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Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023

Is TikTok usage linked to anxiety, depression and suicide?


yes

Research has linked use of the video-sharing platform TikTok to anxiety, depression and suicide.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate created TikTok accounts that paused briefly on videos about body image and mental health, and liked them; within 2.6 minutes, TikTok recommended suicide-related content.

Amnesty International found that children who show an interest in mental health are drawn into “rabbit holes of potentially harmful content, including videos that romanticize and encourage depressive thinking, self-harm and suicide.”

One study analyzed TikTok videos hashtagged #mentalhealth; almost half “reported or expressed symptoms of mental distress.” Another found a tendency to repeatedly expose users to content that could harm their mental health.

A study cited by New York University social media researcher Jonathan Haidt found that asking people to stop using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok for one week improves well-being, depression and anxiety.

TikTok says it has more than 150 million U.S. users.

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