The TikTok Challenge: Illness and Diagnosis-seeking in the AYA Population Through Social Media

Abstract:

Background:
Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) patients with comorbid medical and psychiatric illnesses present uniquely compared to other age groups. We note an increase in self-pathologizing behaviors which may engender social cohesion and belonging. This may be due to shifts in cultural norms around medical care and the “sick role”, a general loss of stigma surrounding medical and psychiatric illnesses, a popularization of “holistic” treatment, and the complex manner in which social media influences the illness diagnosis and treatment expectations of younger generations.



Approach:

This interactive workshop will investigate the intersection of social media and mental health. We will explore the historical evolution and modern manifestations of abnormal illness behaviors, particularly on platforms like TikTok in the AYA population. Speakers will discuss how social media influences psychiatric diagnosis in the CL setting, reshapes treatment expectations, and necessitates holistic interventions, especially among AYA patients. The sessions will highlight the profound impact of digital platforms on mental health discourse and clinical practice, as well as the burgeoning shifts in how AYA patients interface non-traditionally with traditional mental healthcare.



Format:



15 minutes: Dr. Kristina Chechotka is a CL Psychiatrist and Fellowship Program Director at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. She will explore the historical progression and contemporary dynamics of abnormal illness behaviors, encompassing phenomena such as mass psychogenic events, in the digital age. She will highlight how online platforms not only normalize the pursuit of treatment but also significantly amplify these behaviors, underscoring the complex interplay between technology and mental health presentations.

15 minutes: Dr. Sarah Martell is a psychiatry resident at Northwell Health / Zucker Hillside Hospital with an interest in child psychiatry. She will provide a current overview of the landscape of mental health and abnormal illness behaviors on social media, particularly focusing on TikTok. She will discuss trending diagnoses and associated risk factors as well as how these behaviors influenced by TikTok may manifest to the clinican.

15 minutes: Dr. Megan Gilman is Medical Director of Psycho-oncology at Duke Cancer Institute and an Assistant Attending of Adult Psychiatry at Duke School of Medicine. She will review the impact of social media on diagnosis within the AYA cancer patient population. Her discussion will unveil how patient engagement with social media has reshaped initial psychiatric evaluations and diagnostic conversations, illuminating the evolving role of digital platforms in shaping health histories.

15 minutes: Dr. Shamik Mukherji is a CL psychiatrist and Psych-Oncologist at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center. He will examine the evolving treatment expectations of the AYA population in both inpatient and outpatient CL settings. His discussion will explore the growing dis-alignment between traditional therapeutic approaches and the expectations of this demographic. He will also analyze the emerging role of non-traditional and holistic interventions, such as "life coaching," in addressing these emerging treatment needs.

15 minutes: Audience Discussion - We will invite audience members to offer observations on new social media trends involving abnormal illness behaviors. Questions and discussion will follow.