#COVID-19 effects on mental health

[livingwellnessblog]

Understanding OCD: Beyond Cleanliness and Perfection

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex mental health condition often oversimplified. Beyond the common themes like contamination or perfectionism, there exists a spectrum of obsessions and compulsions.

Understanding OCD: Beyond Cleanliness and Perfection Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition that often gets reduced to stereotypes of excessive cleanliness and organization. While these aspects do represent a subtype of OCD, this disorder is far more complex, with a range of lesser-known themes that impact individuals profoundly. What is an OCD Theme? In essence, OCD…

[reasonsforhope]

"Millions of Australians just got official permission to ignore their bosses outside of working hours, thanks to a new law enshrining their "right to disconnect."

The law doesn't strictly prohibit employers from calling or messaging their workers after hours. But it does protect employees who "refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact outside their working hours, unless their refusal is unreasonable," according to the Fair Work Commission, Australia's workplace relations tribunal.

That includes outreach from their employer, as well as other people "if the contact or attempted contact is work-related."

The law, which passed in February, took effect on Monday [August 26, 2024] for most workers and will apply to small businesses of fewer than 15 people starting in August 2025. It adds Australia to a growing list of countries aiming to protect workers' free time.

"It's really about trying to bring back some work-life balance and make sure that people aren't racking up hours of unpaid overtime for checking emails and responding to things at a time when they're not being paid," said Sen. Murray Watt, Australia's minister for employment and workplace relations.

The law doesn't give employees a complete pass, however...

"If it was an emergency situation, of course people would expect an employee to respond to something like that," Watt said. "But if it's a run-of-the-mill thing … then they should wait till the next work day, so that people can actually enjoy their private lives, enjoy time with their family and their friends, play sport or whatever they want to do after hours, without feeling like they're chained to the desk at a time when they're not actually being paid, because that's just not fair."

Protections aim to address erosion of work-life balance

The law's supporters hope it will help solidify the boundary between the personal and the professional, which has become increasingly blurry with the rise of remote work since the COVID-19 pandemic.

A 2022 survey by the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute, a public policy think tank, found that seven out of 10 Australians performed work outside of scheduled working hours, with many reporting experiencing physical tiredness, stress and anxiety as a result.

The following year, the institute reported that Australians clocked an average of 281 hours of unpaid overtime in 2023. Valuing that labor at average wage rates, it estimated the average worker is losing the equivalent of nearly $7,500 U.S. dollars each year.

"This is particularly concerning when worker's share of national income remains at a historically low level, wage growth is not keeping up with inflation, and the cost of living is rising," it added.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions hailed the new law as a "cost-of-living win for working people," especially those in industries like teaching, community services and administrative work.

The right to disconnect, it said, will not only cut down on Australians' unpaid work hours but also address the "growing crisis of increasing mental health illness and injuries in modern workplaces."

"More money in your pocket, more time with your loved ones and more freedom to live your life — that's what the right to disconnect is all about," ACTU President Michele O’Neil said in a statement.

The 2022 Australia Institute survey... found broad support for a right to disconnect.

Only 9% of respondents said such a policy would not positively affect their lives. And the rest cited a slew of positive effects, from having more social and family time to improved mental health and job satisfaction. Thirty percent of respondents said it would enable them to be more productive during work hours.

Eurofound, the European Union agency for the improvement of living and working conditions, said in a 2023 study that workers at companies with a right to disconnect policy reported better work-life balance than those without — 92% versus 80%."

-via GoodGoodGood, August 26, 2024

[jannwrites]

Alternative readings for The Body Keeps the Score

hi, i'm a practicing mental health therapist and a writer here on tumblr dot com. the body keeps the score by dr. bessel van der kolk has a couple issues with it, primarily in the author's very much cishet male eurocentric approach to trauma and the graphic nature of the book. here's a list of some books about trauma that i've found preferable to the body keeps the score in addressing trauma and how the body holds onto trauma. i've included pdf links for ones i could find:

HEALING TRAUMA by peter a. levine. this one is a far less denser read than the body keeps the score while still providing solid education on trauma symptomatology. it even comes with mp3 access to exercises to address somatic symptoms.

MY GRANDMOTHER'S HANDS by resmaa menakem. this one discusses how racism in america is ingrained in our society and how intergenerational racial trauma is ingrained in our bodies.

INFLAMED by rupa marya & raj patel. this was written in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the structural injustices in medicine that caused so many racial disparities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how trauma caused by our political systems affect the different systems of the body.

THE POLITICS OF TRAUMA: SOMATICS, HEALING, & SOCIAL JUSTICE by staci haines. a great read on how trauma is not just an individual problem but a societal problem, and how to integrate trauma work into society at large.

TRAUMA & RECOVERY by judith l. herman. this is a classic in the therapy field and really set the tone for our modern approaches to trauma treatment. the pdf linked is the first edition of the book but it has since been updated as we learn more about complex trauma.

THE BODY NEVER LIES: THE LINGERING EFFECTS OF CRUEL PARENTING by alice miller. what it says on the tin: this book covers the effects of trauma inflicted by parents on the body and the brain.

cheers, and happy reading!

[covid-safer-hotties]

Please follow the link to view the whole 24 minute segment. It's quite enlightening (whenever Issac Bogoch isn't yapping, that is.)

Reference archived on our website

It was more than four years ago when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic and the world shut down. Now, things have largely returned to the way they were, but the virus still remains. How dangerous is COVID-19 today? And have people forgotten that the disease poses health risks and some are still feeling the effects of poor mental health? For insight, The Agenda welcomes: Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist at the Toronto General Hospital; Dawn Bowdish, executive irector at the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health and professor of medicine at McMaster University; and Kwame McKenzie CEO, Wellesley Institute and director of health equity at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

[evidence-based-activism]

This has been on my mind a lot lately, but I couldn't find anything about this. I saw a data that says young people regardless of gender feel more lonely especially after covid. But articles everywhere describe the phenomenon as male loneliness epidemic. Is it true that loneliness affect men more than women?

Yes, I've noticed this as well! (It's definitely frustrating!)

In short, no, women and men experience similar amounts of loneliness. (Therefore, it should simply be a "loneliness epidemic" not a "male loneliness epidemic".)

First:

A pre-covid meta-analysis [1] concluded that "across the lifespan mean levels of loneliness are similar for males and females". This is a robust finding because a meta-analysis synthesizes the results from many different studies; this one covered 39 years, 45 countries, and a wide range of other demographic factors from a total of 575 reports (751 effect sizes).

An interesting longitudinal study [2] used both indirect and direct measures of loneliness and (essentially) found no significant effect of sex. (But there were some interesting interaction effects between sex and age or sex and loneliness measure, if you want to look at the study!)

