MLIS Experience

Depression and anxiety appear to impact every aspect of our lives!  A new study published in  Frontiers in Psychiatry  indicates that information-seeking behavior is related to symptoms of emotional disorders. The research found that greater depression and anxiety symptoms are associated with both a reduced tendency to gather more information in situations of uncertainty and a reduced tendency to rely on current knowledge to efficiently seek out reward. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.782136/full  

Recently, I found out that I have to under go spinal surgery again. Although it is not a huge surprise, it is still concerning. Immediately, the information search began- trying to find the best hospital, the best surgeon, the best approach to the procedure. Yes, I could go to the individual practice and facility pages, but of course, most of the reviews were filtered, and only the “best” reviews appeared. However, my Social Media and Informatics classes have taught me some of the advantages of seeking out information on social media. So, I began on Facebook, no doubt. Search term: Lumbar spinal fusion surgery. Several hundred social media groups address the subject. I immediately started clicking on some of the “public” groups just to see what I could find.   No, not all of the information was based on professional advice or opinion (although some doctors chimed in on the subject). That was not necessarily what I was seeking. I wanted to hear actual experiences interactions with s...