TikTok, teens, and mental health

Produced and edited by Nahima Shaffer for Medicinal Media.

Can TikTok harm mental health? Can TikTok help mental health? The answer is: both. Teen mental health challenges remain critical, with suicide being one of the leading causes of death in adolescents and young adults. Meanwhile, 40 percent or more of Gen Z are using TikTok as their primary search engine. Psychotherapist Nadia Addesi says, "80-90 percent of my clients came from TikTok." 

This video touches on the bountiful resources that many teens are finding and embracing on TikTok, despite its algorithmic pitfalls. Some of the positive uses of the platform include the ability to bond with peers, explore health-related resources, and discover the tools and confidence needed to initiate and/or continue individual therapy. 

Stay tuned for our upcoming article, On TikTok Therapy: two sides of a coin, by Medicinal Media contributor Dr. Modupe Abidakun.

Produced and edited by Nahima Shaffer for Medicinal Media

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