‘TikTok therapy’ gains traction in Singapore as counsellors share mental health tips, own struggles in short videos

The trend, called ‘TikTok therapy’, essentially refers to the practice of sharing mental health tips and self-help strategies on social media platforms by mental health professionals and advocates. — TODAY pic

Monday, 12 Aug 2024 11:59 AM MYT

SINGAPORE, Aug 12 — A young woman in an online video speaks bravely about the agony of heartbreak she once felt, a time when it seemed that the suffocating pain would last forever.

She went on to say that she emerged, though, from that abyss when a “perspective shift changed me” — after realising that the pain “will pass” and by “surrounding myself with people who believe in me”.

“It did not take away my pain, but that shift in perspective made me think that there is more to life than this moment of pain that I’m going through right now,” she said.

“It may feel like it would last forever because when people go through pain, it’s all they think about… It’s impossible to see anything beyond that. But remember that it will pass.”

The woman is Nur Adam, 35, a trauma recovery therapist. She is part of a small but growing community of therapists in Singapore who are double hatting as content creators, hoping to raise greater awareness of mental health struggles.

The trend, called “TikTok therapy”, essentially refers to the practice of sharing mental health tips and self-help strategies on social media platforms by mental health professionals and advocates.

Such content can include short videos on coping mechanisms, mindfulness exercises, mental health education, and personal experiences such as the one Nur shared.

“Personal experiences are good ways to connect with people because (mental health content) is not just about sharing signs and symptoms. It has to be insightful and relatable. So it’s okay to show some vulnerability, to show that you’re human, too,” she said.

Clips like this were often published by therapists in the United States and the United Kingdom before the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Singapore, the proliferation of mental health content by professionals started only in the last three years.

Nur told TODAY that she noticed the gap when she was looking for ways to ease her feelings of loss and grief from heartbreak in 2018.

After benefiting from resources online, she saw value in creating content that resonated with people facing the same struggles, and she wanted to be part of that process to help them.

The same year, she quit her civil service job and made a career pivot. She then went on to study for a master’s degree in counselling. Four years later, The Good Life Therapy was born — both on social media and in person.

The origin of Ron Yap’s Instagram and TikTok accounts is similar.

The 27-year-old mental health advocate started his @mentalhealthCEO page in 2020 to de-stigmatise mental health struggles after realising that he had symptoms of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder after viewing a social media post.

“I wanted to replicate this process of discovery and healing with other people who may be in the same situation as I was or who think their conditions aren’t worth attention.”

While he is still studying for his master’s degree in counselling, Yap’s ability to create engaging posts with illustrations and text has earned him more than 270,000 followers, who mostly appreciate his relatable storytelling and insights.

Therapists interviewed by TODAY said that mental health stigma still has a grip on at least part of Singapore society, but the demand here for TikTok therapy has soared during the pandemic, leading to heightened levels of awareness.

Some professionals saw the opportunity to jump on the bandwagon to meet that need — condensing complex, technical information into bite-sized, accessible content to educate the public.

Asher Low, executive director of Limitless, a mental health charity that provides intervention and programmes for youth at risk, also said that after its TikTok account launched in 2021, his team saw an exponential increase in clients that year, having served almost 940 young people.

Before that in 2019, they had under 300.

“Every year, we do see a steady rise in the number of people writing in for help,” the 37-year-old added.

How TikTok therapy complements traditional therapy

Like the others, therapists Daryl Tan, 37, and Charmaine Marsh, 39, from therapy clinic Goodity Co saw content creation as a useful tool to complement their services because it appeals to the current generation.

Marsh, the firm’s co-founder, said: “Accessibility is a huge draw for today’s crowd. They don’t need to see therapists to get quick answers. Our content can also create awareness and demystify what therapy entails.”

Some of its most popular TikTok videos shed light on common struggles such as stress, anxiety and depression. Viewers often write in to ask: “How do I deal with toxic colleagues?” or “How do I manage stress?”

Tan said that the team also realised that getting therapists to share their own experience on camera helps open more doors, because it assures viewers that therapy offers a non-judgemental environment.

Apart from filming videos, Jeannette Qhek, 30, a psychotherapist and counsellor, goes a step further by hosting hour-long TikTok Live sessions every Wednesday on her account Chill by Nette.

Her aim was to help people who may lack the resources to seek professional help.

“They just come online and ask questions. A lot of them ask about relationships, be they romantic ones or in workplaces. Some find that they’re not motivated and wonder how to overcome chronic procrastination,” she told TODAY.

Qhek added that the live sessions allowed her viewers to find people they can relate with, which fosters a sense of belonging as they know they are not alone in their journey.

Why some users turn to TikTok for therapy

Graphic designer Damia Erina Saiful, 28, said that she started looking at mental health content on TikTok about two years ago when she suspected that she had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

“I found many creators who had the same issues as me, and they gave me ‘life hacks’ to manage my symptoms.

“I also showed them to my husband, so he understands why I sometimes get bursts of energy and why I get burnt out very fast as well.”

Damia is aware that going for therapy would be more helpful in getting a proper diagnosis, but she said that does not have the financial capabilities to commit to therapy just yet.

Health management specialist Sadhna Upadhya, 40, said that watching informational videos helped her realise that she was burnt out from work, so she took great care in nurturing her mental well-being by learning how to manage stress and her emotions.

“Some days, even just reading a motivational quote on self-care and personal growth can give me a much-needed boost.”

Student Elias Soh, 21, said that he found mental health content visually engaging and useful when he was studying social work at a polytechnic, because it allowed him to better understand himself and other people’s behaviour.

“I also had friends who suffered anxiety and depression, and from the videos I watched, I knew what I could do to support them.”

Even so, Soh said that it is good to practise healthy scepticism when using TikTok for therapy because there could be misinformation online from content creators giving inaccurate information.

“A well-known physician I followed was called out for claiming that ADHD is caused by trauma, which has been debunked as inaccurate.”

In response to TODAY’s queries, the Singapore Association for Counselling stressed the importance of approaching such videos with caution even though they can be valuable resources for raising awareness and providing support.

It also highlighted several potential drawbacks of TikTok therapy:

Oversimplification of complicated mental health challenges and misinformation and the misinterpretation of mental health struggles

Privacy concerns when users tag specific individuals in mental health-related posts, bringing added and undue stress to those who are struggling

Reliance on social validation, since people may develop the need for constant online validation and support

The association also said that mental health professionals should prioritise accuracy and evidence-based information, maintain professional boundaries, consider the target audience, and use the platform appropriately and responsibly.

“It is important… to be transparent about how the content and help provided are not meant to and cannot replace the much-needed one-to-one therapy for mental health recovery and well-being.” — TODAY