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The part I hate most today is that if you relate to a video on ADHD/DID/Depression/Schizophrenia/etc, you will be fed the content until you convince yourself yo

The part I hate most today is that if you relate to a video on ADHD/DID/Depression/Schizophrenia/etc, you will be fed the content until you convince yourself you have a “character trait”. That’s a serious problem with long term effects on society. I’m very sure I sit somewhere on the spectrum and have depressive disorder markers as well. But the last thing I want to do is to promote these traits. I am not proud of them nor hiding them. They do make me unique. But that’s my business, not the world’s. What worries me is how easy it is to get diagnosed. TikTok for example will also show you ads for a simple single click ADHD diagnosis and medication plan. Almost as if it’s being handed out like candy. I found tranquility by looking inward for answers, not outward. I go on my “mental health” walks/runs. I even have taught myself to be mindful enough to notice when platforms like TikTok are emotionally manipulating you and I’ll be half crying while coming to a realization that this keeps me addicted. As I separate myself more from tech and to more nature in the world, these “character traits” don’t seem to be so defining anymore. It’s just a personal observation I’ve made as screen time declines.

lr4444lr 5y ago
This. I blame the medical profession for not better promoting the concept of normal human variability in these traits, too, and educational leadership for not differentiating career oriented education around people's strengths and weaknesses there in secondary school at least.
taurath 5y ago
To me its pretty unconscionable that you can't opt out of parts of suggestion algorithms. The only ability to say "no" that you have is to not use the platform, and given how much useful content coalesces into just a few platforms, you're basically saying "no" to getting content in this fashion
pornel 5y ago
Can you please stop with the "candy" trope? Here in the UK, ADHD drugs are controlled substances. They can only be prescribed as by registered psychiatrists as part of ongoing treatment with patient monitoring. There are not enough doctors qualified to do this, and as a result people who need the treatment are facing year-long queues. Don't get medical advice from TikTok, and don't form an opinion of a mental disorder and its treatment from TikTok either. The "have you tried mental health walk?" thing is as infuriating as cancer patients getting "have you tried essential oils and yoga?"
- ehnto 5y ago
  The person you are replying to is well aware that it's a bad thing, that's why they pointed it out.
  - tommica 5y ago
    Maybe they have a hard time paying attention to the text? Or does ADD affect reading? I'm not really sure how it works
    - krageon 5y ago
      In order: - They could - Sometimes it does - "It" doesn't work a single way, which is why there are so many different opinions of how to look at it :)
    - Bedon292 5y ago
      It certainly can affect reading. As the other commenter stated, it can affect people in may different ways. It affects my reading differently based on the content. Ask me to read a textbook for a history class and I won't make it more than a few sentences without serious distraction. If I somehow actually "finish" reading a chapter I still won't be able to tell you much if any of the content. But give me a good sci-fi book and I will burn through it in a matter of hours. And good luck getting anything else out of me during that time.
- petesergeant 5y ago
  > Here in the UK, ADHD drugs are controlled substances They're controlled susbtances in the US too, but there appear to be a whole slew of sites in the US where you can fill out a form and they'll send you a perfectly legit scrip > There are not enough doctors qualified to do this, and as a result people who need the treatment are facing year-long queues. For anyone reading this who thinks they might need treatment and is putting it off, note that there are (expensive! ~£1k) private alternatives where you can get assessed and prescribed by a UK psychiatrist over Zoom with appointments as soon as today.
SamoyedFurFluff 5y ago
Contrary to the depiction above it remains as far as I know exceptionally difficult to acquire adhd treating medication; they’re almost all controlled substances, heavily regulated and consumption tightly monitored.
- di4na 5y ago
  The US is quite more lax about it, state depending. Outside of them, yes it is a nightmare that looks exactly how you would design a process someone with ADHD cannot go through. I see no ill will behind it. It is just bureaucracy combined with moral panic.
  - xyzzy_plugh 5y ago
    Getting a prescription is only half the battle. In the US, you can't have more than a month supply. Maybe you're lucky and your doctor realizes this so writes you a larger than necessary prescription, but for most vehicles (extended release) it's not an option. Many people horde a backup stash of pills. This means you have to get your prescription filled within a small window at the end of your previous supply if you want to avoid running out. You also can't have a recurring prescription, but a rare doctor might renew a prescription over the phone. And even then, you have to deal with pharmacies running out last minute, travel impacting your refill schedule, and health insurance coverage for the otherwise ludicrously expensive medication. A nightmare process that someone with ADHD cannot go through indeed.
    - filoleg 5y ago
      > In the US, you can't have more than a month supply I've met one doctor before who believed it. But after switching to a few other ones (not due to that, but due to circumstances like me moving states or, later on, my doctor doing the same), I dont think that's true. Every single doctor I had since then was able to write prescriptions for 3 months supply (because they are required to evaluate the patient every 90 days before writing a refill prescription).
      - 5y ago
Sakos 5y ago
This seems oddly ignorant of the effect ADD/ADHD has on a person's ability to function in modern life at a similar level to other people. It's not something you can introspect away. If I'm not on ritalin, I can introspect all I want, nothing useful is getting done.
Cthulhu_ 5y ago
> you will be fed the content until you convince yourself you have a “character trait”. And who would benefit from that change in classification or public opinion? Health care providers, because why would e.g. the NHS or health insurance pay for therapy or medication or anything else that would help you for something that is "just" a character trait? My girlfriend got diagnosed with ADHD in her 30's, but only because there was a very short-lived and quickly shut down (due to cost) program at the NHS for adult ADHD diagnosis. If she hadn't had that, she would never have been able to get a diagnosis or the relevant medication.