This literature review [3] states that "sex differences in loneliness are dependent on what type of loneliness is measured and how" and it's possible sex only "correlates with other factors that then impact loneliness directly". The first quote here is referring to similar sex-age/sex-measurement interactions found in [2].

During/after the COVID-19 pandemic however:

The earlier review [3] stated that "most studies found that women were lonelier or experienced higher increases in loneliness than men with both direct and indirect measures", but this may be a result of participant selection bias during the pandemic.

That being said, both a rapid review [4] and a systematic review and meta-analysis [5] found that women were either more or equally likely to report loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the Pew Research Center has collected some relevant data:

Prior to the pandemic, 10% of both men and women in the USA reported feeling lonely all or most of the time [6].

And while this doesn't measure loneliness directly, 48% of women and 32% of men in the USA reported high levels of psychological distress at least once during the pandemic [7].

References below the cut:

Maes, M., Qualter, P., Vanhalst, J., Van Den Noortgate, W., & Goossens, L. (2019). Gender differences in loneliness across the lifespan: A meta–analysis. European Journal of Personality, 33(6), 642–654. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2220

Von Soest, T., Luhmann, M., Hansen, T., & Gerstorf, D. (2020). Development of loneliness in midlife and old age: Its nature and correlates. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 118(2), 388–406. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000219

Barjaková, M., Garnero, A., & d’Hombres, B. (2023). Risk factors for loneliness: A literature review. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 334, 116163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116163

Pai, N., & Vella, S.-L. (2021). COVID-19 and loneliness: A rapid systematic review. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55(12), 1144–1156. https://doi.org/10.1177/00048674211031489

Ernst, M., Niederer, D., Werner, A. M., Czaja, S. J., Mikton, C., Ong, A. D., Rosen, T., Brähler, E., & Beutel, M. E. (2022). Loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review with meta-analysis. American Psychologist, 77(5), 660–677. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001005

Bialik, K. (2018, December 3). Americans unhappy with family, social or financial life are more likely to say they feel lonely. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2018/12/03/americans-unhappy-with-family-social-or-financial-life-are-more-likely-to-say-they-feel-lonely/

Gramlich, J. (2023, March 2). Mental health and the pandemic: What U.S. surveys have found. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/03/02/mental-health-and-the-pandemic-what-u-s-surveys-have-found/

[darkmaga-returns]

By S.D. Wells November 22, 2024

Four years ago, most people had no idea what Covid-19 could bring, and so plenty of common sense, logic and even scientific basis flew out the window when trying to prevent ourselves from catching it, or worse, dying from it. We were all lied to about almost everything, but many of us caught on to those lies early on, especially when it came to the vaccines and the mask wearing. First off, you simply can’t breathe properly with a Covid mask on, of any kind, and there’s plenty of science (we’re talking over 150 studies) to back up the many BAD health outcomes that come from wearing a Covid face diaper regularly.

Pay it forward 4 years now, and some germophobic fanatics are STILL wearing their Covid face diapers 24/7/365, even when they are alone in the car, or walking outside alone. It’s insanity on top of insanity, but you see it all around you every day. These folks never read REAL science about the dangers of wearing these masks all the time. For instance, not only do the masks breed bacteria in the mouth, throat and lungs, but they limit proper oxygen intake, while recycling what you already breathed in and used. This is very bad folks. Follow the bouncing ball.

Oxygen deprivation, also known as hypoxia, can come on slowly over time, leading to many of the horrific health outcomes that the Covid jabs also create

No wonder so many Democrats and Liberals are suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, because most of them are still wearing their Covid masks. Whether you got the N95, the cheap China-made toxic ones, or you made one yourself from a scarf or a bandana, one thing they all have in common – you're breathing in your own carbon dioxide. This has several effects. It’s toxic, leading to initial symptoms of headaches, drowsiness and acidic blood.

[lipstickmag]

Liam Payne, One Direction, and Fame

💋 Lipstick Magazine Issue 1 -- Oct 20, 2024 💋

⚠️ Reader discretion advised ⚠️

On October 16th, 2024 Liam Payne, former member of the famed boyband One Direction, died from a fall out of his hotel balcony in Argentina. Speculation and rumors have followed, but what does this loss and the events preceding tell us about the impact of fame on the mind?

One Direction

One Direction, or 1D, was formed in 2010 with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and of course, Liam Payne. Though the band was only complete in its members for five years, it quickly rose to popularity and became one of the biggest pop boybands in the world. In 2015, Zayn Malik departed, stating he wanted "to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight". In 2016, the group announced their indefinite hiatus.

Fame & Mental Health

In an interview with Men's Health Australia, Liam Payne said he began drinking to cope with fame. He went on to divulge his habit of getting drunk before going onstage, adding that he felt there was no other way to cope with it. His dependence on alcohol only worsened throughout and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Payne also told Esquire Middle East that after One Direction's success, he developed severe social anxiety and almost never left his home.

The effect of fame on Payne's mental health was not exclusively benign. His ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, has consistently spoken up about the abuse and stalking she endured at his hand.

Death & Final Days

On October 2nd, Payne arrived in Argentina with his current girlfriend and his 6-year-old son, Bear. His girlfriend, Cassidy, left 12 days later while Payne stayed alone, telling social media that they were 'only supposed to be there for five days'. On October 16th, hotel staff made a call to authorities concerned by a guest confirmed to be Payne 'drunk with drugs and alcohol'. The caller described Payne trashing the hotel and destroying things. Pictures later released show the destroyed room and a significant amount of drugs littered about inside. He found dead an hour later, having fallen forty-five feet from his hotel balcony.

Final Thoughts

Many are lost on how to cope with and discuss these events, torn between the rightful acknowledgement of his conduct in life, and the sensitivity of the topic of alcoholism and potential suicide. The conclusion must be a healthy middle-- we can do both at once. In the meantime, it's important to discuss how this could have been prevented: would this never have happened if Liam Payne had never been a star in the first place? And what in 2000s-2010s Hollywood had such a dramatic effect on its stars?

If you liked this issue, please consider following for regular updates about all things pop culture. Reblogs, likes, and comments appreciated. 💋

[justinspoliticalcorner]

STEVE PEOPLES and LAURAN NEERGAARD at AP:

WASHINGTON (AP) — If he wins next month’s election, Donald Trump would be the oldest person in U.S. history to be elected president. Yet the 78-year-old Republican nominee refuses to disclose new details about his physical or mental well-being, breaking decades of precedent. There have been limited snapshots of Trump’s health over the last year. After he survived an attempted assassination in July, Texas Rep. Ronny Jackson, a staunch supporter who served as his White House physician, wrote a memo describing a gunshot wound to Trump’s right ear. And last November, Trump’s personal physician, Dr. Bruce Aronwald, wrote a letter describing him as being in “excellent” health with “exceptional” cognitive exams. He noted that “cardiovascular studies are all normal and cancer screening tests” were negative. Trump had also “reduced his weight.” But those communications didn’t address more fundamental questions about Trump’s health, including his blood pressure, exact weight or whether he has continued using previously prescribed medication for high cholesterol — or even what testing he underwent. His campaign has also not disclosed whether Trump has been diagnosed with any diseases or received any mental health care after the assassination attempt.

