- What up world?

Myles Bess here, journalist, host, and someone who recently got into self care.

Your boy got a skincare routine.

Soap and ESPN.

Now, when it comes to teenager's mental health, here in the US, we're in a literal state of emergency.

According to the CDC, one in five children have some kind of mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, but only 20% actually get care from a mental health professional.

Apparently, accessing mental health care is harder than Chris Hemsworth's abs.

Oh look, I'm Thor.

Look at me hammer, I'm Thor.

I'm in Australia, 'cause I'm Thor.

Ah!

Which is why the youth have outsourced their problems to TikTok.

Videos with the hashtag mental health have more than 41 billion views.

(laughing) Just like here at Above the Noise.

Ah, yeah.

Oh, I hit the mic.

Did you hear that?

And that's dope.

Who needs Freud when you have Al Gorithm.

But then again, have you been on TikTok?

Content and information are inconsistent, often unverified, and the platform has its own mental health repercussions.

So today we're asking, how can you escape the toxicity and actually benefit from Mental Health TikTok?

(record scratching) Accessing mental healthcare for teens is like finding a needle in a haystack, except the needle is a therapist and the haystack is America.

Let's review.

(Myles inhaling) Mental healthcare can be pricey, especially if you don't have insurance.

There's a shortage of providers, super long wait times, a history of racial disparities.

Like did you know that like 86% of psychologists are white?

And if you're like, well teen's mental health is just a problem in the US, it's not much better elsewhere.

Which is why so many people are flocking to TikTok.

Here you can find a bunch of licensed therapists from all kinds of cultural backgrounds and ages.

These folks are creating content, reducing Caucasity, and spreading some sweet info.

You've got tips videos, what it's like to have videos, my experience with videos, how to tell if you have videos, just straight up explainers, and the list goes on.

- There are communities of people that can connect, and engage, and find support, and feel seen.

And I think that's something that TikTok can do really well.

- That's Dr. Patrice Berry, she's a licensed psychologist and TikTok creator.

- There are some people that because of TikTok, they realize, oh, wait a minute, I need to get an assessment.

They got an assessment.

And they were diagnosed with the thing that did show up.

- I mean, that means that people find what they're watching valuable.

And someone who may not have gotten help before is getting help now.

Do you know how many fathers show me their love by buying me fruits?

Thanks, Dad.

Clearly, TikTok has some cool things, some derpy derp.

So how do we swipe through the toxicity?

Having a positive experience on TikTok has a lot to do with knowing how to tell if something is right for you.

And also, like legit science.

First and foremost, it is super easy to be misled on TikTok.

One peer-reviewed study looked at the top 100 hashtag ADHD videos on TikTok and found that the majority, 52%, of those videos are misleading.

That's over half the videos.

Half!

That means if you randomly select a video, you can either be getting solid advice from your high school valedictorian, or you could be getting misinformation from your cousin who interns at the Hype House.

That's a big difference.

And a big deal, because on average these videos had about 2.8 million views.

That's a high risk to get lost in the sauce of misinformation.

But don't go thinking it's just ADHD content.

No topic is off limits.

For example, you know those videos that are like five signs you have anxiety, depression, OCD, whatever it may be?

Well, while sometimes what's listed may technically be true, it can be oversimplified or incomplete.

- 'Cause sometimes the information is very broad and it can apply to a lot of different things, not just one thing.

And that content is often the content that goes viral.

- And it goes viral because everyone can relate.

But like, just because you're tired doesn't necessarily mean you're depressed.

Or just because you're messy doesn't mean you're an Aries, have ADHD.

And health tech companies have also been accused of placing ads on TikTok that oversimplify symptoms to get users to sign up for their platform to get treatment, or get on meds.

Dr. Berry's advice for sifting through the noise... - Looking at who the person is that's presenting it.

Are they a licensed therapist?

Are they a coach?

Are they somebody that has ADHD or anxiety, and they're just sharing helpful tips from their everyday life.

And also knowing that everything, it might not relate to you.

- I mean, and there are many different kind of mental health professionals.

You have licensed professional counselors, licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners.

But you know who's not on this list?

Lifestyle coaches, companies, brands, and social media influencers.

The only thing verified about these folks is their blue check mark.

In addition to looking out for misleading content, Dr. Berry also recommends making sure you pay attention to how what you're watching makes you feel.

- If I leave the app feeling worse about my life, feeling worse about my friends, feeling worse about my current situation, then I might be engaging with content that's negative.

But if I leave the app feeling positive, if I leave the app hopeful, I leave the app with tools and resources that I can apply to my life, then I'm using it in a way that's helpful.

- Because you do have some control over what you see.

The algorithm tends to serve up the type of content you engage with the most.

So by only liking, and sharing, and commenting on the stuff that makes you feel good, you're less likely to see the stuff that makes you feel bad.

And keep in mind, if someone is sharing something difficult they're going through, it could be easy to take on that feeling too.

I mean, it's good to be empathetic, but not to the point where you literally take on someone else's struggle as your own.

I'm looking at you, every single superhero in the Marvel cinematic universe.

Ultimately, knowing if something is right for you comes down to trusting your emotional IQ, AKA your gut.

You know who doesn't have a gut?

Chris Hemsworth.

Just abs.

Remember that joke?

Yeah, it was funny when I did it back then.

Especially BIPOC folks, or other historically excluded groups.

We're often told our feelings are irrational, or not valid.

And the media reinforces that.

But I'm here to tell you that you're your own best advocate and nobody knows you better than me.

I mean you, or me, or maybe you?

You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you.

And you know what can help you better develop your gut?

Sometimes you just gotta take a step away from that social media rabbit hole, go touch some grass.

But legit, tree hugging is really good for your mental health.

So, let me know.

Do you turn to TikTok for info about mental health?

And if so, what content do you find most helpful, or problematic?

All right, I'm out.

Peace.

(chiming music)