We were a year into the pandemic when a friend’s teenage daughter forcefully announced that she had ADHD and the necessary medication. Her mother had shared the news with me during an anxious and socially distanced morning walk, along with her private concern that it was not the correct diagnosis. The girl, however, was convinced. She has been researching online and sees the need to consider other possibilities.
American teens and college students face an avalanche of mental health crises unprecedented in modern history. In contrast to the strong determination of previous generations of never admit when there is a problem, Gen Y’s hunger to identify and address their emotional challenges is not only understandable, it’s quite commendable. However, it is vital that they are able to distinguish between self-labeling and professional help, especially since neither is 100% accurate or effective.
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Humans are highly suggestible creatures, as we’ve all learned after two years of nervously rubbing the inside of our noses. It does not deny the reality of what we may be feeling at any moment; however, it creates the need to understand that belief can sometimes create or accelerate symptoms that defy diagnosis. And that adolescents, with their developmentally appropriate need for peer group identification and them more than seven hours a day spent on social networks, they are unique.
In a recent post for Banner Behavioral Health Hospital, psychiatrist Dr. Adeola Adelayo noted a surprising increase in “verbal and physical tics” in adolescent girls. “We have seen a burst of Tourette-type tics in our unit and each case has been linked to watching countless TikTok videos about people with Tourette syndrome,” he said. “These kids don’t have Tourette’s, but they’re not faking it either. They have a functional movement disorder as a result of stress and possibly underlying anxiety or depression, which may or may not have been correctly diagnosed.”
Similarly, a December Wall Street Journal article explored why “doctors across the country say they’re seeing more teens coming in with self-diagnoses stemming from TikTok,” including rare mental health issues like borderline personality disorder and multiple personality disorder. Evan Lieberman, a clinical social worker in Minneapolis, also noted another aspect of the phenomenon. “There seems to be a trend,” he said, “of using mental health diagnoses as social currency”.
When the algorithm rewards even a casual search for information with recommendations for more and more of the same, within a system that is plagued by a mix of legitimate and dubious self-described mental health influencers, it can be difficult for anyone to tell the difference between what is real and what is the so-called “horoscope effect” to take generalized information as a personal view. And the fact that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the Bible of psychiatry from which most of our modern terminology springs, is a tremendously imperfect document, frequently arbitrary it only adds to the potential confusion here.
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Among professionals, opinions about the convergence of social networks and mental health are mixed. Dr. Michael J. McGrath, a psychiatrist and medical director of the Ohana’s Luxury Alcohol Rehab in Hawaiisays: “Self-diagnosis of a mental health disorder based on social media is a very dangerous trend. Many mental health disorders can have fatal outcomes if not properly diagnosed and treated. A person should never use information they see or read on line”. to determine if they have a mental health disorder or to determine what treatment they need.
He adds: “It’s great that there are creators online who are highlighting mental health conditions. That’s great for raising awareness and reducing the stigma associated with mental health conditions. However, it’s vital to be aware of the information you see.” or read. informational only.”
But Manhattan Psychotherapist Z Cordero notes that access to resources varies wildly and points to the “lack of readily available appropriate and inclusive information” for many. “Visits to therapists, psychiatrists and neurologists take time, money and access to transportation,” says Cordero, “all things that teens and college students may not have readily available to them. Many mental health providers don’t accept insurance and that number will likely grow. Even if youth have access to all of these resources, the professionals they can work with may not be the right fit for them. Is the youth black, indigenous, queer, trans? What is the level of professional of cultural awareness around these areas?”
Y Dr Holly Schiff, a medical doctor and licensed clinical psychologist in Greenwich, Connecticut, advises everyone to be smart consumers. “Usually the credibility of the source is the first clue as to whether the advice will be useful versus something that has no merit or could potentially be harmful,” he says. “There are some users who are part of a community that actually encourages unhealthy behaviors and share tips and tricks on how to self-harm and hide it from others, or strategies to maintain your eating disorder and lose weight faster. These are dangerous and harmful and can be triggering for those who come across these posts If they don’t have any credentials or their posts are sponsored or associated with brands and products I would be wary of any advice they post Social media is a complex tool that can exacerbate anxiety or promote unhealthy habits, but it also makes a significant positive contribution to the ongoing dialogue around mental health. She advises, simply, “Don’t try everything you see!”
Of course, it’s not just teens and college students who self-diagnose, and it’s not just mental health or neurodevelopmental issues. I recently attended a medical conference, and one of the biggest frustrations expressed by physicians there had to do with adult patients arriving at their offices certain of both their pre-existing conditions and current complaints, without prior testing or confirmation. Us everyone they could use regular reminders that the internet is just one component of information gathering and support, just as providers, and parents, could often do a better job building collaborative and empathic treatment plans together.
When it comes to talking to our children, the most important thing is to keep an open mind. If your child comes to you with a concern or even a strong statement of apparent fact, start by taking it seriously first. You want to build a reliable team of helpers, not close down a line of investigation. When I asked my own teen why she thinks so many teens self-diagnose on social media, she bluntly told me, “Because adults don’t believe them.” I find that incredibly sad and tremendously dangerous.
A dozen years ago, Dr. Srini Pillay warned in Psychology Today that “one of the greatest dangers of self-diagnosis in psychological syndromes is that can miss a medical illness masquerading as a psychiatric syndrome. Therefore, if you have panic disorder, you may miss a diagnosis of hyperthyroidism or an irregular heartbeat. Even more serious is the fact that some brain tumors can present with personality changes or psychosis or even depression.”
In addition to keeping the lines of communication open, we can remind ourselves and our children that having a word for something is less important than having a plan to address it. Author Sarah Fay recently recalled in a Salon interview, “There is no single DSM diagnosis that has an objective measure.” And a 2021 Psychology Today article on the rise of TikTok diagnoses noted the need to keep in mind “the core idea of traits and states, the former being more stable and enduring and the latter a temporary way of being.” A teen may be eager to reclaim an “I am ___” identity without considering the possibility of being more in a “I currently have ____” situation. That doesn’t diminish the reality of anxiety, depression, or distractibility, it just reframes them as not always chronic or defining.
I don’t know if my friend’s daughter has ADHD, or even if she ever received a professional diagnosis. Shortly after that conversation, we lost contact. I know that the girl was wise enough to recognize that she was struggling with something, to look for information and that she trusted her parents enough to talk to them. That is a better start than many children. “Social media platforms offer a place for healing and foster a sense of community, as well as reduce stigma,” says Dr. Schiff. But he encourages teens to take the next step and “Tell an adult or talk to your parents. Seeking professional help,” he says, “is the first step in discovering what you’re experiencing and getting on the road to feeling better.” .”
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