Behind the Self-Diagnosis Explosion

Over the last few months, followers of the “autism” hashtag on TikTok have been deluged with videos offering a variety of cures for the neurological condition, ranging from miraculous religious healing rituals to drinking raw cow’s milk. Such content is the latest iteration of viral do-it-yourself diagnoses and remedies for mental-health disorders. Though data on just how many teens are using TikTok to self-diagnose is inconclusive, videos with mental-health-related hashtags amassed more than 45 billion views last year, according to the platform.