Use of the forum and social media. What do you prefer, and why?

I like it here as it is a very British centric experience of diabetes. The posts on here have helped me navigate the NHS and its treatment of diabetes which I struggled to find on other media streams. I also lurk on reddit for different experiences. I don't actively use Facebook and I have found groups on there to be fact-lite and anecdotal-heavy. I hate twitter as it's only 140 characters and seemingly centred on narcissistic millennials.

I opened a MySpace acount years ago for a laugh & found it weird.
I have a Facebook account for the band stuff & general keeping up with folks I grew up with & the fan base I picked up during 16 years of touring..
I was part of a JDRF group on FB to which I was involved in fundraising with the music. I backed away when it got too "political." (Mainly "Dmoms" who saw me as a "bad diabetic" because I play in a rock band?)

I only talk D here.

Twitter from what I've seen is just inane shouting in a big noisy room.. I do that already in the band....

I have a Facebook (I did have two), but only use it to keep up with wider family and oversees friends. On Twitter, I have an impressive record of tweeting to myself, but do use it to keep abreast of various matters.

For diabetes matters, I used three fora; here, DUK and another. My diabetes isn't a matter for discussion in my day to day life, except for my closest family.

Personally, I feel I can attribute most of my positive diabetic signposting to this forum. Yes, I have done a massive amount of reading for myself, but I doubt I would have got as far as I have on my own diabetes journey without this place.

I have Facebook but I find it makes me feel really down and I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing my diabetes on it. This forum I LOVE!! I feel I can ask you guys anything and no one makes me feel stupid. Twitter and instagram I've never ventured onto..

Didn't even know this place existed until 4 months ago! But this forum is great...so much knowledge on here. The mobile app is also good to read on. Also like the Facebook Libre Group but don't really use anything else due to time constraints.

I would regard this forum as Social media yes.

Before the internet as we know it I used the humble bbs and newsgroups, a lot of info was available.

I have always used forums as my main source of either asking for help and or giving it.

I have no time for social media such as Facebook or Twitter, although I have a account on Facebook it is all fictitious info that i go under there. It is used to spread a little bit of fud in the right direction.

Hello. I use the forum but no other form of social media. I was so very lucky to find the forum when I was first diagnosed. I have learned so much information from here either from posters or from their pointing to articles or information to read. I think this is a brilliant forum for support and information.

I really like facebook as I have family all over the world and it allows me to be part of their lives and them part of mine. However for my health issues this forum is the best. I like the attitude and the support here. The people on this forum are honest, forthright, helpful and the forum is set up in such a way that you also see the most up to date information which allows you to do research using up to date information.

mahola said:

I use this forum as my own personal getaway. I know I can come here and moan, rant, whinge, cry, scream, shout and laugh and be welcomed with open arms and mountains of understanding. Facebook for me, is for the lighter things in life. I don't like to discuss my diabetes on there. It ends up with too many people asking questions due to lack of understanding. I don't use Twitter.

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I never mention my diabetes on Facebook either not even on my own Facebook page which is just for talking to my friends and family. I don't belong to any Facebook diabetes groups
For me the Facebook groups I belong to like the sewing ones is where I can get away from diabetes and talk about what interests us and what we have been doing and making not what we have got wrong with us and I have never come across any nastiness on them. I don't really think of this group as my getaway that for me is the groups where diabetes is not mentioned

Found this forum whilst laying in A&E in DKA upon diagnosis.
Have since become very involved in the #gbdoc on Twitter and on Facebook with the T1d London Meetups group. On Facebook it's great if the groups you are in have a good admin team to keep the spammers and trolls at bay. We also have the T1D London meetups group as a closed group so family/friends do not get to see what you post in there if you don't want them too know etc etc.

I have a FB account but rarely log in to it. I use this forum a lot because I feel secure here every one knows what D is like and the support and advice you get here can't be bested any where.

I have not used Facebook or Twitter for many many years now. In the end, there was only so much I could take when it came to pictures of meals and people complaining about how "hungover" they were on the weekends...

Social media tends to be too broad a term, it's an umbrella noun for many things including fun, games, informal chat, formal chat, business, enterprise and so on...

With this forum, it's all about diabetes and that's why I come here. Solely for that. I can log in and talk with others just like me and get sound advice when I need it. Likewise, I can also try to advise where I feel I can be of help, which gives me a sense of purpose... Social diabetes or diabetes media would be a better description for this place! I have no diabetic friends as such, so no one to sympathise and empathise with. But here I do

Call it social media if you want, but it's a form of social media that's free of the usual adverts, moneymaking ploys, malware and sometimes offensive content often found on other platforms. The information is good, direct and almost always helpful.

This "old school" form of social media (if we're calling it that) is also a great means to filter out idiots, trolls and general malicious kinds. From what I see online, Facebook and Twitter seem to be the "go to" sites for them sorts - where as traditional forums appear to be fairly void of that lot

This forum has been the best support for getting me on track with my diabetes and that's why I'm here. I like this kind of traditional discussion forum as the two I use regularly are well moderated and I enjoy the interactions with those interact.

I use Facebook and Twitter for different purposes and have learned to use them in ways which work for me. But, I rarely, if ever, mention my diabetes there. In fact, most of my acquaintances and colleagues are blissfully unaware of it (other than the glaringly obvious weight loss, and new-ish obsession with walking everywhere) and that's the way I prefer it. My friends and colleagues I work with daily on a close know about it, know I'm working to keep it well controlled but leave me to it unless I raise the subject first! (They know me well....)

I don't engage with diabetes groups via either FB or Twitter. Probably because I'd rather keep that to this forum.

Tipetoo said:

Before the internet as we know it I used the humble bbs and newsgroups, a lot of info was available.

I have always used forums as my main source of either asking for help and or giving it.

I have no time for social media such as Facebook or Twitter, although I have a account on Facebook ....

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I think you've said it all for me!

The only very few times I've ever actually posted on Facebook have been on a couple of commercial crafting sites, to ask a question or complain when other channels have failed me. Otherwise IMO it's trivial and very often devisive.

Robbity