Weekly Discussion Prep Sheet #1

BMST 4404 WEEKLY READING/PODCAST/VIDEO DISCUSSION PREP SHEET Winter 2025 Date: February 4th 2025 PART I KEY POINTS: 1. TikTok has become a major source of mental health advice, but the article says a shocking 83.7% of the information on it is misleading. The apps algorithm tracks what users watch and interact with and then keeps showing similar videos related to that. This can make it seem like the content is personalized and accurate when really it isn’t. many TikTok videos encourage self-diagnosis, leading people to think and believe that they have conditions like anxiety, ADHD, or depression without seeing a specialist or doctor. This is risky because self-diagnosing can lead to unnecessary stress or even incorrect treatments. I remember watching a video about high functioning anxiety and it made me wonder if I had it, until I realized the symptoms were just common stress reactions. This made me think about how easily misinformation can spread when it comes in a quick and also engaging way like on TikTok. 2. Another big issue is the article states is that 91% of TikTok’s mental health influencers have no medical training. They often share advice that sounds convincing, but it is based on personal opinions rather than actual scientific facts. An even more concerning thing that the article mentions is that only 1% of the videos include disclaimers saying that the creator is not actually a professional. This is very dangerous because people may follow incorrect advice thinking it is trustworthy. I always see videos on my TikTok page saying, “if you get bored easily, you definitely have ADHD” and things along those lines. But statements like these are misleading because boredom can have many causes and sometimes no causes at all. 3. One of the reasons why TikTok has become so popular for mental health advice is that professional help is usually too expensive for many people. Therapy can cost a lot per session which makes it inaccessible for people without insurance or good insurance. Because of this, people turn to free content on social media. As the article mentions, the hashtag #MentalHealth has billions of views proving how much people rely on TikTok for support. Even though these videos might feel comforting, they are not a replacement for real medical help/care. People comment on videos on TikTok all the time saying, “I can’t afford therapy, so this video is my therapy.” It just goes to show how much people want help but don’t have access to it. But it also shows that social media can be both helpful and harmful at the same time because it can spread awareness, but it can also spread misinformation. PART II: DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. How can social media influencers create content that helps people make feel better about mental health without making them feel like they have all the answers? 2. If social media can be both helpful and harmful for mental health, what can we do to make sure it’s used in a way that supports people, especially young people?