lr4444lr 5y ago

This. I blame the medical profession for not better promoting the concept of normal human variability in these traits, too, and educational leadership for not differentiating career oriented education around people's strengths and weaknesses there in secondary school at least.

taurath 5y ago

To me its pretty unconscionable that you can't opt out of parts of suggestion algorithms. The only ability to say "no" that you have is to not use the platform, and given how much useful content coalesces into just a few platforms, you're basically saying "no" to getting content in this fashion

pornel 5y ago

Can you please stop with the "candy" trope? Here in the UK, ADHD drugs are controlled substances. They can only be prescribed as by registered psychiatrists as part of ongoing treatment with patient monitoring. There are not enough doctors qualified to do this, and as a result people who need the treatment are facing year-long queues. Don't get medical advice from TikTok, and don't form an opinion of a mental disorder and its treatment from TikTok either. The "have you tried mental health walk?" thing is as infuriating as cancer patients getting "have you tried essential oils and yoga?"

ehnto 5y ago
The person you are replying to is well aware that it's a bad thing, that's why they pointed it out.
- tommica 5y ago
  Maybe they have a hard time paying attention to the text? Or does ADD affect reading? I'm not really sure how it works
  - krageon 5y ago
    In order: - They could - Sometimes it does - "It" doesn't work a single way, which is why there are so many different opinions of how to look at it :)
  - Bedon292 5y ago
    It certainly can affect reading. As the other commenter stated, it can affect people in may different ways. It affects my reading differently based on the content. Ask me to read a textbook for a history class and I won't make it more than a few sentences without serious distraction. If I somehow actually "finish" reading a chapter I still won't be able to tell you much if any of the content. But give me a good sci-fi book and I will burn through it in a matter of hours. And good luck getting anything else out of me during that time.
petesergeant 5y ago
> Here in the UK, ADHD drugs are controlled substances They're controlled susbtances in the US too, but there appear to be a whole slew of sites in the US where you can fill out a form and they'll send you a perfectly legit scrip > There are not enough doctors qualified to do this, and as a result people who need the treatment are facing year-long queues. For anyone reading this who thinks they might need treatment and is putting it off, note that there are (expensive! ~£1k) private alternatives where you can get assessed and prescribed by a UK psychiatrist over Zoom with appointments as soon as today.

SamoyedFurFluff 5y ago

Contrary to the depiction above it remains as far as I know exceptionally difficult to acquire adhd treating medication; they’re almost all controlled substances, heavily regulated and consumption tightly monitored.

di4na 5y ago
The US is quite more lax about it, state depending. Outside of them, yes it is a nightmare that looks exactly how you would design a process someone with ADHD cannot go through. I see no ill will behind it. It is just bureaucracy combined with moral panic.
- xyzzy_plugh 5y ago
  Getting a prescription is only half the battle. In the US, you can't have more than a month supply. Maybe you're lucky and your doctor realizes this so writes you a larger than necessary prescription, but for most vehicles (extended release) it's not an option. Many people horde a backup stash of pills. This means you have to get your prescription filled within a small window at the end of your previous supply if you want to avoid running out. You also can't have a recurring prescription, but a rare doctor might renew a prescription over the phone. And even then, you have to deal with pharmacies running out last minute, travel impacting your refill schedule, and health insurance coverage for the otherwise ludicrously expensive medication. A nightmare process that someone with ADHD cannot go through indeed.
  - filoleg 5y ago
    > In the US, you can't have more than a month supply I've met one doctor before who believed it. But after switching to a few other ones (not due to that, but due to circumstances like me moving states or, later on, my doctor doing the same), I dont think that's true. Every single doctor I had since then was able to write prescriptions for 3 months supply (because they are required to evaluate the patient every 90 days before writing a refill prescription).
    - 5y ago

Sakos 5y ago

This seems oddly ignorant of the effect ADD/ADHD has on a person's ability to function in modern life at a similar level to other people. It's not something you can introspect away. If I'm not on ritalin, I can introspect all I want, nothing useful is getting done.

Cthulhu_ 5y ago

> you will be fed the content until you convince yourself you have a “character trait”. And who would benefit from that change in classification or public opinion? Health care providers, because why would e.g. the NHS or health insurance pay for therapy or medication or anything else that would help you for something that is "just" a character trait? My girlfriend got diagnosed with ADHD in her 30's, but only because there was a very short-lived and quickly shut down (due to cost) program at the NHS for adult ADHD diagnosis. If she hadn't had that, she would never have been able to get a diagnosis or the relevant medication.