Mental health has become an issue to which over time we have given the importance it deserves, especially as a result of the pandemic. This trend has not only made itself felt in the news bulletin or in our daily conversations, but also content dealing with mental health has experienced a veritable explosion on social networks in recent years. This is partly due to the high cost of treatment, the long waiting lists in public health and the fact that this type of content confers a high degree of identification and trust on those who consume it. The algorithms do the rest.
Social content on mental health is a double-edged sword. While giving visibility to certain disorders helps reduce associated biases and promotes research, it is easy to label certain behaviors as symptomatology and further stigmatize those who suffer from them. Self-diagnosis and misinformation are the main risks involved in trusting this type of content, and that is why certain precautions must be taken.
TikTok stands as the preferred social network for young people and adolescents around the world. Only on this platform the label
The objective of the users who consume this content should not be in any case to obtain a diagnosis, since even for professionals who disseminate their knowledge on TikTok it is difficult to dwell on the circumstances surrounding a specific patient. Therefore, the same symptom can have one or another meaning depending on the personal situation of each one, an issue that must be transferred to a consultation with a professional.
However, TikTok creators tend to generalize in their posts. For this reason, the information becomes more inaccurate the more specific the disorder being treated is. According to the PlushCare analysis, 60% of general mental health advice is accurate, compared to inaccuracies for those that address attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (27%), anxiety (36%) or depression (40%).
High demand from social audiences has led many creators to produce mental health content and only 1 in 10 have the necessary training, according to PlushCare. Furthermore, only 1% of the videos include a disclaimer advising of this lack of medical expertise.
For prescribers, gaining followers, views and money may be their main objective, and that is why these contents should be seen as an educational resource and in no case as a substitute for therapy. Delaying the search for professional help is the main danger faced by the endless scrolling of content on mental health, which either has not passed the filter of a professional, or is not adapted for you.
