Over self diagnosing with gen z students
Over self diagnosing with gen z students
By: Nasau Singleton
By: Nasau Singleton
Mental illness numbers increase rapidly with the Gen Z students due to the unlimited access to the internet and the excessive use of social media. Social media has made self diagnosing mental health issues more common. Teens all around the world that are using social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok are comparing what they got going on in their personal life to what they are seeing on social media which can cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Ms Nash who is the Step Clinical coordinator at carver high school believes that the mental health crisis rate is higher with the GenZ students than past years due to her personal experience with working with students. She expressed how hard it is to compare the pass and present mental health statistics because people are now more open to talk about there issues where in the pass a lot of cases when unreported due to stigma.
Amyl G, a 11th grade student who attended G.W science and engineering highschool experience misdiagnosing herself with anxiety after seeing multiple videos on tiktok about the same things she was going through. She explained how it actually caused her to start over thinking a lot. These are some very common examples of things that can easily get misdiagnosed: they explains a list of things that are very common examples of things that can easily get misdiagnosed.
“I can relate to what they are saying so of course im gonna go believe that it's true maybe not to the fullest extent but for the most part” -Amyl
Ms Nash finds herself speaking to more teens about the same problems and it linked to social media.
“I think how the internet plays on mental health is because you have liked content creators and people online talking about their own experiences so I think that opens the door for students to come in and talk about their experiences. So a lot of times they say ḧey i saw this video and it kind of make sense or this is something that i kind of experienced and that kind of open the door so in some ways i feel like it has be beneficial for opening those conversations”
Halimah Roach, an 11th grader who attends Carver High School revealed how she sometimes turns to social media for mental health advice, she said it actually affects her in a negative way rather than help her. Which often resulting in misguided self-diagnos. How can self-diagnosis be harmful?
It's “negative" because everybody has their own opinion. And adding on to your opinion doesn't make nothing better just worse”- Halimah Roach
11th grader Xzavier Walton who attends Abbeville High School think social media influences the way people understand their mental health.
"It can share good information on how to handle certain stuff but it can also spread wrong info which can push people to start self diagnosis without experts and make people compare themselves unrealistically which can become harmful” -Xzavier Walton
Even though the internet is a good start for self reflections it's important to follow up with a mental health professional who can consider your unique experiences and provide a complete picture “So i think it's definitely is important to follow up with the mental health professional, because they can take in a place all of your individual and personal experiences and how they might be impacting” -Ms Nash
While it's important to be aware of your mental health trying to diagnose yourself without seeing a professional can lead to mistakes and wrong treatments that may even cause more stress it's always important to talk to a professional.
“I think for me the big thing is just like understanding that social media and the internet is just a point of the picture its not the whole thing”
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