PRACTICING UNCONVENTIONAL MEDICINE IN THE FACE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE FACEBOOK GROUP “HOMEOPATHY POLAND – CLASSICAL, CLINICAL, DETOXIFICATION”

Abstract

According to an international study3, alternative medicine has grown significantly in popularity over the past 30 years in most Western coun- tries. The Covid-19 pandemic and the realities associated with it have meant that the use of non-medical practices has increased significan- tly. The timing of the Covid-19 pandemic compounded people’s negative experiences of operating in a risk society. In order to reduce these fears, more and more people are turning to alternative medicine. This is becau- se people are increasingly starting to look for medicines and preventive measures on their own, with the emotional aspects of the perception of the pandemic and the increasing mediatisation being important here, but also the poor state of healthcare in Poland. The text is an analysis of the results of a study conducted on the Facebook group ‘Homeopathy Po- land - classical, clinical. Detoxification’. The group is a closed one, where every member must be involved in order to participate. This makes it possible to analyse a group of people using non-medical practices and not just declaring these activities. This article attempts to analyse the phe- nomenon of unconventional medicine and its social consequences using the example of homeopathy. An additional very important factor, the correlation of which we decided to investigate, is the level of belief and magical practices of homeopathy users.