Mental Health Care
A recent Washington Post pointed out a case where Issey Moloney, a 12-year-old girl back then, had signed up for therapy at Britain’s National Health Service. However, she was put on a waiting list for four years until she finally had the chance to speak to a professional.
For the duration, she realized that social media supported her in making her feel less alone, while eventually she connected with people online and began creating her own content on mental health, relationships, and friends.
Addressing the subject, American researchers question whether social media holds the potential to close the healthcare gap. In a survey on mental health care, it was found that cost is the top barrier to attaining mental health support in society. On the other hand, mental health tips and resources are available everywhere on social media, from TikTok videos, highlighting #mentalhealth in the captions, to other platforms that have identified its increasing rate each year.
While critics suggest that social media apps are not designed to provide accurate information, but rather just the form of content that extracts the largest reaction.
TikTok on the matter said, “It is committed to fostering a supportive environment for people who desire to share their wellness journeys while also removing medical misinformation if any.” The platform added further, “Individuals who are in need of support are suggested to seek professional medical advice.”
On a concluding note, it is the customer’s responsibility to choose what mental health advice they would prefer to consider, while eliminating the unhelpful or misleading ones.
