Parent’s Guide to TikTok Slang

November 12, 2025

This article is part of our Parent’s Guide to Online Language series.

Teens today live in a digital-first world. Apps like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and Discord aren’t just for fun they’re spaces where young people express feelings, navigate friendships, and sometimes signal distress. Understanding the slang they use can help you notice patterns and respond thoughtfully.

Why Teens Use Coded Language

Teens often communicate indirectly online for several reasons:

Safety and privacy: Avoiding judgment or parental intervention.
Peer validation: Connecting with friends who understand the same language.
Platform moderation: Using euphemisms or “algospeak” to express distress without triggering content filters.

Key point: Patterns and context matter far more than isolated posts.

Common TikTok Slang & Distress Codes

Phrase / Trend	Possible Meaning	How to Spot Patterns
“I ate pasta last night”	Emotional struggle, possible suicidal thoughts	Often appears with viral poems or videos; repeated posts are concerning
“I finished my shampoo and conditioner at the same time”	Hopelessness, thoughts of ending things	Look for repetition or combined behavior changes
“Menty B”	Mental breakdown or extreme stress	Multiple posts over days may indicate persistent distress
“Unalive” / “Sewer slide”	Euphemisms for suicide	Often used to bypass moderation; context is critical
“Intrusive thoughts”	Anxiety, OCD, or ongoing negative thoughts	Usually humorous, but repeated use can indicate struggle
“I’m bored / I’m tired / I don’t feel well”	Everyday phrases signaling distress	Look for changes in routine or repeated posts
Emojis (🥺👉👈, 💀, 🧍‍♀️, 🫠, 😵‍💫)	Vulnerability, dark humor, or emotional struggle	Pay attention to repeated or unusual combinations
“Forgot to charge my soul”	Feeling empty or disconnected	Often paired with “mood” or “relatable” captions
#sadpasta / #unalive	Hashtags to signal sadness or distress	Check frequency and cross-platform use
“It’s just a phase”	Minimizing pain or masking sadness	May appear in captions, comments, or memes repeatedly
“Brain fog gang”	Cognitive fatigue, overwhelm	Often repeated in memes or posts about school/work stress
“Can’t adult today”	Burnout, depression, or anxiety	Look for repeated mentions and offline withdrawal
“Crying in the club / crying on my bed”	Emotional pain expressed humorously	Repetition across captions or comments signals distress
Viral audio cues: “I’m losing my mind” / “Don’t let me fall”	Emotional distress	Repeated use of specific trending sounds paired with sad visuals

Tip: Keep our PDF The Parent & Educator Guide to Online Safety on your fridge, desk, or device for easy access. [Download Now]

Emerging Slang & Platform-Specific Notes

TikTok:

Viral sounds, memes, and poems often create coded phrases.
Examples: “I just made a sandwich and didn’t eat it,” “forgot to water my plants and my soul died.”
Trending audios or text overlays often signal feelings indirectly.
Look for repeated patterns across multiple posts or in comments.

Instagram / Reels:

Hashtags (#sadpasta, #unalive, #mentyb) and recurring captions can indicate ongoing struggles.
Reels captions often summarize short-term moods or feelings (“too tired to function,” “living in my head rent-free”).
Story highlights or repeated imagery (dark filters, rainy windows, isolated selfies) may signal emotional strain.

Snapchat:

Emojis in streak captions or private stories may indicate feelings indirectly.
Private streaks may show repetitive messages like “I can’t today” or “ugh” combined with sad emojis.
Watch for a sudden drop-in streak activity or social withdrawal as a potential red flag.

Discord & Gaming Chats:

Terms like “unalive,” “brain fog gang,” or “can’t adult” circulate widely in communities.
Private servers may contain repeated cues not visible publicly, including memes, emojis, or self-deprecating humor.
Participation changes (sudden silence, leaving servers, or excessive venting in chats) can signal distress.

YouTube Shorts & X (formerly Twitter):

Viral trends often crossover; phrases like “forgot to charge my soul” or “crying in my room” may appear on both platforms.
Look for repetition across platforms to identify persistent emotions.
Comments or quote tweets may provide context or amplify signals of distress.

General tip: Track trends across platforms rather than focusing on just one app. Patterns across multiple environments are more indicative of ongoing struggles.

How to Spot Patterns

Frequency: One post rarely indicates crisis; repeated phrases over days/weeks are more telling.
Context: Changes in school, sleep, friendships, or hobbies can provide additional clues.
Cross-platform posting: Similar phrases across apps may indicate ongoing distress.
Offline behavior: Combine online observation with real-world behavior.

Responding Thoughtfully

Start a conversation: Use open-ended questions:
- “I noticed your posts about pasta. How are you feeling?”
- “You’ve mentioned this a few times—want to talk about it?”
Validate feelings: Stress, anxiety, and sadness are normal.
Offer support, not punishment: Focus on listening, not criticizing slang use.
Know where to turn: Keep mental health resources handy:
- U.S.: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Canada: 988
- UK: Text SHOUT to 85258
- International: findahelpline.com

Patterns to Watch

Repeated phrases across days or weeks
Combination with concerning behavior (withdrawal, mood changes, self-harm signals)
Frequent coded slang across multiple platforms
Escalation in tone or hopelessness

Monitoring patterns rather than single posts is the most effective way to identify potential distress early.

Key Takeaways

Teens often communicate distress indirectly through slang, memes, or everyday phrases.
Look for patterns, repetition, and context—not isolated posts.
Cross-platform observation gives a fuller picture.
Empathy, curiosity, and open conversation are more effective than judgment.
Use this guide to spot trends, recognize patterns, and respond thoughtfully.