TikTok Said I Have Anxiety
The Plague of TikTok Diagnosis on Mental Health
“Welcome to counseling. I can’t wait to get to know you and walk this journey of healing with you!”
“Don’t worry. Tiktok has already told me that I have OCD and likely a personality disorder, so really I just need you to tell me how to fix that.”
TikTok diagnosis. The newest craze and epidemic plaguing teens and young adults nationwide. As TikTok has grown, so too has the niche of psychTok – channels that provide “mental health” diagnoses. Many of these channels claim expertise in the field of psychology or therapy. They list out symptomatology of mental health disorders that are vague enough that vulnerable populations can connect to them. On the surface this cam seem like a helpful tool. In reality it is causing a large subset of our population to believe that they are experiencing serious mental health concerns. In turn they then take those labels on as their identities.
Since COVID, the usage of social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram have risen by 180% amongst 18-25 years olds. In addition, this demographic is also experiencing a large uptick in feelings of isolation and anxiety. Pair this with increasing awareness on the importance of mental health and you have a recipe for the perfect influential target. Social media “influencers” are praying on these individuals by providing them a relief from their loneliness. This comes as a titled diagnosis and a perceived connection to others – the idea that they are “not alone”.
In practice, the idea of bringing connectedness and relief to clients is part of the long term goal of all therapists. However, TikTok diagnosing is taking away a key component – human variation and perspective. When clients come to my office and tell me that TikTok diagnosed them with xyz, the first thing I do is ask them what about that diagnosis they connected with. Most teens and young adults have connections to 2-3 defining components of a disorder. However, they don’t actually “qualify” for a diagnosis. Furthermore, the things that TikTok is taking away is the fact that we are all living a unique human experience. Resources like the DSM-V provide educated and licensed professionals a guideline to help clients work through their own experiences and the behavior that derived from the cognitive impacts of such. Key word: guideline.
While I would love to see this trend disappear completely, the reality of our ever growing virtual world is that this problem isn’t going anywhere. Therefore, it is more important than ever that we become increasingly aware of the limitations on these platforms. Understanding that TikTok and other social media cannot stand in for the highly trained service that therapists provide. Becoming aware of the subliminal, subconscious, and blatant attempts to influence and change the perspective of the vulnerable. Working to use caution when engaging with content. And ultimately, recognizing that no virtual, highly influenced experience can truly stand in for human experience, connection, and knowledge.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the impacts of social media on mental health or inclined to TikTok diagnosing, turn to Anchored Hope Counseling in Kannapolis, NC. Anchored Hope Counseling provides a wide range of therapy services from couples counseling to personal one-on-one sessions. View a list of our offerings online, or schedule a consultation today. If you liked these tips remember to subscribe to our weekly blog for more news and insights.
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