I mentioned yesterday it was my birthday & a lot of Facebook people wished me a happy one. What I didn't mention is that besides my roommate & my dentist's office, those were the only acknowledgements I received. I'm not angling for sympathy here, I'm trying to make a point. In today's world it's very easy for people, especially those who are chronically ill, to become disconnected.
I used to live in a much larger city & was highly social. It was rare for me to ever be home at all. All I really did there was shower & sleep. That's no longer the case. Now, for a myriad of reasons, I hardly ever go any where. For me & many other people, the net has become are means of "going" places & interacting with people.
Is it the best way? For most people it's probably not, but it's better than nothing. For others, it may be the only interaction they can handle. For some people, those interactions via Facebook, Twitter or other chats/forums may be all they have. Those daily acknowledgements may be the only thing keeping some people going.
It's very easy to become isolated when you're ill. You don't feel well. A lot of people get irritated when others are ill for extended times. Some people just can't handle being around sick people. For whatever reason a lot of people living with HIV become isolated. This solitude can affect their mental condition & worsen their health. Even though social media may not be a perfect answer or a replacement for 1 on 1 interaction, it still beats nothing.
Cya...
No comments:
Post a Comment