Perez Hilton has been hospitalized following a distressing TikTok livestream in which he appeared to self-harm. Experts warn parents to approach conversations about the incident with sensitivity as concerns grow over its widespread social media reach and impact on young viewers.
Perez Hilton has been hospitalised after a distressing livestream on TikTok in which he appeared to self-harm, according to reports from The Daily Beast, El País and AS. Police were called to his home in Miami-Dade County on Tuesday night after viewers raised alarm, and he was later taken to hospital, where he received medical attention and support from mental health professionals.
Hilton’s family have since said he is “able to communicate” and asked for “continued prayers, understanding, and grace” as he recovers. AS reported that his TikTok account was suspended after the platform removed the livestream, while The Guardian said the footage has spread across other social media services, increasing the chance that children and teenagers may encounter it.
That concern is part of why mental health specialists have urged parents not to shut down conversation if young people mention the video. Therapist and online harms expert Catherine Knibbs said in a social media video that children may already have seen, or may yet see, what happened, and that adults should be ready to discuss it calmly. Family psychotherapist Fiona Yassin told The Wave Clinic that when children are left to make sense of upsetting content alone, they may fill in the gaps themselves, which can heighten fear, confusion and anxiety.
Yassin advised parents to begin by asking what their child saw or heard and how it affected them, then to listen without judgement and keep explanations simple, factual and age-appropriate. She also warned against criticising Hilton or sensationalising the incident, saying the focus should be on helping children understand that self-harm can be a sign of severe emotional distress and that the person involved needs support.
If a child discloses their own self-harm, or a friend’s, Yassin and Dr Josephine Neale, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Priory, said the priority is to stay calm, thank them for speaking up and seek professional help quickly. Neale said self-harm should be treated as a signal of underlying distress rather than a behaviour to be suppressed, and that concerns about immediate safety or suicidal thoughts should be treated as a crisis. The Daily Beast noted that Hilton had already faced serious health problems earlier this year, including hospitalisation for flu-related complications that developed into sepsis and later for deep vein thrombosis.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
