lifestyle-interventions

Zoom Video Conferencing as a Tool in Lifestyle Therapeutics

The Zoom communication platform will obviously play an important role for us in the intermediate-term and even in our long- term interactions.

As we continue to adjust to the coronavirus environment, several important and clear advantages  in the Zoom platform present themselves.

Social Distancing

Most of us would agree that social distancing is an important ongoing behavioral adjustment to deal with, as this pandemic virus evolves. The Zoom platform and similar communication tools, for the most part, resolves this Social distancing challenge. We are simply sitting in our homes and communicating at safe distance in a safe environment in meetings that address a full range of topics, including health -related issues. Social distancing is built in and an inherent, permanent fixture in these meetings.

Isolation and loneliness

Social isolation is a toxic affront to our psycho-emotional health. We need to be able to interact with others in order to nurture essential relationships with our coworkers, our family, and our friends. This is where we gain affirmation, encouragement and assistance in many issues. In this modern day, fast-moving culture, we often get wrapped up in technology pursuits and trying to negotiate a glut of information. Interestingly, we are a culture with an increasing challenge regarding social isolation and loneliness. A lack of interaction with others contributes to emotional confusion, guessing about important parts of our relationships, anxiety and dysphoria. So, what does this have to do with the Zoom video conferencing service? Well, participants in Zoom meetings have a safe place, mostly, to interact and share their views either through typing a message in the Chat function or in verbalizing their interest in a topic. Attendance is important and essential as a means to view each other and our interactions. However, it is also important and probably essential for participants to speak out, where that is possible within the framework of a specific meeting. It is this exchange of information where we build relatedness and where others come to know us in critical ways. Engagement is core part of conquering isolation and loneliness. In many meetings the host has the opportunity to facilitate interaction, to ask specific participants what their view is of a given topic or issue. That is how folks come to know us at a deeper level, to know who we are. Yes, public speaking is an anxiety-producing challenge for many; Zoom may well provide a safe environment for working against this specific ingredient of the isolation syndrome. And, these interchanges within the meeting may help participants to build confidence in their social interactions. So, it is important for the Host to be aware of the opportunities for communication and their contribution to assist folks in becoming more outgoing.

Health- Related Discussions

Finally, I wanted to mention the opportunity that we have with these Zoom meetings to discuss specific health-related content. Here is an ideal tool for presenting a full spectrum of disease prevention, lifestyle altering, content. Health practitioners need to understand that positive lifestyle change is not only about the practitioner telling the patient what to do! Change is about engaging the participant, learning about their views of the issue and what level of importance it holds for them. Change is not only about the exchange of information, it is primarily about what we do with the information, what actions we take. For example, if we are in a Zoom meeting discussing how to avoid the most serious effects from a virus by enhancing our immune system, it is essential to understand the participant and the likelihood that they would be willing to initiate an exercise program, eat healthier food, attend to their sleep hygiene, stop smoking, make attempts to moderate stress, and build positive, rewarding relationships. In order to have positive outcomes in our efforts to help people change, the participant must have a platform to discuss relapse issues, and to share their views about the suggested prescription, and action plan. Be aware that, by way of example, many, many prescription drugs are never taken, because the patient, participant, never processed their feelings and ideas about taking medication.

In these health- related discussions, there is often the opportunity to build on the participants’ psychological resilience and psychological hardiness, so that there is increasing likelihood that they will be able to make positive lifestyle changes. Part and parcel of this skill building task is the practical, hands-on participant experience of speaking in a group, or even speaking and sharing ideas with one individual in a group, be that the host or another participant.

References

Frates, Beth; Bonnet, Jonathan; Joseph, Richard; Peterson, James: ‘lifestyle medicine handbook: An introduction to the power of healthy habits,’ Healthy learning, 2019.

Hallowell, Edward: ‘Crazy busy: overstretched, overbooked, and about to snap!’ Ballantine Books. 2006.

        Katz, David L.: ‘The Truth About Food,’ Copyright by David Katz,          2018.

Novick, Jeff: ‘Distracted: Looking for health in all the wrong places,’ published online, February, 2020.

Ornish, Dean and Ornish, Anne: ‘UnDo It,’ Ballantine books, 2019.

 Zahler, William A.: ‘Health, inertia, and information: why are we sick?’Printed by Create Space, Copyright 2018 by William A. Zahler.

Zahler, William A.: ‘Synergy and the dynamics of lifestyle change,’ Printed by Create Space, Copyright 2019 by William A. Zahler.

William Zahler, MSW, DipACLM

Website & Blog: lifestyle – interventions.com

YouTube: William Zahler