Tiktok’s "Undiagnosis" Trend Spreads Misinformation About Mental Health Condition

Gone are the days when TikToks only included dance or makeup tutorials. Mental health also seems to have become a go-to content hub for Gen Z creators. However, a recent trend has put mental health professionals in alert mode. TikTokers are dancing to tunes and "undiagnosing" themselves based on their own reasoning. This is not supported by any scientific reasoning or evidence.

The videos are targeted at addressing the negative effects of mental well-being issues, the risk of misdiagnosis, and the possibility of pathologizing typical experiences. While these concerns are legitimate, TikTok can have great impact on one's mental health, often in negative ways.

TikTok trends take only a minute to influence you or less than that, do you take in everything? (Image via Freepik/ freepik)

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Tiktok’s “Undiagnosis” Trend and Mental Health: What Is the Connection?

It is important to remember that TikTok is not a research hub. Everyone and anyone can make content. (Image via Pixels/ Cottonbro)

Not one but many creators have taken to the platform about their reasoning for the "undiagnosis." One of the creators, @4nn3m43, made a joke about how eating a meal cured her eating disorder, while another user, @littlemissshinkicker, said she no longer had Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder because “only boys can have it.” Unfortunately, another TikToker un-diagnosed herself with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, since they are not a war veteran.

These misconceptions and misunderstandings can stop many people from seeking help. When you seek professional help, the process of diagnosis is quite complex. Imagine that you enter the clinic for the first time, you won't be given a diagnosis after a few minutes of interaction (if you are, see it as a red flag in therapy). Ideally, after understanding your history, a series of assessments, and a couple of sessions, a mental health professional arrives at a tentative diagnosis.

When we go with the trend without fully understanding them, it creates a ripple effect of stigma and bias. This can also downplay the severity of certain symptoms. It can make people feel that their symptoms are not "serious" enough, and they may not seek timely help. This can become a serious impediment to mental health awareness.

Is there an upside to this trend? Not exactly. But a sense of humor may be needed to lighten the conversations around mental well-being. Since this is a very sensitive issue, one must take extra caution in saying or spreading messages that can potentially impact someone's life.

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We all are influenced by media on a day-to-day basis. We scroll and swipe through many of these platforms, but some of them can significantly impact our well-being and mental health. When you see content, try to be cognizant of the fact that not everything on TikTok is factual.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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