By now, it should be pretty evident that TikTok is a place that’s suited for more than just quick and quirky clips. TikTok has dominated the download charts by the end of 2021, with the now top-entertainment platform even giving Google a run for its money when it comes to search and discovery, especially among younger users. 

Apparently, despite the droves of controversy surrounding whether or not TikTok provides a safe environment for its users, the proliferation of mental health discussions seems to be growing on the app, providing some insight into potential mental health conditions. Quite contrary, and yet, vaguely interesting at the same time.

Psychiatry on TikTok

While this can prove very beneficial, at the same time, a lot of this information comes from non-qualified sources, which can lead to its own fair share of trouble – misdiagnosis, misunderstanding, and the prescription of incorrect medication. That last one can be particularly risky, perhaps even fatal, so some authoritative intervention would be required. 

Such intervention comes in the form of help from PlushCare, whose team recently analyzed around 500 TikToks that included the Hashtags #mentalhealthtips and #mentalhealthadvice, along with medically trained professionals who then assessed to provide accurate advice and to somewhat abate potential risks. Here’s what they found: 

  • 83.7% of mental health advice on the platform is misleading.

  • 14.2% of videos include potentially damaging content (Do not try). 

  • Only 9% of those on the platform have the relevant qualifications/credentials in the respective field.

  • 54% of advice contained accurate information.

  • But around 31% of videos contained the exact opposite.

The research does highlight the benefits of crowd-sourced self-help and how social platforms can be used as avenues to advance care and well-being, but it also shows the more somber side of things and the potential risk of users following advice that’s either misleading, inaccurate, or just plain wrong. PlushCare did a bang-up job with their research and we highly recommend that you check it out; if you want to go into more in-depth details (and enjoy some visuals while you’re at it), you can check out the full research here.

The Wrap

With fame comes added influence and reach, history has shown us that time and again, and while such an increase in power can be used to further a lot of positive agendas, certain ‘actors’ see it as an opportunity to chase clout, gaining more attention for themselves. TikTok, and every other platform that has managed to capture the hearts of millions, is no exception. With all eyes on the app, it becomes easy to say something and be sure that someone would at least be listening, regardless of the accuracy or legitimacy of what was being said. Hopefully, PlushCare’s ‘intervention’ helps people’s awareness that they should always double-check what they see and hear online, especially when it involves information that should be assessed by professionals. 

Sources 

http://bit.ly/3B04tv4