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A Tale of Two Pandemic Outbreaks

Insights Report Q4/21

The Covid-19 Pandemic has profoundly changed lives across the globe. This report compares baseline data collected from 40,000 adults, ages 17-80 (59% female), when they joined Wisdo during the two peaks of the Covid-19 pandemic (June - October 2020 vs. June - October 2021). By comparing these two baseline datasets, we can gain insights into changes in the general population among those who struggle with social isolation, loneliness, and mental health.

The data shows staggering changes in adult mental health, sleep, medication intake, and motivation to help others as effects of the Covid-19 pandemic drag on.

About Wisdo

Wisdo is an award-winning and AI-powered peer support and intervention platform addressing the negative impact of social isolation on mental and physical health. With over 1 million users, Wisdo is the largest social health platform proven to reduce social isolation rates by 23%, increase the number of mentally and physically healthy days experienced by its members by 39%, and reduce overall medical costs.

What are People Experiencing Right Now?

The analysis reveals that during June-October of 2021, people experienced significantly more adversity than during the same period, a year prior.
60% report developing sleep problems, a 46% increase from the prior period.
34% report taking medication to address mental health, an 89% increase from the prior period.
35%-43% report noticing depressive symptoms, worrying excessively, isolating themselves socially, and bottling up feelings, a 30-40% increase from the prior period.
32% experienced changes in weight, a 45% increase from the prior period.
30% report that depression impacted their career, a 7% increase from the prior period.
Figure 1. Percentage of Users who Indicated “There Now”.
46% increase in developing sleep problems;
89% increase in taking medication for mental health.

What Are People Seeking Help for?

The first peer support community picked by new users helps reveal what they are primarily seeking help with. Unsurprisingly, the data revealed:
60% increase in users joining the Anxiety community and 26% increase in users joining the Coping with Depression community.
400% increase in users joining the Improve Sleep community.
20% increase in users joining the Reducing Stress community.
58% reduction in users joining the Coping with Loss community.
Figure 2. Percentage of users who joined top mental health communities on Wisdo during each period.
60% increase in the Anxiety community;
26% in the Coping with Depression community.

What do People Set as Goals?

When people join Wisdo, they are asked to choose up to 3 personal goals. Data shared by Wisdo users when they joined the platform during the second Covid-19 spike show:
61% increase in setting a goal of Making New Friends
11% increase in setting a goal of Learning to Live with Anxiety
17% increase in setting a goal of Finding Activities that Relax Your Mind
22% decline in setting a goal of Finding Online Support. Still, this goal is the 2nd most sought-after following Making New Friends.
27% decline in setting a goal of Exercising Regularly
9% decline in setting a goal of Finding a Purpose
Figure 3. What are the top goals picked by people in 2021 vs. 2020
61% increase in seeking to make new friends

75% Increase in Members Wanting to Help Others

Wisdo’s Social Health and intervention platform leverages vetted peer support to increase quality connections amongst its members, adopt social skills, and increase a sense of purpose and emotional resilience.

Throughout 2020, we saw 20% of Wisdo members stepping up to earn the “Helper” badge, which, after vetting and training, connects them proactively with people in need of support.

In 2021, we saw a 75% increase in the number of Wisdo members wanting to step up and help others going through difficult life events.

The noticeably increased desire among Wisdo users to help others in the face of the second outbreak is consistent with research that has repeatedly shown how altruism and other helping behaviors are associated with greater wellbeing, health, and even longevity while decreasing measures of Loneliness (e.g., UCLA-3) and increasing measures of quality of life (e.g., HRQOL). This altruism-health correlation has also driven positive health outcomes among Wisdo members.

Our model, which is further explained below, is built off members helping one another in times of need to enhance personal and collective wellbeing.
Wisdo’s Social Health and intervention platform leverages vetted peer support to increase quality connections amongst its members, adopt social skills, and increase a sense of purpose and emotional resilience.

Throughout 2020, we saw 20% of Wisdo members stepping up to earn the “Helper” badge, which, after vetting and training, connects them proactively with people in need of support.
In 2021, we saw a 75% increase in the number of Wisdo members wanting to step up and help others going through difficult life events.

The noticeably increased desire among Wisdo users to help others in the face of the second outbreak is consistent with research that has repeatedly shown how altruism and other helping behaviors are associated with greater wellbeing, health, and even longevity while decreasing measures of Loneliness (e.g., UCLA-3) and increasing measures of quality of life (e.g., HRQOL). This altruism-health correlation has also driven positive health outcomes among Wisdo members.

Our model, which is further explained below, is built off members helping one another in times of need to enhance personal and collective wellbeing.

About Wisdo and its Methodology

Wisdo is an award-winning, research-proven, Social Health platform that provides evidence-based peer support and timely professional interventions. We provide a meaningful alternative to mainstream social media by connecting people seeking help with those who can offer help - resulting in connection by way of shared life experiences.

Unlike most social networks, where an individual’s value is often reduced to a number of ‘likes’, Wisdo fosters quality support networks that build up healthy connectivity, increase social skills and boost mental and physical health. Members who join Wisdo are invited to answer a “Been There/There Now” survey, which addresses a range of milestones and challenges commonly faced by community members.

Wisdo members are encouraged to regularly update this section of their profile according to their past and present experiences. This not only enables them to connect with other members through Wisdo’s experience-matching algorithm, but it also allows them to track their own progress over time and helps us understand how our communities are doing on a larger scale.

Wisdo’s positive impact extends far beyond its socio-emotional mission. Because of the way the “Been There/There Now” section is structured, Wisdo has become a source of highly valuable, anonymous data.

With an ever-growing community of 1 million members, Wisdo has access to ample data that highlights a variety of mental health, SDOH, and physical health trends. This data helps us figure out tangible ways to better cater to the needs of our members.

Wisdo offers a B2C subscription app and a B2B2C channel by working directly with health insurance providers and employers interested in reducing medical costs, improving mental health, productivity, and overall engagement. For further information about Wisdo, visit www.wisdo.com

Authors

Boaz Gaon, CEO
Ron Goldman, Chief Strategy Officer

Appendix A: Tables.

Which steps did users click on as “There Now” when first joining Wisdo June-October 2020 June-October 2021 % Change
Developing sleep problems 41% 60% 46%
Noticing depressive symptoms 33% 43% 30%
Trouble expressing thoughts and feelings 28% 39% 39%
Isolating yourself socially 27% 39% 44%
Bottling up feelings 25% 35% 40%
Taking medication 18% 34% 89%
Changes in Weight 22% 32% 45%
Worrying excessively 30% 32% 7%
Knowing depression is impacting your career 28% 30% 7%
Which community on Wisdo did users first pick upon joining the platform? June-October 2020 June-October 2021 % Change
Coping with Depression 13% 16% 26%
Anxiety 10% 16% 60%
Loneliness 12% 9% -25%
Heartbreak 8% 7% -13%
Reducing Stress 5% 6% 20%
Improving Sleep 1% 5% 400%
Coping With Loss 4% 2% -58%
What primary goals did users pick when first joining Wisdo? 2020 2021 % Change
Making new friends 11% 18% 61%
Finding online support 22% 17% -22%
Finding a purpose 11% 10% -9%
Learning to live with anxiety 7% 8% 11%
Exercising regularly 10% 7% -27%
Finding activities that relax your mind 6% 7% 17%
Adopting a healthier lifestyle 7% 7% 0%
Starting to date again 4% 7% 73%
Regaining control 6% 6% 0%
Letting go of negative influences 6% 6% 0%
© Wisdo. Published November 2021. All Rights Reserved.