That’s giving his political adversaries, including Democratic rival Kamala Harris, an opportunity to raise questions about his age and ability to execute the duties of the presidency into his 80s. “It makes you wonder: Why does his staff want him to hide away?” Harris asked recently as she needled Trump for withholding medical records, opting against another debate and skipping an interview with CBS’ “60 Minutes.” “One must question: Are they afraid that people will see that he is too weak and unstable to lead America? Is that what’s going on?” Trump’s doctors have long been opaque about his health, such as when his team at the White House initially downplayed the severity of his 2020 hospitalization for COVID-19.

[...]

Drawing a contrast with Trump

In an effort to draw a contrast with Trump, Harris released a letter from her doctor on Saturday that went into far more detail about her medical history, including a list of exams and the results. The letter said she has no heart, lung or neurological disorders, is at low risk for heart disease and up-to-date on cancer screenings. She takes medication for allergies and hives. She wears contact lenses, and her only surgery occurred at age 3, when her appendix was removed during an intestinal-related procedure. While the letter didn’t specify her weight, the 59-year-old vice president was declared to be in “excellent health” and to possess “the physical and mental resiliency” required to serve as president. Sensing an opportunity to put Trump on the defensive, the Harris campaign on Monday released a letter from more than 250 doctors and other medical professionals calling on Trump to release his medical records.

Still, it’s unclear that age will be a significant factor for voters. Polls found that voters were significantly less concerned about Trump’s mental capacity and physical health than they were about President Joe Biden’s when he was still in the race. Since Harris replaced Biden on the ticket, Trump’s advantage on the issue has diminished.

The AP bringing straight facts about Dementia Donald’s hiding of vital health details and how that would effect his 2nd term, which would effectively be a J.D. Vance Presidency.

A vote for Trump is essentially a vote to make Vance President, so vote Kamala Harris if you want a healthy leader in office.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Lucy Bannerman, James Beal, Eleanor Hayward

Published: Apr 10, 2024

The report should be the final nail in the coffin of Gids, the clinic that told thousands of children they were transgender

In 2009 the NHS’s gender identity ­development service (Gids) saw fewer than 50 children a year. Since then ­demand has increased a hundredfold, with more than 5,000 seeking help in 2021-22.

The sudden increase has gone hand in hand with the adoption of a model of “gender-affirming” care, which puts children on a life-altering path of hormone treatment. Services have been left overwhelmed, with vulnerable young people clamouring for medical interventions to help them change gender — despite a lack of evidence over the long-term effects.

It was against this backdrop that Dr Hilary Cass was commissioned in 2020 to examine the state of NHS services for children identifying as trans. Her final report, published on Wednesday, delivers a damning verdict on the medical path thousands of children have been sent down. It marks a turning point in years of bitter debate over how to help this distressed group of young people, confirming a shift towards a holistic model that takes into account the wider social and mental health problems driving the rise in demand.

Gen Z and online porn

The Cass report shines a light on the biggest unanswered question over transgender healthcare: why are so many Gen Z women suddenly wanting to change gender?

Cass paints an alarming picture of an anxious and distressed generation of digitally savvy young women and girls, who not only are more exposed to online pornography and the wider problems of the world than any previous generation but also consume more social media and have lower self-esteem and more body hang-ups than their male peers.

When Gids opened in 1989, it treated fewer than ten people each year, mostly males with a long history of gender ­distress. In 2009 it treated 15 adolescent girls. By 2016 that figure had shot up to 1,071.

Cass concludes that such a sudden rise in such a short time cannot be explained alone by greater acceptance of trans identities, which “does not adequately explain” the switch in patient profiles from predominantly male to female. She also says greater investigation of the “consumption of online pornography and gender dysphoria is needed”, pointing to youngsters’ increasingly early exposure to “frequently violent” online material that can have a harmful impact on their self- esteem and body image.

Gen Z is defined as those born between 1995 and 2009. Rather than focusing on the issue of gender in isolation, Cass looked at the context in which adolescents today, who have “grown up with unprecedented online access”, are experiencing such a disproportionate crisis over their gender.

“Generation Z is the generation in which the numbers seeking support from the NHS around their gender identity have increased, so it is important to have some understanding of their experiences and influences,” she writes. “In terms of broader context, Generation Z and Generation Alpha (those born since 2010) have grown up through a global recession, concerns about climate change and most recently the Covid-19 pandemic. Global connectivity has meant that as well as the advantages of international peer networks, they are much more exposed to worries about global threats.”

The report also focuses on 2014, when female referrals to Gids accelerated. Although this is not mentioned, 2014 was the year that CBBC, for example, broadcast I Am Leo, a video-diary-style documentary, to an audience of to 6 to 12-year-olds, showing the positive personal journey of a child who transitioned from female to male.

Throughout almost 400 pages, Cass argues that the gender-related issues of young patients should be treated in the same context as the wider mental health issues facing their entire generation. “The striking increase in young people presenting with gender incongruence/dysphoria needs to be considered within the context of poor mental health and emotional distress among the broader adolescent population, particularly given their high rates of co-existing mental health problems and neurodiversity.” Cass calls for more research into the “complex interplay” between these issues and a teenager’s sudden desire to change gender.

Lack of evidence for medical pathway

Rather than affirming children’s gender identity with medical treatment, the report calls for a holistic approach that examines the causes of their distress. It finds that, despite being incorporated into medical guidelines around the world, the use of “gender-affirming” medical treatment such as puberty blockers is based on “wholly inadequate” evidence. Doctors are cautious when adopting new treatments, but Cass says “quite the reverse happened in the field of gender care for children”, with thousands of children put on an unproven medical pathway.

Cass says gender care is “an area of remarkably weak evidence” and that results of studies “are exaggerated or misrepresented by people on all sides of the debate”. She adds: “The reality is that we have no good evidence on the long-term outcomes of interventions to manage gender-related distress.”

The report finds that treatment on the NHS since 2011 has largely been informed by two sets of international guidelines, drawn up by the Endocrine Society and the World Professional Association of Transgender Healthcare (WPATH), but that these lack scientific rigour. The WPATH has been “highly influential in directing international practice, although its guidelines were found by the University of York’s appraisal to lack developmental rigour and transparency”, Cass says.

