I noticed the TikTok effect – the subject of this month’s ‘Big issue’ article – last year when two clients in the same week mentioned buying and reading a 2011 self-help book, Attached. Curious at the coincidence I ordered a copy, and when it arrived one of the Gen Z members of my household said, ‘Oh, great, I’ve been wanting to read that – it’s all over TikTok.’
I have since recommended it to a number of clients – co-written by a US psychiatrist and a psychologist, it’s an accessible and well-written introduction to attachment styles. And it seems that thanks to this book, and TikTok, young people are growing up with awareness, curiosity and understanding of the unconscious dynamics that can influence relationships.
So far so good, but what happens when – as Joe Martin highlights in his report, ‘Mental health and the TikTok effect’ – the trend that goes viral is young people posting videos introducing their ‘alters’ or the alternative personalities found in people with dissociative identity disorder (DID)? It has led to concerns from a number of professionals about a rise in young people seeking help for self-diagnosed DID. No matter how irritating or just plain baffling non-Gen Zers may find the bulk of the content on the platform (and I know that’s not just me!), we can’t ignore the fact that – in the words of my daughter – mental health is ‘massive’ on TikTok, and it’s where ‘everyone gets their information now’. Don’t miss that report.
As always, we have aimed to bring you a range of members’ experiences and knowledge in this issue. One highlight for me is our ‘Opinion’ piece, ‘Why it’s time to know our worth’, in which Matt Leavesley and Debs Shakespeare, counsellors working for NHS Talking Therapies (formerly known as IAPT) write about their fight for equal pay with their CBT colleagues. I was introduced to Matt and Debs by Matt Smith-Lilley, BACP Policy and Engagement Lead for Mental Health, who supported them in making their business case for equal pay. It’s just one of the many ‘behind-the-scenes’ campaigns – both small and larger scale – that the BACP Policy team engages with on behalf of members (you can keep up to date with what they are up to in the BACP News section in every issue and the news pages of the website).
"We can’t ignore the fact that – in the words of my daughter – mental health is ‘massive’ on TikTok, and it’s where ‘everyone gets their information now"
One of the challenges of any editor’s role is to keep a publication fresh, so small tweaks happen with every issue. This month, I am delighted to introduce a new author for our ‘Dilemmas’ section, Karen Stainsby, a working practitioner who has written many of the BACP Good Practice in Action resources. We also introduce a new one-page column from CEO Anna Daroy, who is keen to open communication channels with members. And look out for a new regular column, ‘Case notes’, from next issue, in which practitioners share how they worked with a challenging presenting issue.
I hope there is something in this issue that supports your practice. Do email your feedback, or ideas for contributions, to
therapytoday@thinkpublishing.co.uk
Sally Brown, Editor
