Chip Chick
This discourse continues, with no clear winner pulling ahead. One user explains the potential harm of self-diagnosis of any condition, saying that it “not only harms those with a professional diagnosis but can also be dangerous because of self-medication and refusal to accept a different diagnosis.”
Without dismissing Tik Tok as a platform that answers mental health questions, concerned users warn against the “trivialization” of others’ diagnosed conditions.
However, the information provided in the videos in question can still help guide folks on their journey, potentially connecting them to mental health resources and other life-management supports.
Another user walks the fine line between the two disparate opinions, finding humor in the current popularity of self-diagnosis while promoting a link in his Tik Tok bio for a self-evaluation service.
The app also acknowledges the full complexity of an ADHD diagnosis, with symptoms that often seem to work against each other.
One user created a funny video detailing “ADHD contradictions,” such as feeling calmed by stimulants or resenting others for being late while having time management issues themselves.
In terms of visibility, it’s clear that the app is doing substantial good. Young people can see adults managing their ADHD or comorbid mental health conditions and living successful lives.
They can hear how users overcame depression and anxiety or preserved their mental health during finals.
The quirks that come along with an ADHD diagnosis are even celebrated on the app, as creators make videos of their loved ones’ charming associative speech patterns.
For example, one user shared his wife’s rambling train of thought without making a joke of ADHD; he seems to appreciate this facet of her fuller identity.
When we receive a mental health diagnosis, doctors and psychiatrists rarely give us the positives.
