Therapists are turning to popular app, TikTok, to try and get teenagers interested in their mental health. Mental health is a very serious issue all over the globe, and teenagers may be suffering with it in silence. Teenagers are facing a lot right now, including balancing school, work and a social life, they are dealing with learning how to be their own person and a lot of them are reluctant to reach out for help if they need it. Apps like TikTok, that are incredibly popular among tweens and teens, may be the best way to reach them.
According to She Knows, registered therapists are using their TikTok accounts to help teenagers gain a better understanding of mental health and how important it is to reach out for help.
Dr. David Puder is one such therapist and he is using his channel, @dr.davidpuder, to talk about mental health and he did so with a viral video about healthy human connection. His video showed a popular “still face” experiment, where a mom looks at her baby with a completely still face. At first, you see the baby try multiple tactics to try and get his mother’s attention, until he finally seems to give up and his demeanor changes. This video received over 5 million views, and can be viewed in full here.
Dr. Puder is not the only one trying to reach the youth through this app, specifically teenagers and members of Gen Z, about the mental health burden of social media. TikTok has been a great platform for mental health professionals to showcase their field and encourage others to take their mental health more seriously. Dr. Puder states that young people are curious about mental health, but he also feels there has been gaps in educating the public about mental health. This means that misinformation can spread very easily, and he is just happy that there is such a platform to spread information and education.
Dr. Courtney Tracy is another social worker who noticed when she joined the app that it was full of teenagers who were confused about how their mind and body worked. While TikTok is not an appropriate replacement for actual therapy when needed, it can be a great place to share basic information that may encourage those who need it to seek help.
Dr. Tracey also explained that teenagers who follow therapists like her and Dr. Puder are able to have access to therapists without sharing their own information or even leaving their home. It is making them more comfortable with the idea of therapy, which often carries a lot of stigma attached to it.
Sources: She Knows, TikTok via @dr.davidpuder