UVA professor warns against using TikTok to self diagnose mental health conditions

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Professors at the University of Virginia are warning against using TikTok to self diagnose mental health conditions.

They say they have seen this trending with teens and young adults. People are using the app to relate to one another about anxiety disorders, depression, and other illnesses.

Psychology Professor Bethany Teachman says that she’s glad to see people openly talking and learning about mental health, but she warns of misdiagnosis.

“We’ve seen this rise and a willingness to sort of jump to really rapid conclusions about ‘this is the clinical diagnosis that I have,’ and that’s something that we want people to just be careful about, the ways they talk about it, so that they’re getting accurate information that can lead to effective support,” Teachman said.

Teachman says she doesn’t want people to stop having these conversations, she just wants people to have them more effectively to get the help they need.

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