By Ivy Song, M.D., Eunice Y. Yuen, M.D., Ph.D., and members of the Child Psychiatry Committee at the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry

Alexis is a 13-year-old girl navigating the intricate landscape of adolescence. Her early home life was characterized by neglect and domestic violence, leaving emotional scars that are now expressed in various ways. Alexis has symptoms of complex trauma, including difficulty concentrating, intrusive thoughts, irritability, impulsivity, anxiety, trouble forming close relationships, and social awkwardness.

As she tries to make sense of complex emotions and behaviors arising from past trauma, TikTok has become her canvas for self-diagnosis. After hours of searching TikTok videos and YouTube channels discussing mental health symptoms and diagnoses, she diagnoses herself with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Through a series of candid TikTok video posts, Alexis began sharing her personal struggles and how she deals with them, attributing her problems to ASD and ADHD. The online community responds with a mix of support and skepticism, with viewers weighing in on her self-diagnosis journey. Some relate to Alexis’ experiences, forming a virtual support network; others express concern about self-diagnosis without professional guidance. Nevertheless, Alexis’ symptoms remain concerning to her, even after self-diagnosis, and she becomes more confused and hopeless about finding answers to alleviate her mental........

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