Unhealthy habits/Facebook posts from friends/family that make you :( ?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I know it's NOT my job to police my friends and family... However,

My aunt just posted a photo of heavily carb-laden Chinese food plates that she (diabetic) and her husband (also diabetic) are about to enjoy. She does this all the time. I have told her this is dangerous and she needs to be careful, but now I'm just biting my tongue and hoping she doesn't get a nasty ulcer.

Also have a friend with a morbidly obese 5yo child that she buys 2 adult sized meals for (have witnessed this when I was in town to visit family... , I wondered what was causing it until I saw it first hand) . It's hard not to cringe when seeing photos, knowing how the parents feed him. Said friend does crossfit and eats healthily herself, but why stuff the child like that? Her other child is obese too. Have not said anything to this one.

Of course, there are the hoards of anti-vax friends... I just bite my tongue and move along.

Just curious what the rest of you encounter on facebook or even on a daily basis. Do you feel compelled to "educate", or are you like me and keep your mouth shut and wish you'd have said something?

Specializes in Med Surg/ICU/Psych/Emergency/CEN/retired.
I unfollowed a lot of people during the election . . . and while I check in on them periodically to see if it's "safe" to re-engage, the most vociferous among them are still ranting. I've also unfollowed a few cousins and one friend who obsessively post pictures of every meal they are about to eat, every craft project they finish and more than one picture per day of their "awesome baby." (That includes the two-legged AND four-legged variety.) Generally, if you're posting multiple times a day, most of it is not interesting.

Giggle.:rolleyes:

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
I hate "99% of people will scroll past this post. If you love God, country, our soldiers and Jesus, like and share!"

Those purveyors of guilt risk banishment from my news feed. :mad:

This. Right along with the ones that say something along the lines of "I will know who my friends really are if you respond, and if you don't, well, I'll never know why you chose to ignore me and the sky will fall on you within 15 minutes if you don't respond. But, if you do what I want you to, within 15 minutes you will get a phone call telling you that you won the bridge that was built in the Arizona desert and your life will change forever." Or, something like that.....

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Call me old fashion but I don't have a Facebook account. I give people my phone number and email. He keeps my life simple and easy.

It*

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I had facebook for 2 years when it was new (many many years ago) and now have been FB free for 6 years. The reason is because it wastes time and makes people think about things you wouldn't normally think about. Or it fools you in to thinking it is 'real' life. Not only did you waste time on FB, you were so appalled by what you saw on it, you wasted time on another website because of it. And you even thought about interfering in someone else's life by 'educating them' when they didn't ask for your help. Get your life back, shut down your FB. And spend your time educating patients that seek your help.

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You know, the non compliance posts aren't even the ones that bug me, to be honest. The ones that bug me are the ones where people start seeking medical advice on FB (oh dear Lord why), and then a bunch of yahoos chime in with snake oil "cures" and horrible uneducated, counterproductive advice on what to do that in some cases can make the problem even worse (like suggesting someone with symptoms of a stroke see a chiropractor...yep, seen it). It's rare that I answer any of those posts, but there have been a couple where I just couldn't sit on my hands and told them to get themselves to the ED ASAP and stop posting on FB because something was really, desperately wrong.

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I left Facebook because so many people feel obligated to give their opinions on everything. Stones and glass houses and all that.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I think it's a great place, but like someone once said about the internet,"The internet was meant for education and learning and maybe communicating with other people in the world. Now, it's become abused with Mediaography and political lunacy."

Sometimes, I say,"You can't beat old school/old fashioned ways."

I can't tell you the number of people in relationships who have gotten in fights (or broken up) because of stupid petty Facebook drama. If someone really wants to reach me & they have my number, they should call or text. But if you don't have my number, then we aren't that close & I don't care to know what you're up to.

Boooooooooooooooooooooo!!!

I know, I know ... I'm lame. My mom, dad & brother all have Facebook accounts & my husband & I don't.

I left Facebook because so many people feel obligated to give their opinions on everything. Stones and glass houses and all that.

Exactly. They would post something & being the educated professional I am I would disagree with them & then they would get so offended & defensive. My life is better without all of that ignorance.

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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.

I decided getting off of Facebook was my best option, it makes me want to ring the necks of people I thought I liked.

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Not on Facebook but as a nurse and person, I do have to confront watching friends, family and patients make poor choices everyday. We are all human but I try to set an example by my healthy food and lifestyle choices. Then, if someone has questions, I'm happy to answer. I do have fearless conversations and coach patients because that is my job to give them truth, support and educate.

Right now I'm eating according to the Whole30 program. Mainly because my sugar cravings were growing beyond what I was comfortable with and there is DM2 on both sides of my family. My husband of 20+ years is a bilateral amputee and partially blind because of DM1. So I will sacrifice a lot and practice greater discipline than your average person to avoid going down the diabetic road. But I don't expect that from others. They weren't cleaning those wounds. I was.

Life is rather humorous though - I'm surprised at the people who come to my hubby to complain about a little scar, hair loss from chemo, etc. They come to me for health information but him for moral support. And that guy will listen and support them for hours, weeks, years. I still believe I'm the one who is blessed: with my health and with his attitude and by those seeking to make changes to support their health, who ask every once in a while.

Thank you you for reminding me of all these gifts.

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Specializes in Home Health, Mental/Behavioral Health.
I don't have a Facebook so it's not a problem.

Me neither! :yuck:

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I used to be FB obsessed as a teen..then common sense set in.

Besides..unhealthy decisions or not..if I wanted to judge someone I would've become one. Facebook is high school drama on steroids.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

I don't give unsolicited advice. I do give advice when people ask for it. And they usually can't even handle that. So... yeah.

I will sometimes refute a point though when someone is inviting an argument. Never about someone's personal life. That is off limits, unless they ask.

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