The report says the NHS must work to improve the evidence base.

Mental health

Mental health issues could be presenting as gender-related distress. Children and young people referred to specialist gender services have higher rates of mental health difficulties than the general population. This includes rates of depression, anxiety and eating dis­orders. Some research studies have suggested transgender people are three to six times more likely to be autistic than the general population, with age and educational attainment taken into account.

Therefore, the report says that the striking increase in young people ­presenting with gender dysphoria needs to be considered within the context of rising levels of poor mental health.

The increase in gender clinic patients “has to some degree paralleled” the deterioration in child and adolescent mental health, it finds. Mental distress, the report says, can present through physical manifestations, such as eating disorders or body dysmorphic disorders. Clinicians were often reluctant to explore or address co-occurring mental health issues in those presenting with gender distress, the report finds. This was because gender dysphoria was not considered to be a mental health ­condition.

The report finds that, compared with the general population, young people referred to gender services had higher rates of neglect; physical, sexual or emotional abuse; parental mental illness or substance abuse; exposure to domestic violence; and loss of a parent through death or abandonment.

Puberty blockers

The report says there was “no evidence” puberty blockers allowed young people “time to think” by delaying the onset of puberty — which was the original rationale for their use. It finds the vast majority of those who start puberty suppression continued on to cross-sex hormones, particularly if they started earlier in puberty.

There was insufficient and inconsistent evidence about the effects of puberty suppression on psychological or psychosocial health, it says, and some young females had a worsening of problems like depression and anxiety.

Cass says there is “some concern” that puberty blockers may actually change “the trajectory of psychosexual and gender identity development”.

Her report warns that blocking the chronological age and sex hormones released during puberty “could have a range of unintended and as yet unidentified consequences”.

It describes adolescence as a time of “identity development, sexual development, sexual fluidity and experimentation”. The report says “blocking” this meant young people had to understand identity and sexuality based only on their discomfort about puberty and an early sense of their gender. Therefore, it adds, there is “no way of knowing” whether the normal trajectory of someone’s sexual and gender identity “may be permanently altered”.

Brain maturation may also be “temporarily or permanently disrupted” by the use of puberty blockers, it says. This could have a significant impact on a young person’s ability to make “complex risk-laden decisions”, as well as possible long-term neuropsychological consequences.

The report highlights the “concern” of young people remaining on puberty blockers into adulthood — sometimes into their mid-twenties. This is partly because some “wish to continue as non-binary” and partly because of ongoing gender indecision, the report says.

Cass adds: “Puberty suppression was never intended to continue for extended periods.”

The report finds young adults who had been discharged from Gids ­“remained on puberty blockers into their early to mid twenties”. A review of audit data suggested 177 patients were discharged while on puberty blockers.

Cass says the review “raised this with NHS England and Gids”, citing the unknown impact of use over an extended period. “The detrimental impact to bone density alone makes this concerning”, the report adds.

A Dutch study originally suggested that puberty blockers might improve psychological wellbeing for a narrow group of children with gender issues.

Following this, the practice “spread at pace to other countries” and in 2011 the UK trialled the use of puberty blockers in an early intervention study.

The results were not formally published until 2020, at which time it showed there was a lack of any positive measurable outcomes. It also found that 98 per cent of people had proceeded to take cross-sex hormones.

Despite this, from 2014 puberty blockers moved from a research-only protocol to being available in routine clinical practice. “The rationale for this is unclear,” the report says.

Puberty blockers were then given to a wider range of adolescents, it says, including patients with no history of gender issues before puberty and those with neurodiversity and complex mental health issues. Clinical practice, Cass found, appeared to have “deviated” from the parameters originally set.

Overall, the report concludes there was a “very narrow ­indication” for the use of puberty blockers in males to stop irreversible ­pubertal changes, while other benefits remained unproven.

It says there were “clearly lessons to be learnt by everyone”.

Social transition

The report concludes it was “possible” that social transition, including the changing of a child’s name and pronouns, may change the trajectory of their gender development. It finds “no clear evidence” social transitioning in childhood has any positive or negative mental health effects, but that children who socially transitioned at an earlier age were more likely to proceed to medical treatment. A more cautious approach to social transition needs to be taken for children than for adolescents, it concludes.

The review also heard concerns from “many parents” about their child being socially transitioned and affirmed in their expressed gender without their involvement. Draft government guidance, published in ­December, stated that schools should not accept all requests for social transition and should involve parents in any decision that is made.

Despite this, there has been evidence of schools ignoring ministers and ­allowing children to change gender ­behind their parents’ backs.

The report makes clear that “parents should be actively involved in decision making” unless there are strong grounds to believe that it may put the child at risk.

It also finds that social debates on trans issues led to fear among doctors and parents, with some concerned about being accused of transphobia.

The interim report, from 2022, had classed social transition as “not a neutral act”. The full report explains that it is an “active intervention”, because it may have significant effects on a young person’s psychological functioning and longer-term outcomes.

In a strong warning to schools, the report describes the need for “clinical involvement” in the decision-making process on social transitioning. It adds: “This is not a role that can be taken by staff without appropriate clinical ­training.”

The report concludes that maintaining flexibility is key among those going down a social transition route and says a “partial transition”, rather than a full one, could help.

In decisions about whether to transition prepubescent children, families should be seen “as early as possible by a clinical professional”.

Rogue private clinics

Long waiting lists for NHS care mean distressed children are turning to private clinics or resorting to “obtaining unregulated and potentially dangerous hormone supplies over the internet”, the report says.

Some NHS GPs have then felt “pressurised to prescribe hormones after these have been initiated by private providers”, and Cass says this should not happen.

The report also urges the Department of Health to consider new legislation to “prevent inappropriate overseas prescribing”. This is intended to tackle a loophole which means that, ­despite the NHS banning the use of ­puberty blockers last month, children can still access them from online clinics such as GenderGP, which is registered in Singapore.

Detransitioning

Cass says some of those who have been through medical transitions “deeply ­regret their earlier decisions”. Her report says the NHS should consider a new specialist service for people who wish to “detransition” and come off hormone treatments. She says people who are detransitioning may be reluctant to return to the service they had previously used.

NHS numbers

The report recommends that the NHS and Department of Health review current practice of issuing new NHS numbers to people who change gender.

Cass suggests that handing out new NHS numbers to trans people means they risk getting lost in the system — making it harder to track their health histories and long-term outcomes.

The review says that this has had “implications for safeguarding and clinical management of these children”, — for example, the type of screening that they are offered.

