There are countless topics that achieve success on TikTok. From funny dance moves to serious topics like mental health, they can all be found there. Pleasant, but there is a great danger behind the latter.
While paying attention to mental problems is heartbreaking, it can also be dangerous. Experts reveal to The Washington Post that the current trend on TikTok can cause problems. But why exactly is that the case?
Mental health on TikTok
The number of mental health videos is rising like crazy on TikTok. Good for the attention, you might think. According to experts, it is worrisome. You see, there are countless videos online that give misinformation. This is logical, because the advice comes from people who have had no official training in the subject.
Seventeen-year-old Issey Moloney is a good example in this regard. She has 5.9 million followers on TikTok who are between the ages of 14 and 18. During the pandemic, she felt lonely and decided to create online content about mental health. Some videos focus on the more general issues, while others cover really serious topics. Considering that she spends at least a week researching a topic, the former isn’t too bad. The second, however, is a problem.
Moloney talks about topics like anxiety and depression, which she tries to give her followers advice on. Something that, without the proper knowledge, can be really dangerous. And the seventeen-year-old is really not the only one in this regard.
Experts worry
For exactly this reason, a new trend is popping up via TikTok. Actual psychologists and experts are busy rectifying misinformation. A good example is Psychology professor Inna Kanevsky (San Diego Mesa College). She has a TikTok account through which she tries to provide her audience of 1.1 million followers with the correct information.
So while the TikTok creators are really trying to help people, it’s not very wise to take everything at face value. Do your own research. More importantly, seek professional help at the time you need it. It’s nothing bad, it’s not embarrassing: it’s actually good if you do.
On the website of the national government there are several handles to try, via the Internet, self-help. If you don’t succeed, contact your family doctor or company doctor.