TikTok's Effects on Student Mental Health
Since its launch in 2016, TikTok has become one of the most widely used social media platforms by adolescents and young adults. On TikTok, users can post short videos rated by hearts or comments given by other users. The most popular videos are promoted by an algorithm, a computer code that determines what each user sees. As a result, news, memes, and popular culture are spread in a way unseen by previous generations.
In addition to its entertaining qualities, TikTok has been shown to affect the mental health of young adults, for better and for worse. Previous studies have suggested that TikTok promotes mental health awareness and encourages positive changes in behavior. However, TikTok has also been associated with symptoms of loneliness and the fear of missing out on current events. These effects are of great concern because of the rise of mental health issues in young adults. Mental health in youth and young adults decreases significantly during the transition from high school to college. College is an especially critical time, where adverse mental health can impact grades and future job opportunities. Therefore, it is crucial to get first-hand perspectives from college students on how TikTok affects their mental well-being.
In a recent study, researchers interviewed eight female university students about their reasons for using TikTok, their experience with mental health content on TikTok, and TikTok’s effect on their own mental well-being. The interviews were recorded and then analyzed for common themes. The researchers found that TikTok had a mixed impact on mental health, benefiting students' sense of community and health awareness but posing a risk of causing addiction and negative emotions.
In addition to its entertaining qualities, TikTok has been shown to affect the mental health of young adults, for better and for worse. Previous studies have suggested that TikTok promotes mental health awareness and encourages positive changes in behavior. However, TikTok has also been associated with symptoms of loneliness and the fear of missing out on current events. These effects are of great concern because of the rise of mental health issues in young adults. Mental health in youth and young adults decreases significantly during the transition from high school to college. College is an especially critical time, where adverse mental health can impact grades and future job opportunities. Therefore, it is crucial to get first-hand perspectives from college students on how TikTok affects their mental well-being.
In a recent study, researchers interviewed eight female university students about their reasons for using TikTok, their experience with mental health content on TikTok, and TikTok’s effect on their own mental well-being. The interviews were recorded and then analyzed for common themes. The researchers found that TikTok had a mixed impact on mental health, benefiting students' sense of community and health awareness but posing a risk of causing addiction and negative emotions.
Procrastination, such as scrolling through TikTok when you need to study for a test, can be triggered by things including fear, anxiety, negative beliefs, or unrealistic expectations.
Image Source: Andrea Placquadio
Firstly, through TikTok, students could see the lives of people who had the same struggles as they did, which helped them feel less alone. In the study, participants described how they could listen to people talk about anxiety and depression firsthand, relating to them in a way they could not in real life. Secondly, TikTok has a positive effect of destigmatizing mental health and raising awareness of potential symptoms. One participant shared how she found advice on TikTok on how to manage anxiety symptoms, and another shared how TikTok encouraged her to seek an official ADHD diagnosis. However, the overwhelming amount of information on TikTok may make people overreact when they hear about a disease and falsely assume they have it. Thirdly, TikTok could become a stress reliever during stressful periods in school, but certain videos can induce negative feelings, like comparing yourself to others or bringing up sensitive topics. For example, several participants see people with more successful lives or more productive days and get discouraged. Lastly, TikTok can be addictive, causing over-procrastination and reducing attention span. One participant highlighted how you can be on the app for hours at a time and that it can cause more anxiety than it relieves.
From the results, the authors discussed their ideas on TikTok usage. The authors recommended limiting TikTok usage to moderate amounts because high amounts of usage during procrastination end up causing more anxiety than anxiety relief, and using TikTok to avoid stressful tasks may cause withdrawal and mood modification. Additionally, TikTok should not act as a substitute for offline communication. This is because the platform, while providing content that may help someone feel like they are not alone in their struggles, provides little actual communication. Unlike other apps like Instagram and Snapchat, users rarely converse with people they know across TikTok. In the future, researchers hope that platforms like TikTok can be used to devise ways of promoting mental health and be regulated to prevent unexpected adverse effects.
From the results, the authors discussed their ideas on TikTok usage. The authors recommended limiting TikTok usage to moderate amounts because high amounts of usage during procrastination end up causing more anxiety than anxiety relief, and using TikTok to avoid stressful tasks may cause withdrawal and mood modification. Additionally, TikTok should not act as a substitute for offline communication. This is because the platform, while providing content that may help someone feel like they are not alone in their struggles, provides little actual communication. Unlike other apps like Instagram and Snapchat, users rarely converse with people they know across TikTok. In the future, researchers hope that platforms like TikTok can be used to devise ways of promoting mental health and be regulated to prevent unexpected adverse effects.
Featured Image Source: Iam hogir
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