Toxic debate

Cass has called for an end to the “exceptionally toxic” debates over transgender healthcare after she was vilified online while compiling her review. In a foreword to her 388-page report, the paediatrician said that navigating a culture war over trans rights has made her task over the past four years significantly harder.

She warned that the “stormy social discourse” does little to help young people, who are being let down by a lack of research and evidence. Cass added: “There are few other areas of healthcare where professionals are so afraid to openly discuss their views, where people are vilified on social media, and where name-calling echoes the worst bullying behaviour. This must stop.

“Polarisation and stifling of debate do nothing to help the young people caught in the middle of a stormy social discourse, and in the long run will also hamper the research that is essential to finding the best way of supporting them to thrive.”

Cass said: “Finally, I am aware that this report will generate much discussion and that strongly held views will be expressed. While open and constructive debate is needed, I would urge everybody to remember the children and young people trying to live their lives and the families/ carers and clinicians doing their best to support them. All should be treated with compassion and respect.”

The recommendations

Data collection

Gender identity clinics should offer their data to NHS England for review, and more research should be conducted on the impact of psychosocial intervention — such as therapy — and the use of masculinising and feminising hormones, such as testosterone and oestrogen. Cass recommended that the NHS should also consider data from private clinics.

Puberty blockers and hormone treatment

Cass recommended research to establish the long-term impact of puberty blockers, which is expected to start by December.

Assessment of other conditions

Cass said that children arriving at gender identity services should be screened for conditions such as autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Criteria for medical treatment

When treating children with gender dysphoria, only those who have experienced “longstanding gender incongruence” will be able to get medical treatment. Even then, this will only be available — with “extreme caution” — for over 16s.

A holistic approach

Before any medical intervention, Cass recommends that children should be offered fertility counselling and “preservation” by specialist services. This formed part of a more “holistic” approach to gender identity services. Cass suggested the creation and implementation of a national framework and infrastructure for gender-related care.

Growing into adulthood

The review advised that follow-through services for 17 to 25-year-olds should be established to ensure a continuity of care and support when children grow into adulthood.

Detransitioners

The report proposed that NHS England should “ensure there is provision for people considering detransition”, while recognising that they may not wish to attend services that assisted in their initial gender transition.

[ Via: https://archive.today/7GxDe ]

[covicare]

The Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Systems

Written by Dev

The COVID-19 pandemic hit healthcare systems worldwide, exposing serious weaknesses and forcing rapid changes. Hospitals were overwhelmed with patients, leading to shortages of beds, oxygen, and protective gear. In places like India, where the healthcare system was already under pressure, these shortages were especially severe, with many patients struggling to get care.

As hospitals focused on treating COVID-19, many regular services like surgeries, cancer treatments, and vaccinations were delayed or canceled. This led to other health issues, like an increase in maternal and child deaths due to lack of access to basic care. For children, interrupted vaccination programs risked future outbreaks of preventable diseases, making this health crisis even worse in the long run. Additionally, multiple countries lacked the proper monetary resources and funding to effectively handle this disaster, aggravating the strain on resources, since the ones that were able to receive healthcare were receiving the same in poor quality, leading to occasional incomplete treatments of the same.

Since all medical resources went towards Covid-19 patients, there was a strain on treating other diseases like Cancer, multiple STDs, etc. Additionally, the lockdown also prevented routine check-ups, leading to a surge in patients with worsening conditions, not necessarily involved with Covid-19. The frequent postponing of health check-ups caused multiple disadvantages, and is a variable that could have lessened the load on the healthcare system.

The pandemic also triggered a disturbing rise in attacks on healthcare workers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), healthcare staff worldwide faced violence, abuse, and stigma. In many cases, healthcare workers were wrongly seen as “spreaders” of COVID-19, leading to harassment and even physical assault. This fear and misinformation affected not only healthcare workers’ safety but also made it harder to provide medical care.

Mental health issues increased during the pandemic too. Many healthcare workers struggled with stress, burnout, and trauma due to high patient death rates and long hours. The importance for mental health was severely underscored during the time of the pandemic, considering extreme levels of anxiety between not only patients but also regular people. People outside the healthcare field also faced mental health challenges from lockdowns, isolation, and fear of infection. With demand for mental health services rising, healthcare systems struggled to keep up. Health scares combined with break in routine spread widespread paranoia within the people.

However, the crisis did lead to some useful changes, like the growth of telemedicine, which allowed patients to talk to doctors remotely. This made it easier for people to get healthcare without leaving their homes and helped hospitals reduce patient crowding. Many healthcare providers also set up drive-through testing and vaccination centers to make these services more accessible. These new methods of delivering healthcare might continue to improve access even after the pandemic.

Additionally, it introduced newever, more enhanced protocols when faced with death or serious situations, which only improved time and response of healthcare systems. The anxiety and mental stress caused by the pandemic also increased the availability of mental health resources and help to people, a part that helped reduced the stigma surrounding mental health.

COVID-19 has shown that healthcare systems need to be stronger and more flexible to handle future crises. Governments and healthcare leaders are encouraged to invest more in public health, improve safety protections for healthcare workers, and support mental health resources. By learning from COVID-19, healthcare systems can better protect both patients and providers when the next crisis comes.

[macrodosing]

catatonia defeated

okay. I asked my stepmum, and she loved the idea of the Lebron hoodie; it turns out that is why my sister likes the Lakers. again, idk why else you'd pick the modern Lakers as your team. so I've washed it and I'm sending it over as a gift for her when the post office opens, which is at 7am. I'm very lucky to have had Lebron James as a father, though I understand he's busy with work, and I think it'd be nice for her to have something of his too, since she probably doesn't get it. I also don't want to overstep so soon and ask for her phone number, though I suspect she'd be happy to give it to me, but I want to maybe ask and see if there's some way we can set up a shared playlist on apple music or spotify. I think that'd be a nice non-intrusive way to stay in contact. and I do feel it's my duty as an older sister to show her some music that will give her a leg up on her classmates in developing some mental illnesses of her own. and maybe I'll finally end up listening to a Chappell Roan song. so I'll ask

at 8:30am the clinic opens, and I was going to have my blood tested because I wanted to know what my levels were at my current dose, specifically when at trough levels; this also being the morning of my next shot. however I think my levels being low might also be why I had such trouble sleeping last night. about 4-6 non-consecutive hours from 11 hours spent in bed. I've been wondering lately if suddenly returning to exercise has changed how quickly I metabolise things and so I'm a little more likely to dip lower than expected toward the end of each cycle. or if, since there's meant to be a depot effect in local body fat, changes in body fat composition might change things a little. or, since I've been targeting legs specifically, greater blood flow occurs in the area I happen to inject in, and this might also change the kinetics a little. idk. every day, thousands of wikipedia-level theories bounce around and collide in my head like balloons. I also didn't have coffee yesterday, which is why I had a low-energy nap day, which just as well could be why I wasn't tired enough to fall asleep properly. idk idk. in any case, I get more than just my hormones tested with each blood test, and I don't want some terrible night's sleep throwing off my blood sugar or whatever else, so it'll have to wait until next time

