Teens diagnosing themselves with mental health disorders through TikTok videos
NEW BLOOMFIELD (MO) — Teens are using TikTok videos to diagnose themselves with mental health disorders ranging from common to very rare ones. Dr. Laurel Kramer, psychologist with St. Mary’s Behavioral Health, said this trend rose among teens about a year ago, as many teens were isolated due to the pandemic.
According to Kramer, the length of time these videos are consumed, the self-isolation, and teens having an impressionable mind can lead them to believe they have these mental health conditions.
“If you’re watching 10 hours of TikTok, and it’s now 3 a.m., you’re tired which makes you more suggestible. You start imagining because your imagination goes more intense at night time. And then, they start worrying that they have it, and then it becomes a real valid concern,” Kramer said.
Kramer said the conditions teens are diagnosing themselves with include borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar, dissociative identity disorder, and many more. She said self-diagnosing these mental health illnesses can be detrimental, causing unnecessary worry, as well as many other issues among teens.
https://krcgtv.com/news/local/teens-diagnosing-themselves-with-mental-health-disorders-through-tiktok-videos