By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    benefits of using protein powder to build muscles
    Protein Powder for Muscle Mass: Everything You Need to Know
    December 12, 2021
    changes brought on by blockchain in healthcare
    Technology In The Healthcare Industry
    March 28, 2022
    What Does Core Body Temperature Say About Health?
    August 17, 2022
    Latest News
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
    Why Custom Telemedicine Apps Outperform Off‑the‑Shelf Solutions
    July 20, 2025
    How Probate Planning Shapes the Future of Your Estate and Family Care
    July 17, 2025
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Obesity Explained
    December 2, 2011
    Why Pilot Programs are a Waste of Time and Money
    August 26, 2017
    Does Disclosure Work?
    January 4, 2012
    Latest News
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
    How Health Choices and Legal Actions Intersect After an Injury
    July 17, 2025
    How communities and healthcare providers can address slip and fall injuries with legal awareness
    July 17, 2025
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Social Media Is Bad for Relationships
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Social Media > Social Media Is Bad for Relationships
Social Media

Social Media Is Bad for Relationships

Paul Tunnah
Paul Tunnah
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

It’s a proposition that was very firmly put to me recently in chatting to someone of a generation that far preceded the Internet and social media; someone not dissimilar to the profile of many of the most senior board level folks working in life sciences companies today.

“Social media is bad for relationships”, they remarked, before going on to explain how it can never replace face to face engagement and, in their opinion, is actually making the younger generation less skilled in actually dealing with such real world interaction.

It’s a proposition that was very firmly put to me recently in chatting to someone of a generation that far preceded the Internet and social media; someone not dissimilar to the profile of many of the most senior board level folks working in life sciences companies today.

“Social media is bad for relationships”, they remarked, before going on to explain how it can never replace face to face engagement and, in their opinion, is actually making the younger generation less skilled in actually dealing with such real world interaction.

More Read

Social Network for Patients, Doctors and Caregivers
FDA Offers Guidance on Social Media Etiquette for Medical Device Manufacturers
Is Facebook a Predictor of Your Health?
How to Create an Original Healthcare Campaign That Leaves A Lasting Impression
How Technology is Making our NHS More Efficient

It’s an opinion that is not uncommon and it’s easy to dismiss it as being uninformed too, but that seems a little unfair. In reality, if all you did was spend your time on social media channels, safely tucked away from actually meeting people, then I have no doubt that a) you would never build the kind of truly strong relationships that come from physical interaction and, b) your social skills when you do get to meet people would be somewhat lacking.

But for me it’s about understanding where social media fits in – in reality it’s one component of engagement in exactly the same way as other communication channels, like email or even telephones.

Social media is a way of extending a virtual handshake to the entire world and finding out who extends a hand back. It’s a way of sharing your ideas and passions on a very broad scale and finding out who agrees or disagrees with your views. It’s a way of getting to know people with very diverse views on different issues and engaging in dialogue with them around these areas.

In other words, it’s at the very top of the ‘funnel’ of building relationships.

In my world, of building a media business, it’s proved incredibly valuable in connecting with people all over the world and, without social media, I simply would not have had the time or money to actually meet all those people within the same time period. But I have had the chance to build on that initial handshake with many of those connections, either through then chatting on the phone or actually meeting in person. There are some people I’ve got to know so well online that I almost can’t believe we have never met when we finally get the chance to do so. And part of the reason why some of these ‘online only’ relationships are so strong is that I’m applying the same communication skills I have learned from meeting people to social media conversations – why would the approach ever be different?

In this way, social media is particularly important within healthcare, especially in areas like rare diseases, where there may only be a handful of patients and specialist physicians located in disparate locations all over the world. Social media brings an efficiency of digital connectivity, which can then accelerate the process of coming together in real life, in a way that would simply not have been possible even 10 years ago.

So to come back to where I started, anyone working in healthcare (or beyond) who thinks that social media is bad for relationships is perhaps missing the point. By not using social media they are potentially missing out on connecting with people with whom they could build extremely strong and mutually beneficial relationships – ones that can only be truly formed through offline engagement, but for which the seeds have been sown online.

Ultimately, social media is not bad for relationships – not spending enough time meeting people, building deep relationships and understanding how to engage with others is bad for relationships. Social media is then a fantastic channel for applying these skills, making new connections and growing your network of real world connections.

TAGGED:HealthcaremarketingpatientsPhysicianssocial media
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

technology in medical research
The Tools Helping Medical Researchers See the Full Picture
News Technology
August 3, 2025
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
Health
July 31, 2025
holistic dental
Holistic Dentist Services Are Natural and Safe
Dental health Specialties
July 28, 2025
botox certification
Help Improve People’s Skin Health Via Botox Certification
Skin Specialties
July 22, 2025

You Might also Like

How to Use Instagram Video in Healthcare

June 29, 2013

How Online Reviews Are Impacting Your Medical Practice Reputation

October 12, 2012
Image
BusinesseHealthSocial Media

Beyond the Buzz: What the New Twitter Profile Means for Healthcare Marketing

April 25, 2014
Image
Social Media

Expanding Your Social Media Networks

May 1, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?