Investigating the Impact of TikTok Use on Mental Health Anxiety among Generation Z

Mental health remains one of the most common issues faced by young adults today, yet many continue to hesitate in their willingness to seek professional help. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, TikTok has turned into a space where individuals feel safe and comfortable sharing their mental health experiences and seeking support. Hence, previous research has primarily focused on the interconnection between mental health conditions that may arise from excessive TikTok use among young individuals, while paying less attention to whether such use increases anxiety about their well-being. Drawing upon Social Comparison, Social Cognitive, and Source Credibility Theories, this research sheds light on the topic by investigating whether Gen Z users engaging more frequently with TikTok are more susceptible to developing mental health anxiety. This relationship was further examined by the mediating role of exposure to mental health content on TikTok and the moderating role of influencer credibility on the platform. A quantitative survey-based research design was adopted to systematically collect and analyse data from Generation Z TikTok users (n =160), providing insights into the relationship between TikTok use and the youth's mental health. The results showed that the more intensive use of TikTok and exposure to mental health content are not associated with mental health anxiety. Additionally, it was found that the perceived credibility of the mental health influencers on TikTok did not significantly impact the connection between exposure to mental health content and mental health anxiety. These findings carry important implications. For mental health professionals, it highlights the importance of considering the sensitive nature of mental health and the need for critical assessment of their intentions in sharing their knowledge with others online. Moreover, it also emphasizes how their expertise can be used to educate Gen Z about mental health information on social media platforms like TikTok. For young adults, these findings underline the importance of developing stronger emotional boundaries when using TikTok as a source for support. Finally, the results call for more critical responsibility of media professionals, marketers, and health practitioners in forming the digital environments where mental health conversations occur more frequently now. As social media increasingly becomes a site of emotional self-assessment, this study points to the urgent need for an ethical, informed, and psychologically safe space for communicating mental health information online.