For subscribers
TikTokers are self-diagnosing. That’s good and bad
If WebMD ushered in the age of armchair diagnosis, TikTok has kicked the door wide open.
Sign up now: Get tips on how to grow your career and money
Mental health content on these platforms often simplifies, distorts or completely redefines actual science-based research.
PHOTO: AFP
Sarah Gundle
Follow topic:
“My ADHD? I figured it out on TikTok,” a new patient told me proudly.
She hadn’t turned to social media for answers because she wanted to; she just couldn’t afford the cost of a formal psychiatric evaluation. Appointments for neuropsychological assessments, the gold standard for diagnosing conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, are increasingly hard to come by. Many are also expensive and can run anywhere from US$800 (S$1,000) to over US$10,000, depending on the complexity of the tests.