at 9:30am, I have a face-to-face appointment with my disability case manager. for over a year I had a very good relationship with a lovely woman in her 60s named Sharyn, and she was suddenly moved to another site. she has been replaced with a boy who sounds about 19. he's "really really keen to get me in for a face to face". he keeps saying that. every time I have a face-to-face appointment, the same thing is said as is on the phone: "I'm all good (don't section me), working on my health as always, seeing my doctors, nothing you can help with, thank you though". this takes about 5-10 minutes, except when it's in-person I have to do my hair first and drive an 80km round trip to and from a very busy part of the city, and depending on the day, take a clonazepam I wouldn't have otherwise taken. but he's very insistent, he really wants to meet me. so I've concluded that he's read my file and he's a chaser. pig fuck. I'm going to call to reschedule and tell him my aunt was just around our place to visit grandma and tested positive for covid yesterday. which is also true, just mostly irrelevant. feeling fine, barely saw her, negative test. on behalf of anti-chaser activists and the environment I'm willing to lie to this boy. and what will happen is he'll reschedule the face-to face and instead ask me the same questions he otherwise would have, but over the phone, and the outcome will be the same. this blog is for bloomers not doomers, so we won't think too hard about all the other cars that simply do not need to be on the road right now. I'm doing my part

so my big adventure today has been whittled down to a trip around the corner to the post office in an hour or so. but first I'm having a coffee and then my shot. rest assured there will be no return to all-nighters thank you

[rajasthan-political-leader]

Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore’s performance for a year was unmatched

‘Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore, a decorated Olympian and Member of Parliament from Jaipur Rural, has set a new standard for political leadership with his unparalleled performance over the past year. Combining his military discipline, sportsmanship, and a commitment to public welfare, Col Rathore’s accomplishments have left an indelible mark on his constituency and beyond.

Key Highlights of Col Rajyavardhan Rathore’s Year of Accomplishments

Col Rathore’s work in the past year has been multifaceted, covering infrastructure development, education, sports promotion, and community engagement. His efforts have been directed at building a progressive, inclusive, and empowered society.

1. Infrastructure Development

Massive Investments: ₹1112 crore was allocated for development projects in Jhotwara, focusing on roads, public utilities, and urban planning.

Connectivity Enhancement: Major upgrades in transportation facilities, including new highways and rural roads.

Modern Urbanization: Focused on building smart, sustainable urban areas with enhanced amenities.

2. Education and Youth Empowerment

Skill Development Initiatives: Special programs aimed at equipping youth with skills for modern employment opportunities.

School Upgrades: Establishment of digital classrooms and libraries in rural and urban schools.

Support for Sports: Encouraging sports infrastructure development and launching programs for aspiring athletes.

3. Healthcare Initiatives

New Health Facilities: Development of multi-specialty hospitals and primary health centers in remote areas.

Public Health Campaigns: Conducted awareness drives for diseases, sanitation, and mental health.

Covid-19 Response: Effective management of resources during the pandemic, ensuring timely vaccination and healthcare access.

Col Rathore’s Leadership Style: A Blend of Discipline and Vision

Col Rathore’s leadership is marked by his military precision and a forward-looking approach. His ability to connect with people and implement impactful policies sets him apart.

Hands-On Approach

Unlike many leaders, Col Rathore actively participates in ground-level activities, making himself accessible to the people. His “Apno Sang Samvad” initiative is a testament to his dedication to direct dialogue with citizens.

Focus on Results

He ensures timely completion of projects by leveraging technology and robust monitoring mechanisms, such as GPS tracking for development work.

Inclusive Growth

From marginalized communities to rural farmers, his policies have been inclusive, ensuring no one is left behind in the progress journey.

Achievements That Resonate Beyond Jaipur Rural

While Col Rathore’s primary focus has been on Jaipur Rural, his work has had a ripple effect, setting benchmarks for governance and leadership across Rajasthan and India.

1. Sports Development Across India

As a former Olympian, he has been instrumental in advocating for improved facilities for Indian athletes.

Introduced grassroots-level programs to scout and nurture talent in Rajasthan and beyond.

2. Advocacy for Armed Forces

Leveraged his experience as an Army officer to champion the welfare of soldiers and their families.

Worked on policies ensuring better pensions and healthcare for veterans.

3. National-Level Contributions

Played a significant role in discussions on digital transformation and smart city initiatives at the national level.

Advocated for policies enhancing youth employment and entrepreneurship.

Community Engagement: The Heart of His Success

Col Rathore believes in empowering the community to drive development. His outreach programs have created a bridge between governance and the grassroots.

“Apno Sang Samvad”: A Milestone in Communication

Support for Marginalized Groups

Special efforts have been made to uplift underprivileged sections, ensuring equal opportunities in education, healthcare, and employment.

Challenges Overcome and Lessons Learned

Leadership is not without its challenges, and Col Rathore has navigated them with resilience and tact.

Dealing with Developmental Delays

By implementing strict timelines and accountability measures, he has ensured that most projects remain on track.

Balancing Priorities

He has successfully managed the demands of infrastructure growth, community engagement, and legislative responsibilities.

Conclusion: Setting New Standards in Leadership

Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore’s unmatched performance over the year has redefined what it means to lead with vision and compassion. His achievements are not just milestones for his constituency but also inspiration for leaders across the nation.

By focusing on inclusive development, youth empowerment, and community engagement, Col Rathore has demonstrated that leadership is about making a tangible difference in people’s lives.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

Lockdowns didn't cause learning losses. Public health keeps kids healthy and learning. Learning losses didn't start until the "back to normal" phase of the pandemic when kids were getting sick repeatedly and actually missing instruction.

By Emily McPherson

Australian students were academically resilient in the face of long periods of remote learning during the pandemic, new research suggests.

A study from UNSW Business School and the University of Sydney has examined NAPLAN test scores across Australian states.

The research looked at differences in student performance based on different periods of remote learning between 2020 and 2021, with school closures ranging from 9 to 157 days.

"Using NAPLAN test scores, we found that students in schools which operated remotely for an extended period performed similarly to students in schools which were closed for a relatively short period," Dr Nalini Prasad from UNSW Business School, said.

The researchers examined the results of over a million students across different age groups and locations.

NAPLAN test scores from 2013-2019 were used as baseline data, and compared to results from 2021 and 2022.

