Is no one talking about it or are we just not listening?

It’s been awhile. I’ve been quiet, on the writing front. I think like many people over the past six months I’ve had to shift my focus away from outward communication and direct it inward; this had been a time to evaluate many aspects of my life, far beyond the events of 2020.

But something recently woke me up and brought my head out of my studies.  Towards the end of 2019 I decided 2020 was going to involve completing my post graduate degree, and with the events of this year thus far it’s been a greater undertaking then originally  planned.  However, it’s had an unexpected side benefit.  Studying, particularly research, has reminded me of  the tools I have at my disposal. The understanding of a  structure to ask difficult questions and seek answers, and the knowledge of how to use it.  To seek answers based in scientific research that is completely removed from my  opinions and beliefs. Because science does’t care about my feelings. And there is a certain comfort in that.

Like most people, I spent February and March reading every graph, theory, and click bait article to try and understand how our world had suddenly turned on it’s head. While I understand what I did was natural, the only think I gained from it was a significant amount of anxiety.

By April I had stopped. In part becasue having the whole family home, running a coaching business, and studying – I didn’t have time for what social media had to tell me.  To get done what I needed to accomplish, I needed to double down on my studies.

It helped that the topic I had selected for my dissertation involved studying the impact of nutrition on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are we listening? Or are we just talking?

Which brings us to last week. The end of August. Aa friend of mine shared a statement online about the mental health crisis in Australia, and how it has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. There were a lot of comments, and I on a bit of a whim decided to add my opinion to the mix.

As I had spent the past several months reviewing the research on this topic, I did feel like I had something to contribute to the discussion. I don’t have ‘the answer’ nor am I ‘the expert’. But I do have something to contribute.

While it feels like it has taken me longer then it should have to get to the point, here we are.  The response from my friend is what sparked me to start writing. She said;

‘Why is no one talking about this?’

There are three points to my answer, and I will address them here.

1. People are talking about it.

On social media people are talking about everything, including the mental health impact of COVID-19. And not just on social media. News and media outlets are covering the topic, as are government and non-government websites and media accounts. As with every topic there is a wide spectrum of information out there.

People are doing more then just talking about it. Academic and research institutions have been conducting new and original research into the mental health impacts of COVID-19 from the illness itself, to the consequences of quarantine and isolation. Early focus was given to China and Italy as areas heavily impacted by both virus infections rates and quarantine.

Researchers are also investigating past outbreaks of disease and drawing similarities and differences to the current outbreak. The aim of these studies is to help inform public health decisions to improve both the short- and long-term mental health outcomes at a population level.

People are talking about it. But are we listening to the right people?

2. We are not listening.

But the problem is, we are just not listening. Especially on social media. We choose who we ‘follow’. Social media platforms are literally designed to show us what we want to see. So, if you think no one is talking about mental health, have a look at what they are talking about. Are you surrounded by topics that do not address what’s important to you?

Is it a lack of depth on social media? Or is it an echo chamber of your own expressed views?

It’s a hard truth but if your social media feed feels shallow, hallow, and lacking in depth, it’s because that’s what you’ve told it you want to see.

3. We choose how we contribute

If you want to see more important topics on your social media feed, you must consider how you personally interact on the platforms. Are you posting engagement bait questions like ‘just curious, do you prefer guacamole or hummus’ (real example, that came up on my feed yesterday)? Or responding to  questions like that?

Or maybe it’s more than engagement baiting, but argument provoking; ‘are you sending your kids to school in September?’. Hundreds of comments, and you find yourself scrolling though them. At first because you are curious. But then you find yourself angered or triggered by the responses. Maybe you toss one in there too. And while we could discuss at length what this might be doing for individual mental health, instead let’s address what this is doing to your news feed. You’re engaging with exactly the kind of behaviour that will tell the mysterious algorithm that you want to see more of it.

Influencers on social media are trained to capture the conversation online. They are taught to make what they stand for clear and potentially polarizing. And they are trained to know everything about their ‘niche’. This means they are using market research to find and use the words, phrases, and topic specifically designed to engage… you.

But hey, maybe they do really need to know who in their audience prefers guacamole over hummus (obviously the answer is guac!). I know I’ve benefited from those ‘what’s on Netflix worth watching’ posts. Again, this is not about judging how others behave on social media (ok, maybe a little, but only becasue I’ve done it too!). It’s about answering the very personal question ‘am I engaging with content that matters to me?’. 

Before we move on,  there is something important to remember. No one is obliged to share anything specific online. Not  required to be impartial, or to address topics of high social value. It’s not up to them to ensure we are exposed to a wide range or important topics. Not at all, it’s entirely up to you. And up to me.  It is completely on us, and we cannot shift that responsibility onto others.

So, what can you do it you want to see more about the topics YOU feel are important on your social media feeds?

1. Unfollow, unfriend, disconnect from anything that is not adding value.

What value looks like is different for everyone. I value my friends who share thought provoking information. As much as I  value my friends who share pictures of their experiences, thoughts, travels, and family. You do you. But own it. Continuing to follow sources online that leave you feeling enraged, disconnected, isolated, or hopeless is not only harmful to your mental health, it’s helping to amplify their voice. UNFOLLOW.

2. Seek out the kind of information you would like to see more of.

Interested in mental health? Start by searching topics you want to learn more about. See what comes up. Check out the content they share. And if you want to take this one step further – follow some credible sources that you do not necessarily share the opinion of. It’s a bit next level and doesn’t suit everyone.  But there’s a significant different between having a conflicting option and being manipulated by miss information. Opinions that differ from our own are the ones we learn from – if we let them. Having a variety of viewpoints influencing what you see can help prevent the echo chamber effect, where it looks like everyone shares the same view… your view. It’s time to leave our egos under blocked content.

3. Be the person you want to see more of.

Share and interact with the kind of important topics you would like to see more of. Decide what kind of contribution you want to make to the social media landscape. Your voice matters. If you have a question, ask it. If you thing there’s a news story that is not getting enough attention, share it. If you feel there is something that is being missed, write about it.

I would like to thank my friend who asked me the question that needed to be answered. Yes people are talking about it. We just need to be more selective about who we listen to.