The endless social media boom has made absolutely everything under the sun a bona fide internet niche, with creator-ecosystems thriving around the most niche of topics and concerns. Health and wellness as a sector, is of course not untouched by this trend, which seemingly has no end in sight.
It would be wrong to deny that social media has not had a lasting impact on how we live our lives today - and on several counts at that. But when it comes to matters of the body and mind, it is important to be slightly more discerning than you would otherwise be. Especially when the advice is coming from a source whose credibility you cannot verify beyond a reasonable doubt.
From the audience end of this spectrum, research findings estimate about half of the people who get health and wellness information from influencers describing the one-way exchange as having helped them better understand their own health. In the same breath, about a third said it hadn't made much difference. About 1 in 10 said it made them more confused.
Practicing therapist and author, Nedra Glover Tawwab, who has a 1.8 million strong audience on Instagram, further clarifies that while consuming information is not bad, taking it to be written in stone is. The key is to hold onto that information, and always discuss it first-hand with a professional. She adds, "Use it as information, but not as the end-all be-all. I think there's something further that needs to happen after you gather that information. It shouldn't be consume, consume, consume. Especially if you have some mental health concerns that you need to work through. Consuming without processing with a professional is probably not going to long term be very helpful."
On the other hand, those that begin or end their piece with a disclaimer about their take not being the holy grail, chances are, the intent is genuine. Tawwab lists, "When I see flexible language, that's good. When I've seen people say things like, 'this is not an exhaustive list,' that's good. When I seen people saying, 'consult with your therapist or talk to someone, get some support,' that's good."
Aalokitaa Basu is a writer and Senior Copy Editor whose work explores the intersection of lifestyle, culture, beauty, wellness, and self-possession. H...View More
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