Awareness

There’s a lot of potential for online engagement in the healthcare sector, and most people today rely on the Internet for medical information. 

Curate digestible content for the general public to spread awareness about the medical conditions. 

You can get the best content suggestions through Social Champ. 

Search by entering any topic, for example,” Endometriosis” or “Down Syndrome,” and you will get a lot of relevant content suggestions you can directly schedule or share with your social profiles.

Listen and Respond Online

Listen and learn from what your patients are saying about you online. 

This will help you in improving your healthcare services. 

Use social networks to build your community. 

Engage and support them to build your brand. Go live on Facebook and Instagram. Arrange a Q/A session to listen and respond.

Invite any medical professional to talk to your community. 

Get any online influencer onboard in your campaigns to spread your message and reach a more massive crowd.

A Healthy Wrap-Up

In this age of knowledge and communication technology, every division is taking advantage of social media, and the healthcare division is no exception. 

We not only receive information via websites, but we also communicate through various social media platforms. 

Any institution, such as a hospital that strives to be in the public domain has to use social media. 

Healthcare has become patient-centered, making the patient’s commitment and satisfaction a top priority, hence the requirement to implement a social media strategy. 

Hospitals require social media experts—a new emerging shot as well as a public relations department. 

Employing a social media specialist has become one of the necessities for many healthcare establishments.

Then again, not only has social media been determined to cause sadness, but it can also lead to mental health problems such as anxiety or depression when used too much or without caution.

Every industry has its pros and cons when it comes to social media. And their effects are very different for the people.

While there are risks associated with social media, there are also numerous peremptory effects of social media on teenagers, and – with careful risk management and ongoing support and education.

Social media can be an entertaining, educational, and secure space for our children and teenagers.

Spread positivity as much as you can; there can never be enough!

Stay home, stay healthy, stay happy!

Happy socializing!