The power of connecting through social media

I hear fairly regularly, from those who don’t do much with social media, that it’s just a way for people to escape having to deal with other people face to face, and even sometimes that people who use social media should “get a life.”

I can’t speak for all people who use social media – but I don’t see it that way. I have nieces and nephews who are social butterflies (to use a term from my generation) – who are out doing things with other people seemingly morning noon and night. And somehow they seem to be on Facebook quite a bit too

Since I follow a couple blogs – I also know of people who don’t get out much, but who have been able to find kindred souls as they are brought together in cyberspace through a common bond. Sometimes these cyber-friendships lead to meetings in “real life,” but even if they don’t, they provide daily encouragement and support for those who might otherwise have very little human contact.

Human contact means more than physical contact.

Ok – that’s my prelude. Those were the thoughts that came to mind when I saw this story about a homeless woman named AnnMarie Walsh, who started to reach out about her plight on twitter, connecting through her cell phone and the library computer.

She is @padschicago, for those of you who twitter (or even if you don’t and are curious), and as of today, she has 5,194 followers.

What did she say of her experience?

“It has really helped me come out and be better functioning in social settings,” she said. “I used it to get my feelings out.” Using Twitter “made me realize how many good people are out there,” she said.” [Read the whole story: Former Homeless Woman Becomes Twitter Celebrity]

AnnMarie revealed that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Thanks in large part to the response she received from those who learned of her difficulties through Twitter, she isn’t homeless any more – and is hoping to find a job.