TikTok Therapy?

I love TIkTok. It can be a fun way to pass the time. It can be a place to learn new things, hear other perspectives, meet new people. It feels more authentic then FB and less staged then IG. It seems like real people sharing real experiences. Wha't’s not to love?

Mental Health as a trend

One recent trend is the increase of mental health content. WHICH IS AWESOME. I am all for it! The more mental health content there is, the less stigma around mental health. We all benefit from having more first hand stories of symptoms, diagnoses/labels, coping skills. Hearing that other people have had similar experiences, how they’ve coped can be so meaningful. To help people not feel alone.

TikTok has opened the door for mental health

We’ve normalized terms like gaslighting, narcisstic abuse, generational trauma. We’ve normalized different neurotypes (ADHD content has exploded!) and gender identities. We’ve normalized self diagnoses and what fits for us. We’ve raised awareness on normal human experiences of anxiety, depression and trauma. We’ve truly pulled back the curtain to mental health. More awareness = more power. Less gatekeeping = more power to the people.

We’ve helped people find their tribe. We have LGBTQ communities, BIPOC communities. Neurodiverse communities. We’ve normalized therapy and getting support when you need it.

There are many Licensed Therapists and Psychologists on there too! How cool. They are brave enough to share their stories and their expertise with the world. If you aren’t sure whether someone is a real therapist, you can always verify licenses online too.

Is there a downside?

When taking in mental health content (and all things) it is helpful to take it with a grain of salt. To take the parts that feel right or authentic to you and leave the rest. You are not going to agree with or relate to everything an influencer or therapist has said. Not everything they say will apply to you.

Remember that content is not vetted for accuracy, safety or appropriateness.

Although TikTok is helpful, it is not therapy or treatment uniquely tailored for you.

Tiktok can’t provide actual therapy services to anyone and it’s not designed to do that. You are not just a diagnosis or your trauma history. Tiktok doesn’t have your context: your life, your experiences, your culture, your relationships, your “world”, your strengths, what makes you “you.” The nuances of you and your life need to be taken into account with your treatment.

So use TikTok for fun, for learning and for community. But don’t use it for your own personal therapy. You deserve the real deal!