Saturday 6 July 2013

Information. Shared and Not Shared

There's a reason I see that darn Phil Mickelson ad for Enbrel everywhere I go when I'm browsing.  That one and Lumosity are dogging my virtual footsteps at website after website.  I know where they come from of course.  Over the years I have dropped many fragments of information about myself on electronic media. Some were freely given and some were not. 
                                         freakingnews.com
And all of those bits of information have made me a target for those who advertise and profile.  It's obvious from my browsing habits that I have an interest in diseases where high priced biologics are used so that accounts for Phil and the Enbrel. And advertisers are also assuming I may be starting to worry about my cognitive abilities as well. 

In the middle of a tweetchat recently I suddenly became more conscious of this situation and interpreted the feeling by thinking of Hansel and Gretel dropping breadcrumbs going through the woods. When I said this others in the chat agreed, with J. Shore saying he feels like that "Only on days that end in y".

We're all out there leaving information where it can easily be found by others and making our individual trails. Dr. Ann Becker-Schutte, a psychologist from Kansas City, gave me a different perspective in the #EOL chat when she said "But you are helping more people than yourselves find the way home."

That is a motivating factor for many people posting in online blogs and commenting about their experiences.  They are trying to use their experiences to inform and help others who have an interest in similar topics. People faced with a new health experience in particular are likely to find the experiences of others to be helpful.

For years I have been reading health related blogs written by both patients and a variety of health care professionals. They have been touching, informative, educational and all have contributed to making me healthier. I think people interested in health form one of the strongest social media communities.  When you look at the #rheum, #hcsm and #hcsmca on Twitter you find links to more resources than you will have time to digest.

So pick your favourites and dive in.

This used to be a free game that made me question my cognitive ability. I never Beat the Chimp but it's good for your brain to try some of these games. 




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