The study suggests Australia's strict COVID-19 policies, including extended lockdowns, may have played a role in mitigating the negative impact on education.

"Per capita COVID case numbers and deaths were considerably lower in Australia. Low COVID case numbers meant that students did not have to miss school due to contracting the virus," Prasad said.

The research looked at students from all socioeconomic brackets, and the results suggested most were academically stable, even those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

"There was little variation in NAPLAN performance for students from most socio-economic backgrounds," Prasad said.

"However, the data suggested some differences for Indigenous students and those from non-English speaking backgrounds, though this evidence was less conclusive," she said.

These findings could open up critical conversations about education funding priorities, she said.

"Post COVID, NSW implemented a program that aimed to help students catch up academically on lost schooling. The program was found to have had little effect on student performance," Prasad said.

"Directing resources toward longstanding inequities, rather than assumed learning losses, may yield better educational outcomes for all students."

While the research looked at academic performance, it did not examine other impacts of school closures, including mental health and student wellbeing, Prasad said.

"It's possible the pandemic had a broader impact on children's wellbeing, including their mental health and social development," she said.

"The Murdoch Children's Institute found a deterioration in the mental wellbeing of Australian children during the pandemic. This has also been found in other countries."

Study Link: www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272775724000712?via%3Dihub

[ainulassyakirin]

Week 7 Public Health Campaigns and Communities

Improving Public Health Campaigns on Social Media: Shifting from One-Way to Two-Way Communication

Social media is a powerful tool for public health campaigns, offering a quick and wide-reaching way to spread information. However, while these campaigns often succeed at raising awareness, they often fall short in fostering real conversations. The challenge lies in transforming social media campaigns from one-way communication into a more interactive dialogue that encourages public engagement.

One-Way Communication: The Standard Approach

The main goal of most public health campaigns on social media is simple: to spread crucial health information. These campaigns can reach large audiences quickly, but they often focus on delivering information rather than engaging with the audience. Instead of fostering a two-way conversation, the aim is usually to raise awareness or prompt behavior change (de Vere Hunt & Linos, 2022).

Although social media is designed for interaction, many public health campaigns fail to leverage this feature effectively. People may like, share, or comment on posts, but these actions often don't spark meaningful conversations. Research shows that while campaigns may track likes and shares, they don't always measure how these interactions impact knowledge or behavior (Kite et al., 2023). This means that while campaigns may reach many, they may not create lasting impact.

Public health organizations often create their messages with the assumption that they know what will resonate with their audience. This "top-down" approach excludes the community from the message creation process, missing an opportunity to involve people in the conversation. Without audience participation, campaigns can struggle to form the deeper connections needed for real behavior change.

Another issue with one-way communication is the tendency to focus solely on debunking myths or misinformation. While correcting false information is important, simply responding to misinformation without encouraging further discussion can make the communication feel reactive rather than engaging (de Vere Hunt & Linos, 2022). Public health campaigns should aim to not only correct myths but also invite people to participate in the conversation.

 Moving Toward Two-Way Communication

Fortunately, there are ways to improve the effectiveness of public health campaigns by making them more interactive. One key strategy is involving the community in creating the messages. When people help shape the content, the messages feel more relevant and personal, which increases the likelihood of engagement and feedback (de Vere Hunt & Linos, 2022).

Another effective approach is partnering with trusted influencers. Influencers have established credibility within their communities and can encourage followers to share their experiences or thoughts on health topics. For example, a well-known health influencer might ask followers to share their personal stories about mental health, opening the door for deeper engagement and emotional connections.

Interactive features like polls, live Q&A sessions, or real-time chats are also valuable tools for encouraging two-way communication. These features enable people to ask questions, voice concerns, and directly engage with the content (Ghahramani et al., 2022). For instance, a live Q&A with a public health expert on a topic like the COVID-19 vaccine would allow participants to engage in real-time discussions, helping to build trust and clear up confusion.

 A Successful Example: The CDC's Anti-Smoking Campaign

A great example of a public health campaign that shifted from one-way to two-way communication is the CDC’s anti-smoking campaign. Initially, the CDC used dramatic ads warning of the dangers of smoking. While these ads raised awareness, they didn’t allow for much conversation. However, with the "Tips From Former Smokers" campaign, the CDC used social media to share real stories from people who had quit smoking. These personal narratives resonated with the audience and encouraged interaction, as people shared their own experiences and offered support (Krawiec et al., 2021; Newbold, 2015). By incorporating user-generated content, the campaign became more relatable and engaging, sparking meaningful dialogue.

Why Two-Way Communication Matters

While many public health campaigns on social media still rely on one-way communication, there is significant potential to make these efforts more interactive. Involving the community in message creation, using trusted influencers, and incorporating real-time features can help create campaigns that don’t just inform but actively engage the public. When campaigns allow for feedback and open dialogue, they become more effective at improving public health and encouraging lasting change. Social media can be a powerful tool, but it’s the conversations that truly make a difference.

I think that is all from me. bye bye!!!!!

712 words

REFERENCES

de Vere Hunt, I. J., & Linos, E. (2022). Social media for public health: A framework for social media-based public health campaigns (preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research, 24(12). https://doi.org/10.2196/42179

Ghahramani, A., de Courten, M., & Prokofieva, M. (2022). The potential of social media in health promotion beyond creating awareness: An integrative review. BMC Public Health, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14885-0

Kite, J., Chan, L., MacKay, K., Corbett, L., Reyes-Marcelino, G., Nguyen, B., Bellew, W., & Freeman, B. (2023). A model of social media effects in public health communication campaigns: Systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25(1), e46345–e46345. https://doi.org/10.2196/46345

Krawiec, R., McGuire, K., Mclnerney, J., & Malik, N. (2021, August 18). The future of public health campaigns. Deloitte Insights. https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/public-sector/successful-digital-public-health-campaigns.html

Newbold, B. (2015). Social media in public health. In Briefing Note (p. 1). National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health. https://ncchpp.ca/docs/2015_TC_KT_SocialMediaPH_en.pdf

[darkmaga-returns]

If it had not come from a government report I would have had difficulty believing this horrifying case history.

