The Algorithm is Watching

You know that weird moment when TikTok shows you a video about ADHD and you are like 'wait, that is me?' Or when Instagram pushes anxiety memes right before you spiral? It is not coincidence. The algorithm has been studying you.

Digital Diagnosis

Here is the wild part: algorithms can detect mental health patterns before humans notice. Your scrolling behavior, the content you linger on, the time you spend at 3 AM โ€” all of it creates a profile. Depression? The algorithm sees decreased engagement and late-night activity. Anxiety? It notices rapid scrolling and health-related searches.

This is how 'therapy TikTok' became a thing. The algorithm identified people struggling and served them content that resonated. Some found validation and resources. Others self-diagnosed based on 60-second videos and made their anxiety worse.

The Double-Edged Sword

On one hand, algorithmic mental health detection connects people to communities they did not know existed. On the other, it creates echo chambers where your worst fears get validated constantly. Doom-scrolling mental health content is not therapy โ€” it is exposure to other people's unprocessed trauma.

What to Do About It

First, be honest about why you are watching mental health content. Are you seeking understanding or just validation for staying stuck? Second, the algorithm only knows what you show it. If your feed is all anxiety and depression, that is a signal to seek real help, not just more content.

The algorithm knows your patterns. But only you can change them.