A new survey is pointing out a new social media trend — kids using the platforms to self-diagnose mental health conditions. Health and Wellness Reporter Lauren Petty has the story.
A new survey is pointing out a new social media trend -- kids using the platforms to self-diagnose mental health conditions.
The survey of more than 1,000 high school students, conducted by the EdWeek Research Center, found 55% said they have used social media to diagnose their own mental health conditions at least once.
It’s a phenomenon teachers are seeing too. Another survey of 600 educators found 65% of district and school leaders said their students “sometimes” or “frequently” use social media to diagnose their own mental health conditions.
This raises the concern among mental health professionals that kids may miss out on much-needed help by swiping and scrolling to the wrong conclusion.
“There are kids who have a condition and they mislabeled themselves, and then they can either go to good care, where they'll find out that that's not really the right diagnosis for them, or they may find that darker side, where they find out all kinds of misinformation about the wrong diagnosis,” said Dr. John Walkup, chair of the psychiatry department at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
Walkup sees both positives and negatives when it comes to social media and mental health.
“I love it when families have an idea about what the challenge is, and they've gone to reputable websites and they've learned a lot about the condition,” Walkup said.
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Walkup said the internet can help increase understanding of certain conditions and remove stigma, but there can be negatives as well, especially if youth search for answers on their own and come across less reputable websites.
“If they're struggling, if they really have despair, about kind of who they are and what's happening in their life, they're going to go someplace to get some information. And if they get lucky, and they go to the good stuff, then hopefully they can get on a good path. But there's a lot of bad stuff out there,” Walkup said.
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That’s why getting an accurate diagnosis is key.
“The best person to talk to is still a trusted medical professional instead of turning to the internet for diagnosis. So whether it's your pediatrician, or if your child's in a crisis, you can come to an emergency department, where we do have 24/7 mental health professionals that can provide an evaluation,” said Dr. Jennifer Hoffmann, a pediatric emergency physician at Lurie Children’s Hospital.
Both Hoffman and Walkup say a concerned parents’ first phone call should be to their child’s pediatrician.
“Pediatricians know that stuff, and they can be very helpful,” Walkup said.
Other recommended websites to access for mental health information include:
-The American Academy of Pediatrics Mental Health Initiatives
-The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry “Facts for Families Guide”
-NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness Resources for Kids, Teens & Young Adults
-Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Pritzker Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
