The ‘Other’ Side of Community

A simple message came across my Twitter-feed, in response to one I’d sent about an article regarding the idea of the Diabetes Online Community.

The individual on the other end of that Tweet was the article’s author, a respected pediatric endocrinologist who’s been Living With Type 1 diabetes for more than four decades and has been described as a luminary in the field of D-Management.

His message about the online D-Community: “Caveat Emptor!”

Or: “Let the buyer beware, when engaging in this potentially-dangerous online health community that might be trying to give medical advice or sell a product to those with diabetes. Online flash mobs are a risk, and they can certainly be a danger in the diabetes community as well.”

The Tweet that got me to the column/letter/article in a Texas newspaper in the first place: “With Diabetes Social Media sites there is potential for much good but also the potential for 'bad.' See if you agree:" Article link was here.

Clicking on the article, I saw a headline: “Be wary of diabetic-related social media sites.”

So I read. And some passages screamed out at me:

Social media sites for diabetes are enticing. People frustrated by brief contact with their doctor and not getting their calls returned or questions answered in a timely fashion will logically turn elsewhere for help. Getting a quick online response from a person you think has gone through what you are experiencing is very seductive.

The power to share common experiences is an overwhelming force. The dark side of social media in diabetes is its equally powerful potential to disseminate myth and misinformation. Health care professionals are involved with many sites, even if only as casual observers and not active content contributors. But even this is not meant to be a replacement for the attention provided by a health care professional who knows your medical history.

Social media applied to diabetes best fulfills the adage "double-edged sword."To quote another ancient wisdom: "caveat emptor": let the buyer beware.

Ok. First of all, I totally get that privacy is a concern when we’re talking about sharing anything online. Especially in the health care context, when medical decision-making and lives are on the line. That “be careful” message isn’t off base, at all - it's imperative. Not to mention in these days of widespread identity theft. But these warnings must be given in the correct context. While this uncertainty and hesitation certainly might be true on its face, and I wholeheartedly agree that people SHOULD be careful when it comes to online writing about health or otherwise, what bothered me about this article was that NOWHERE did it mention the D-Community that I’ve come to know and embrace in recent years.

Nowhere did it talk about a place where real stories are shared. A place of support. Friendship. Fun. Advocacy. Important context about the health care industry and regulatory environments. Yes, information and education and learning and adapting is a part of that… but that’s not really the “focus” – it’s about the people and connections, as a community. We are honest people sharing our experiences, not people out to make a buck or sell some snake oil (even though I understand these issues do exist online and do find their way into this community).

It makes me wonder: Has this person EVER ventured into this community? To an online site such as TuDiabetes or DiabetesDaily? Engaged in the blogosphere or #dsma discussions on Twitter? Has he ever experienced the support and community that our members share in, the sense of being part of something so “life-changing” and bigger than ourselves that it’s tough to even describe?

Certainly didn’t seem like it, from my reading of this article.

Seems like it may just be observations from a distance, general warnings localized for the diabetes readership, touching on this from the outside looking in.

And that’s a shame. Because the "good' of the online community needs to be better represented to those who might not be aware of what's out here. The article seemed to tell only half the story, glossing over the other side without even trying to balance out the overall point of what’s being written.

For me, it wasn't about answering a specific question about my diabetes; it was about offering a way to address the unspoken, oft-unrealized feeling of isolation that comes with a chronic condition. The sense that you're being taught the textbook management and living guidelines, but not how to actually live with it. When I stumbled across the DOC and began seeing it expand, it addressed that feeling that I’m not alone, that I can lean on friends when I’m feeling burnt out or down about my D-Life, and that being open and talking about my diabetes is an important part of coping that helps keep me accountable.

None of us proclaim to be doctors or experts, or “doctor replacements.” Most, if not all, of us have visible statements posted declaring this. There’s a simple mantra our community lives by: Your Diabetes May Vary. What works for you, may not work for me. We offer support and tell our stories. We do our best not to judge our fellow DOCers, unless someone specifically requests that or the situation warrants it.

All of the “dangers” that exist in this 21^st century model of interacting are very important, but you can’t ignore the other part of the story. The side to what good this does present to those who are open to it. I think it’s important to make sure that other side of the story is known so that people can see the life-changing positives the Diabetes Online Community offers.

Maybe this is what some in the medical profession see the community as - a place where dangerous medical advice and information is being doled out to the detriment of their patients. Maybe the risks don't outweigh the potential good, and so it's better to warn PWD about and not talk up the community online? I don't know. For me personally, the benefits far outweigh whatever vague, general risks might exist in a network of strangers.

I have no doubt there are "bad" apples and that caution is important. But we can't live our lives in fear of what could happen - because then we'll never experience any of those moments of wonderful that might be so close, so life-changing. That is something worth recognizing.