Almost everyone has had that moment where you are Feel bad and look up your symptoms online, only to panic a few minutes later when you notice that the symptoms sound similar to a more serious ailment. Something similar is happening now on social media websites like Tik Tok, but instead of naming physical symptoms, persons they are listing signs of rare mental disorders.
Psychologists and mental health Professionals are sounding the alarm bells to warn that these user-created videos should not be taken as a diagnosis.
“You can easily convince people that they have a rare disorder just based on what they see on social media,” said John Delatorre, a licensed psychologist who practices in Arizona and Texas. “Like those who adhere strictly to astrological sign comments, the general nature of describing the symptoms of a mental disorder can cause people to apply that generality to their own behaviors.”
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Delatorre went on to point out that people tend to feel more comfortable obtaining their information from sources they consider “credible,” which can range from age, appearance, and other physical aspects.
Psychologists and mental health professionals say that social media users should not blindly believe viral videos claiming that untrained people can recognize the signs or rare mental disorders.
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“People listen to those they are similar to and if they find someone on social media who speaks to them in a language they understand, the person is more likely to believe whatever that person says,” Delatorre said.
While this is not always a problem when general advice on life skills is provided by certified mental health professionals, it becomes a potential danger when untrained individuals provide amateur chair diagnostics.
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Rare mental disorders such as borderline personality, bipolar and dissociative personality disorders have dedicated hashtags with billions of views attached when in reality these disorders have been professionally diagnosed to less than 3% of the world’s population, according to multiple studies by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Statistical reports published by the National Institute of Mental Health show that anxiety and depression are much more common diagnoses in the US Current statistics estimate that 31.1% of Americans will experience an “anxiety disorder at some point. time of their lives, “while an estimated 19.4 million American adults experienced” at least one major depressive episode “in 2019.
Social media users who claim to have been diagnosed or have a close relationship with someone with a rare mental disorder have been sharing their experiences online, but experts say generalizations cannot substitute for an actual consultation or diagnosis.
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“Social media can absolutely influence people, especially when symptoms feel similar and without much explanation or formal evaluation,” said April Krowel, a licensed clinical neuropsychologist at The Brain Center. “My practice has seen an increase in people of all ages requesting dates because of something they saw on TikTok, specifically.”
Although Krowel sees problems with social media diagnoses, he told Fox News Digital that it “can be positive by raising more awareness of the ‘hidden’ disorders that people live with.”
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When people do not seek professional consultation about the symptoms of mental disorder that they have heard of, they are often confused or misled. The bottom line could make your view worse if the content creator in question oversimplified, misreported, or completely falsified the accounts or first-hand diagnostics.
Mental health professionals recommend seeking help from trusted sources that are licensed, certified, or have a doctorate.
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“Mental health professionals would do a thorough assessment by comparing and contrasting a person’s difficulties in a variety of settings, such a diagnosis would generally involve a very lengthy evaluation., not a 3-minute conversation, “said Dr. Naomi Murphy, forensic psychologist and co-founder of Octopus psychology. “If you are really concerned about your mental health, find a mental health professional.”
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A TikTok spokesperson told Fox News Digital: “We care deeply about the well-being of our community, which is why we continue to invest in digital literacy education aimed at helping people evaluate and understand the content they interact with in line. We strongly advise people to seek professional medical advice if they need support. “