Aaron Kheriaty, MD

Nov 01, 2024

According to a recent report (see page 13) from the Chief Coroner’s office of Ontario, a patient with mental health conditions, including severe depression and PTSD, and a covid vaccine injury was euthanized in Canada, instead of receiving treatment for his physical and mental disorders. This case report shows how the Canadian healthcare system abandoned a suicidal patient in need of real medical and psychiatric care (in Canada, euthanasia is euphemistically termed Medical Assistance in Dying [MAiD]):

Mr. A was a male in his late 40s who experienced suffering and functional decline following three vaccinations for SARS-Cov-2. He received multiple expert consultations, with extensive clinical testing completed without determinate diagnostic results. Amongst his multiple specialists, no unifying diagnosis was confirmed. He had a significant mental health history, including depression and trauma experiences. While navigating his physical symptoms, Mr. A was admitted to hospital with intrusive thoughts of dying. Psychiatrists presented concerns of an adjustment disorder, depression with possible psychotic symptoms, and illness anxiety/somatic symptom disorder. During a second occurrence of suicidal ideation, Mr. A was involuntarily hospitalized. During this hospitalization, post-traumatic stress disorder was thought to be significantly contributing to his symptoms. He received inpatient psychiatric treatment and care through a specialist team. He was also diagnosed with cluster B and C personality traits. The MAiD assessors opined that the most reasonable diagnosis for Mr. A’s clinical presentation (severe functional decline) was a post-vaccine syndrome, in keeping with chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis. No pathological findings were found at the time of post-mortem examination. The cause of death following post-mortem examination was provided as post COVID-19 vaccination.

This case report was brought to my attention by my colleague Alexander Raikin at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, who is carefully documenting the concerning developments of the euthanasia regime in Canada. As he explains, “In just six years, the number of deaths from euthanasia or MAiD increased thirteenfold, from 1,018 deaths in 2016 to over 13,200 deaths in 2022. More Canadians die by euthanasia than from liver disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, or pneumonia. In fact, MAiD is now effectively tied as the fifth leading cause of death in the country.” Nearly one in twenty deaths in Canada is now by Euthanasia. If you are interested in more on this topic I recommend this recent interview and this article by Raikin (or this longer report for those who want a deeper dive).

[naomicindy]

'Role of Social Media in Public Health Campaigns.'

By: naomicindy

Social media isn’t just for selfies, memes, or sliding into DMs anymore—it has become a game-changer for public health communication.

Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X have shifted from being places for personal interaction to becoming tools for sharing vital health information and rallying communities into action. I mean, if you lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, you know how much these platforms became lifelines for staying updated and feeling connected. But, of course, it’s not all sunshine and life-saving hashtags—there’s a darker side to using social media for health, like misinformation spreading faster than a viral dance trend and big questions about privacy.

Let’s start with the good stuff—social media’s power to inspire action on a massive scale. Remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge back in 2014? It was one of the first moments we all realized just how big these platforms could be for public health campaigns. People everywhere were dumping freezing water on themselves, tagging their friends, and donating to ALS research. It wasn’t just a trend; it raised $115 million in six weeks and put ALS (a disease a lot of people hadn’t even heard of before) on the map (Camero, 2023). It’s wild to think a simple idea could go viral like that and bring in both awareness and funding. Social media literally turned a grassroots campaign into a global movement.

Fast forward to COVID-19, and social media took on a whole new level of importance. When everything felt chaotic, platforms became essential for sharing updates, and keeping people in the loop. Apps like Malaysia’s MySejahtera were lifesavers, tracking infections, vaccination records, and safety guidelines all in one place. They showed how tech could help streamline public health efforts and reach people wherever they were. Plus, health organizations could use social media to speak directly to the public and adjust their messages in real time (Suarez-Lledo & Alvarez-Galvez, 2021). And let’s not forget all those TikTok dances teaching us how to wash our hands properly. Who knew hygiene could go viral in more ways than one?

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted some major issues with using social media for health communication. Misinformation spread like wildfire. Seriously, there were wild claims about fake cures, exaggerated vaccine side effects, and straight-up conspiracy theories. It’s scary because this stuff wasn’t just annoying—it caused real harm by making people hesitant to get vaccinated or follow safety measures. Platforms tried to fight back with fact-checking and flagging false content, but it felt like a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. Honestly, we need more proactive strategies to tackle this, like better education on spotting fake news and partnerships between health authorities and social media companies (Tan, 2022).

Then there’s the issue of privacy. Like, we all kind of know social media collects our data, but when it comes to health apps like MySejahtera, it gets way more personal. These apps helped so much during the pandemic, but they also collected tons of sensitive health info. And that raises big questions: How is this data being stored? Who has access to it? Could it be misused? It’s a little scary to think about. If public health campaigns want to keep people’s trust, they need to get real about data transparency and security (Akinsanmi & Salami, 2021). Nobody wants their health data floating around in the wrong hands.

Looking ahead, the future of public health communication is definitely going to lean even more on digital strategies—and honestly, that’s kind of exciting. Social media influencers, for example, have so much potential to make health campaigns more relatable and effective. Think about it: if your fave content creator talks about mental health or promotes a campaign like “R U OK?” it hits differently than a random ad or government PSA. You trust them. You listen. That’s the magic of influencers—they connect on a personal level.

Visual storytelling is another area where social media shines (Varicak, 2023). Infographics, TikToks, and Instagram Reels are perfect for breaking down complicated health info into bite-sized, shareable pieces. And let’s be real, we’re all more likely to engage with a cool animation or quick how-to video than a wall of text. Public health campaigns can totally tap into this, using these tools to get their messages across in a way that feels modern and engaging.

But with great power comes great responsibility (shoutout to Uncle Ben for that wisdom). Social media’s potential is massive, but so are the risks. Public health leaders need to focus on three big priorities: fighting misinformation, protecting user privacy, and making sure everyone has access to digital tools, no matter their background or circumstances. It’s a lot, but the lessons we’ve learned—from the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to the pandemic—can help guide the way.

In the end, social media has completely transformed how we talk about and tackle public health issues. It can connect people, amplify campaigns, and inspire real change. But to use it responsibly, we’ve got to address the challenges head-on. If we can figure out how to balance the opportunities and risks, social media can keep building healthier, more informed communities around the world. And honestly? That’s a future I’m excited to see.

Akinsanmi, T., & Salami, A. (2021). Evaluating the trade-off between privacy, public health safety, and digital security in a pandemic. Data & Policy, 3, e27. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/data-and-policy/article/evaluating-the-tradeoff-between-privacy-public-health-safety-and-digital-security-in-a-pandemic/3659C28712DE31B743266935ECF4615C Camero, K. (2023, June 21). How the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge made a lasting impact. National Geographic . https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/als-ice-bucket-challenge-research-impact  Suarez-Lledo, V., & Alvarez-Galvez, J. (2021). Prevalence of health misinformation on social media: systematic review. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(1), e17187. https://www.jmir.org/2021/1/e17187/ Tan, C. (2022). The curious case of regulating false news on Google. Computer Law & Security Review, 46, 105738. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0267364922000814 Varicak, S. (2023, May 29). The power of visual storytelling in social media ads. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-visual-storytelling-social-media-ads-stefan-varicak/