There are countless topics that are achieving success on TikTok. From fun dance moves to serious topics like mental health, they’re all there. Nice, but there is a great danger behind the latter.
Although attention to mental problems is very important, it can also be dangerous. Experts told The Washington Post that the current trend on TikTok could cause problems. But why exactly is that the case?
Mental health on TikTok
The number of videos about mental health is rising like crazy on TikTok. Good for attention, you might think. Experts say it’s worrying. There are countless videos online that give wrong information. Makes sense, 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 that 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 content online about mental health. One video focuses on the more general stuff, while the other deals with really serious topics. Considering that she spends at least a week researching a subject, the first one is not that bad. However, the second is a problem.
Moloney talks about topics like anxiety attacks and depression, which she tries to advise her followers on. Something that, without the right knowledge, can be really dangerous. And the seventeen-year-old isn’t alone in that regard.
Experts are concerned
Precisely for that reason, a new trend is emerging via TikTok. Actual psychologists and experts are busy rectifying misinformation. A good example of this is Psychology professor Inna Kanevsky (San Diego Mesa College). She has a TikTok account with which she tries to provide her audience of 1.1 million followers with the right information.
Although the TikTok makers really try to help people, it is not very wise to take over everything blindly. Do your own research. Most importantly, seek professional help when you need it. It’s nothing bad, it’s not embarrassing: it’s right if you do that.
