Teens are increasingly using social media to self-diagnose their mental health problems, alarming parents and advocates who say actual care should be easier to access. ing.
A poll released this week by the EdWeek Research Center found that 55% of students use social media for self-diagnosis, and 65% of teachers said they had seen the phenomenon in their classrooms.
Experts regularly observe this behavior, including having their phones taken away from teenagers who use free methods to get mental health advice when more comprehensive support is not available. He said that the solution is not as simple as punishing them.
“Kids come in and I ask them, ‘Where did you get this diagnosis? said Don Grant. “Oh, I’m an influencer,” Grant says, “Oh, I took a quiz,” and “Oh, there’s a group on social media talking about that.” He said he was deaf.
Influencers and online groups are “making these kids believe that they have all these diagnoses,” he says.
And teenagers armed with amateur diagnoses may not only fail to understand their actual problem, but also pursue solutions, even drugs, that don’t suit them.
This trend is not only impacting how students view themselves, but also how they view other students.
According to an EdWeek survey, 68% of educators say they have seen students diagnose others with mental health conditions, and 52% of students admit to the behavior. , 11% said they “always” do so.
“This is a place where kids come for information, and they see people who are struggling with mental illness and mental health concerns just like them,” said Director of Child Anxiety Recovery Education and Support Center. said John Piacentini, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“And a lot of these people have a lot of followers and are very attractive. It’s natural in a way that teens want to be like the people they see on social media, and they… They may perceive symptoms in themselves that may actually be present, or they may infer that they have symptoms when in fact they do not exist,” says Piacentini. added.
Young Americans are generally more open about talking about mental health, but they may not have the resources or opportunity to see a professional, so they rely on what they know.
An EdWeek poll found that 72% of educators believe social media has made it easier for students to open up about mental health issues they face.
“Kids are really struggling and struggling to access the tools and resources they need to care for their mental health,” said Kristin Crawford, associate medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Ta.
It’s also much easier for teenagers to use computers and social media than to find a professional.
A recent Pew Research study found that 95 percent of teens own a smartphone, and about 60 percent use social media platforms such as TikTok.
“They use different social media platforms as search engine tools for a variety of topics, including mental health topics,” Crawford said.
Experts say the best way for parents to approach this issue, in addition to making sure they have access to an actual mental health professional, is to step into their child’s world and find out where they are getting answers. It’s about understanding what you’re looking for.
“You want to be curious about where they’re getting their information about mental health and how their friends are managing their mental health. We can show you,” Crawford said.
Once parents know where they are getting the data to self-diagnose problems like depression and ADHD, they can use it as a starting point to discuss together how to go to your GP. Masu. It’s a little further away,” she added.
Advocates say schools and educators need to teach students about social media literacy and combating misinformation, which could help them second-guess misinformation they receive about mental health. It is claimed that there is.
And apart from parents and schools, experts are calling for stricter restrictions on what can be posted on social media sites.
“Giving this type of advice without any background, experience, education or license is extremely dangerous, unethical and illegal,” Grant said of influencers.
He said providing misinformation about mental health should be treated like other dangers that are banned on certain platforms, such as videos on how to make bombs.
“I think it’s a content violation for an untrained, uncertified, unlicensed person to give medical advice or psychological advice because it’s dangerous,” Grant said.
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