These days, a startling phenomenon has been observed: chronically online young adults often find themselves giving more weight to the words of a TikTok influencer than actual advice from a mental health professional. As one of them, it’s safe to say that it’s not that we don’t value real expertise, but rather, it’s a natural consequence of living in an echo chamber where buzzwords like “trauma response” and “attachment style” are thrown around in casual conversation—which, thus, pressures individuals to parrot complex concepts without fully processing them.
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And it’s not just influencers we turn to for mental health advice. AI tools like ChatGPT have become informal companions during moments of emotional need. With their ability to respond empathetically and offer instant feedback, these tools can feel like accessible stand-ins for professional support, especially during late-night spirals or times when reaching out feels too daunting. However, relying on AI as a substitute for therapy risks oversimplifying complex emotional experiences and may encourage self-diagnosis without the nuance that trained professionals provide.
In a world where mental health advice is only a tap away, the thought of turning to a professional can feel like more effort than it’s worth. This is why Vogue Singapore has reached out to Dr. Ooi Sze Jin, registered psychologist and founder of A Kind Place, a Singapore-based mental health service. Drawing from her experience, Dr. Ooi offers clear, actionable ways to filter the digital noise, below.
Wisdom for free—expertise not included
“Mental health content is everywhere, but credibility isn’t,” Dr. Ooi points out. TikTok creators and even AI tools like ChatGPT are often turned to for emotional support, but they are not substitutes for trained professionals.
Dr. Ooi outlines several red flags to watch for when consuming mental health advice online:
- The source—whether a person or an AI—is not a licensed mental health professional.
- Excessive sharing of personal struggles (A tendency common among influencers, but less so with AI tools.)
- Advice so generic it could apply to anyone, regardless of their situation.
- Symptoms of mental disorders, described so broadly that they seem applicable to everyone.
“No algorithm or social media post can fully provide professional guidance and personalised care. It is crucial to approach online advice with curiosity, tempered by caution and critical thinking. Never hesitate to seek out the expertise that can make all the difference,” she continues.
The language of healing, distorted
The line between genuine emotional responses and everyday discomfort progressively blurs with every mental health term that gets subsumed into everyday speech. On the topic of misused buzzwords, or what’s commonly referred to as therapy speak, Dr Ooi elucidates: “Individuals may internalise labels without proper understanding, causing undue anxiety or misinterpreting their own experiences.”
Platforms like TikTok are turning into the WebMD of mental health. A few months ago, I went through a pivotal moment in my early adulthood—a friendship breakup. During that time, someone I once trusted labelled me narcissistic—a charge that echoed far beyond the moment and quietly reshaped my mental health and self-perception. Later, I came across a TikTok titled “Signs of Narcissistic Personality Disorder” and realised I exhibited a couple of them. Alarmed, I brought my concerns to my therapist, who offered a reframing that eased my anxiety: the very fact that I was worried about being narcissistic was, paradoxically, evidence that I wasn’t. This subtle distinction reveals how misused labels can fracture one’s sense of self and heighten distress.
@katimorton 3 signs of narcissistic personality disorder #narcissism #narcissistic #narcissisticrelationship ♬ original sound – Kati Morton, LMFT
As Dr. Ooi points out, when clinical terms become buzzwords, they risk losing their precise meaning, making it easy for anyone to misapply them to everyday conflicts or insecurities. The consequence? A cycle of self-doubt fueled by fragmented information.
When self-understanding becomes self-misunderstanding
Dr. Ooi clarifies, “Many people choose to self-diagnose or label themselves to feel like there’s an explanation for what they are going through or that they want to fit in with a certain group.” Phrases like “Oh, I’m so depressed,” or “This is giving me PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder),” have slipped into everyday conversation, often stripped of their clinical weight.
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The language we adopt to explain ourselves often shapes how we experience our emotions. When we prematurely categorise our discomfort as a trauma response or pathologise fleeting feelings as symptoms of a disorder, we risk flattening the complexity of our inner worlds. Not everything needs a label. Just give yourself space to feel and process, without immediately assigning it a clinical term.
When therapy terms hurt more than they heal
Educating yourself on mental health can be beneficial because it leads to self-awareness, but when you get it wrong, more harm than good will come.
When someone says “you’re just projecting” to shut down a conversation with a person explaining their hurt, they misuse mental health terms to deflect emotions or manipulate. Dr. Ooi asserts, “It is dismissive and invalidating of the other person’s feelings.”
Dr. Ooi advises, “Use ‘I’ statements, and also talk about how you feel. Try to lower your walls before approaching the other person, listen to them, and also validate how they feel. Make sure both parties recognise the conversation isn’t to hurt either party and talk about facts and actions, not attack their character.”
Ultimately, reclaiming the language of mental health means wielding it with care and authenticity. It’s less about perfect terminology and more about creating space for honest connection, where vulnerability is met with empathy, not judgment. The true power of these words lies in their ability to foster understanding, not to divide. In a digital world overflowing with noise, mindful communication might just be the healing we need most.
