“Much has been written about the increase in loneliness and isolation that has accompanied the internet. This is said to be caused by shallow online friendships which are no substitute for genuine relationships. Being exposed to the heavily curated lives of others on social media has also been found to create feelings of depression and anxiety in some people.
A recent academic study provides a more nuanced view, revealing that rather than leading to misery, the internet has made people happier. This is especially the case for the elderly and those with health problems who would otherwise have limited contact with a wider community. “
I’ve long argued that the studies showing people who use the internet were more likely to be depressed were not catching the whole picture. Clearly it’s not just internet usage, but how we are connecting with others online that is impacting our mental health. I like that this study shows us that there are people out there using the internet to connect to others and improve their lives.
You know, I think there is one thing that prevents this from being an even higher number. Health insurance.
If you’re young, looking for flexibility, and not really finding it, working freelance might look like a pretty attractive option. But, your health insurance costs might be pretty manageable, especially if you’re in relatively good health. Those of us who are older, or have some health issues that cause the price of getting a health insurance policy on our own to be rather high, might have a more difficult time making this decision.
I have had conversations privately, so some people already know this, but while I’m not necessarily for, or against, Universal Health Care, (I think it’s a really complicated issue that we refuse to talk honestly about, from both sides) if the US ever gets to that point, I will be planning my exit from Corporate America the next day.
I’ve been saying for quite some time now that I couldn’t understand why some features of the desktop version of Tweetdeck weren’t being added to the iPhone app. (Mostly global filters.) Apparently, there was a reason for that. Tweetdeck was completely rewriting the iOS application. As much as I’m looking forward to seeing this new…
It’s true. Our words and actions, especially when things are stressful, undermine what we think we are. You may think you’re being a good boss, and maybe most of the time you are, but those days when you’re stressed and short with people or the days you decide to not deal with a problem, become the days that define you in the eyes of the people who report to you.
To them, you aren’t just another person having a bad day. You are the person who controls their success at this company for better or worse, so it’s not just you having a bad day, it’s the organization having a bad day, directed at them.
Upon my return to civilization yesterday, this is the state of affairs. Trillian is not connecting to Yahoo, but they have released a patch that will allow you to connect with MSN’s new protocols. They are working on a Yahoo patch, you can read about it, and get the MSN patch here. I couldn’t get…
It was an interesting conversation, and I hope these conversations can help us in the eDiscovery industry think about employee wellness, mental health, diversity, and other issues that can result from doing things the way we’ve always done them. It’s time for this conversation to be had across the industry. If this can spark more of that, I would be very happy.
If travel is a big part of your job, you’re at risk. You need to be aware of the risks and how to best mitigate them for yourself. “A new study finds that people who travel for business two weeks or more a month report more symptoms of anxiety and depression and are more likely…
