Olivia Kershaw
TW: mental health
The rise of the mental health ‘influencer’ should not be surprising. After all, we live in an era of social media influencers. Catchy, short-form digital content has exploded with the rising popularity of TikTok. But is the proliferation of bitesize mental health content producing a young generation of ‘cyberchondriacs’?
The pandemic has caused already escalating mental health crises among children and young people to worsen. A report commissioned by the UK government found that in 2020, a startling 1 in 6 young people had a diagnosable mental health condition – up from 1 in 9 in 2017.
It also found that risks to mental health have been “greatly exacerbated by the ubiquity of social media”. And this isn’t just a result of cyberbullying and harmful content. Researchers think TikTok is fuelling the rise of ‘cyberchondria’: a type of health anxiety unique to our digital era.
Cyberchondria has been linked to young people diagnosing themselves with all kinds of mental health conditions. ADHD, in particular, has recently come under the media spotlight. Critics think that TikTok is perpetuating negative stereotypes about ADHD, while others think it’s helped to raise awareness and enables young people to get the help they need.
Starting Difficult Conversations
There are certainly positives to be found in the rise of mental health-related content. Mark Rowland, CEO of the Mental Health Foundation, has called for “universal mental health literacy” to reduce stigma and improve understanding among children and young people. The popularity of TikTok with young audiences, therefore, presents an opportunity to improve their knowledge and awareness of mental health conditions.
Seeing this content regularly might help to normalise conversations around mental health. Young people may even feel encouraged to talk amongst their peers and seek help. As for young people who are either reluctant or unable to seek professional support, it is possible that TikTok content allows for information and advice to be more accessible.
Joe Martin, a professional psychotherapist, observed in an article for BACP that “For those who cannot afford therapy, self-help techniques seen on platforms such as TikTok may help, but it is important that these are evidence-based, from a reputable source and appropriate to avoid potential harm.”
Misinformation, Misdiagnosis
‘We’ve all heard people carelessly use phrases like ‘it gave me PTSD’ or ‘I’m so OCD’ to describe normal everyday behaviours.’
The seemingly unmediated candor of the homemade TikTok video can be misleading. Content creators are often presenting a highly personalised account of their own experiences and may unintentionally spread misinformation.
Bitesize content can hugely oversimplify mental health conditions. This may contribute to the unhelpful casualisation and stereotyping of mental illnesses. We’ve all heard people carelessly use phrases like ‘it gave me PTSD’ or ‘I’m so OCD’ to describe normal everyday behaviours. But this can be triggering for people who genuinely struggle with these conditions.
Misdiagnosis is also a real risk – someone might have particular symptoms, but not severely or persistently enough to meet the diagnostic criteria for a given condition. Many mental health conditions also present themselves with similar symptoms. Young people may misdiagnose themselves, missing something that a trained professional would not.
Algorithms also run the risk of trapping young people in harmful feedback loops. TikTok shows users similar content based on their interactions (watching, skipping, liking, commenting, sharing, etc.). This may leave young people flooded with content and preoccupied with worries about their mental health.
Crowdsourcing Care
‘TikTok creates communities of care for young people to find validation and reassurance.’
The trend to self-diagnose could possibly be a byproduct of long NHS waiting times and unaffordable private healthcare. This has left young people feeling abandoned by the system supposed to protect them. The 2021 government report on young people’s mental health found that “smaller problems too often escalate to the point of crisis because of long waiting times and high access thresholds”.
It is understandable that young people may turn to social media as a way of finding information, connecting with others who share similar experiences, and ‘crowdsourcing’ support. In this way, TikTok creates communities of care for young people to find validation and reassurance. However, I don’t believe we should encourage this culture of self-diagnosis – it can be counterproductive and instead prevent young people from accessing an accurate diagnosis and appropriate support.
Combating Misinformation
Ultimately, we can’t stop young people from using TikTok. However, we do need to support them to develop critical thinking skills in the way that they engage and question the validity of the content they’re consuming.
Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram also need to moderate content more effectively and consistently, ensuring factual accuracy. User-generated content should come with a requirement for clear and visible disclaimers, and users should be signposted to where they can access appropriate support and advice.
Lastly, TikTok and other social media platforms have witnessed an increase in qualified mental health professionals, putting out content to counter misinformation. Dr. Julie Smith, a UK-based therapist and clinical psychologist with more than 4.2 million TikTok followers, realised she can “put something positive out there and increase the chances that anyone who’s vulnerable might come across my stuff — as opposed to other stuff that’s not going to help them.”
If you feel you need help with your mental health, please speak to your GP or a healthcare professional. You can also access a list of resources and support services for children and young people here.
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Featured image courtesy of Anthony Tran on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Olivia Kershaw
Olivia is a writer and researcher based in Manchester. Her journalistic interests are wide-ranging but centred in the arts & popular culture.