TikTok Linked To Misdiagnosed Problems Among Young People
(BrightPress.org) – Dr. Annie Barsch is a psychologist with a master’s degree, a license to practice, and a wealth of experience. She’s frustrated about her new competition — TokTok influencers. Dr. Barsch told The New York Times (NYT) that, all too often, adolescents diagnose themselves improperly because of the bad advice they heard online.
Sound the alarm!🚨TikTok =🛑Check-in with your kids. Communicate with your kids. Know signs of mental health stress. Take action. https://t.co/qS7FfoFMeN
— Lynn's Warriors (@lynns_warriors) November 8, 2022
On October 29, the NYT published a piece highlighting the doctor’s concerns, along with stories from teens led astray. Dr. Barsch says she’s seen an influx of kids who believe they already know what’s wrong with them.
A major concern is that many mental health disorders are misunderstood in general. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the doctor explains, doesn’t make a person highly organized with a rigorous routine. Those suffering from the affliction have difficulty functioning in society because of their compulsions. Yet many teens and adolescents tell her, “I’m so OCD.”
Diagnosis by suggestion is another huge issue. The NYT interviewed a girl named Kianna from Baltimore, who, at 17, had feelings of seclusion and sank into the TikTok world. She ultimately ended up believing she had a serious mental health disorder that took her to dark places she may have never gone otherwise.
The takeaway from the piece is that any kind of medical or mental health diagnosis should come from qualified professionals, not from internet influencers.
Copyright 2022, BrightPress.org
