Catieosaurus, ADHD TikTok, and the Rise of Mental Health Self-Advocacy
When those with mental illness start speaking for themselves, everyone benefits.
My partner has recently gotten into TikTok, as many people have during the pandemic. She watches a lot of different channels — everything from food and tea channels to social justice channels. There’s a lot of options for anyone to find something they’re interested in.
One of her favorite channels is a young woman who goes by Catieosaurus. She is, in her words, a “performer, accidental ADHD advocate, and Certified [sex] educator.” As of this writing, she has 1.4 million followers on TikTok.
Catieosaurus makes videos about a variety of topics, but many of them relate to living and coping with ADHD. She is funny, frank, and straightforward in her presentation, laying out exactly what it feels like to live with ADHD and other neurodivergence; she also gives practical advice on ways to cope with the symptoms and realities of living with ADHD.
She is not the only ADHD-related TikTok channel, but she is one of the most prominent. Honestly, my partner has shown me several ADHD channels she follows, and they all feel very relatable. As someone who has dealt with neurodivergence for pretty much my whole life and who is married…
