Health advice is everywhere on TikTok. And with just a few clicks, it’s easy for users to fall down a rabbit hole of videos that leave them convinced they have an illness or disorder.
Nearly half of Gen Zers say health content on TikTok makes them feel anxious, according to a June 23 survey from academic writing help platform EduBirdie. And the line between medical advice and misinformation is already blurring, with nearly half of Gen Z saying they trust a health expert on TikTok more than a doctor, according to the study.
Health anxiety isn’t new. It’s called “cyberchondria,” which is the term used to describe the extreme anxiety caused by compulsively searching for medical information. It’s that same feeling once associated with the term “Dr. Google.”
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According to the study, which surveyed 2,000 Gen Z adults, nearly nine in 10 participants said they suspected they had at least one condition, including depression, ADHD and cancer, after viewing health content online. And 38% of participants feared they were dying after viewing health videos, while 21% came to believe they had cancer.
