TikTok USERS are being warned to avoid trying a dangerous new trend that could trigger mental health issues.
Mucus Peach is currently making the rounds on the social media platform and has over 7.6 million views.
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Experts have now warned that this trend could harm your eye health and mental well-being.
While it might seem like a new trend, mucus fishing is simply getting gunk out of your eyes, which can be caused by an infection — or just the makeup you’re wearing.
Most people who try it use a cotton swab, tissue, or even their fingers to pull out any strings of mucus that may be forming in your eyes – this is called fishing.
Dr Anthony Younpreviously warned people about the viral trend in one of his informative TikTok clips.
Waleed Taleb, beautician at Vera Clinic says it can be caused by dry eye syndrome or conjunctivitis.
“I highly recommend not trying this hack because the more mucus you remove from your eyes, the more it comes back.
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“It can cause irritation and discomfort, and ultimately it’s best to leave the mucus and see a doctor, like eye drops,” Waleed said.
Lensstore experts added that the more mucus you remove, the more it will be created, which in turn leads to a mucus-fishing cycle.
While it’s clear the trend can irritate your eyes, a psychologist says there are also mental health impacts to watch out for.
Clinical Director at Practice of Vyas LeeJordan Vyas-Lee said mucus fishing syndrome (MFS) is likely to be a habit disorder or a body-focused repetitive behavior disorder.
He explained: “Habit disorders like Mucus Fishing Syndrome have repetitive behavior at their core.
“This observable behavioral compulsiveness is the feature shared with OCD. But habit disorders are primarily governed by the parts of the brain that handle automated behavior in the absence of thinking or anxiety.
“Once a behavioral pattern has been initiated – in the case of TikTok-induced MFS, possibly by copying and fashion – a habit pathway quickly forms in the brain.
“The behavioral sequence then becomes difficult for the individual to prevent, despite the negative consequences that the behavior might entail.”
He explained that there is evidence to suggest that habit forming active brain parts in the MFS become more active during times of stress. But this is different from being motivated by the goal of preventing a specific feared outcome.
What impact can this have on my mental health?
If the problem gets worse, Jordan said the condition can have a huge impact on someone’s mental health.
He said sufferers typically feel anxiety about not being able to control the problem, and a low mood can set in when feelings of low self-esteem activate around image issues. resulting from repeated trauma related to the picking of the body.
Jordan said: “From a physical perspective, MFS leads to chronic issues with permanently reddened eyes, ongoing eye infection, and perpetual inflammation issues.
“The problem could even lead to more serious conditions such as optic neuritis – deterioration of the optic nerve due to chronic swelling.
“Often the most debilitating emotional consequence stems from these physical issues – feelings of shame and embarrassment over image and lack of control or core habit disorder issues.”
How to distract yourself from mucus fishing
If you’re tempted to fish for mucus after seeing the TikTok trend, there are things you can do to distract yourself.
Jordan explained that the activity that engages us the most is the one that uses attention capacity the most.
He said consciously engaging in reading, playing music, writing, talking with someone, being immersed in a video game, etc., would be helpful ways to distract oneself.
“Also think about the type of activity that is valuable to you. What speaks to you as an important aspect of life – is it completely focused on others, is it a great problem solver , is it progressing in your career or education.
“Think about what’s important in life, and the activities that best align with those values are like better distractors.
“It’s important to think about what activities not to use as distractions. It sounds obvious, but it’s so important to say it, that you should avoid using activities as distractions, which have historically been associated with gathering sessions.
“That, from experience, tends to be sitting alone, scrolling, or watching videos,” he added.
In severe cases, Jordan said there could be a huge impact on other aspects of daily routine, and mental health could follow.
“Pick-up sessions can take even longer, some sufferers may begin to avoid social situations for fear of judgment, and moodiness or anxiety can become more permanent issues as a result.
“People with the condition then spend less time doing the things that matter and contribute to good mental health – for example seeing friends, going to work, college or school, etc. – which can further aggravate the emotional difficulties,” he added.
How can you treat it?
There are different treatments available for sufferers, and your first port of call should be your GP.
Jordan said: “A GP or psychiatrist might prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications to help with a habit disorder.”
He explained that psychological treatments are also available and effective.
“Behavioral or cognitive-behavioral treatments are well researched and are good methods for treating both OCD and habit disorders.
“For habit problems, treatment tends to focus initially on becoming aware of the signals and patterns that surround the habits.”
He said sensitization can often be the problem and sufferers need to reduce the time spent in the presence of the thing that encourages them to pick.
He explained that you also need to learn how to manage image issues that develop around physical deformity issues and how to manage background stress levels to further reduce the likelihood of picking.
“A therapist can develop a tailored treatment plan depending on the nature of the problem being encountered, which is of course subtly different in each case,” he added.
