TikTok user Kendra Hilty is going viral for her “I Was in Love With My Psychiatrist” series, a 25-part saga (and counting) that has taken the internet by storm.
Hilty, who has amassed more than 100,000 TikTok followers, began chronicling her story on August 1. The first video has more than 2 million views.
“I fell in love with my psychiatrist and he knew that and he kept me for years as a patient until I was brave enough to leave him,” Hilty alleged in the TikTok at the time. “I want to talk about it.”
The story has continued to unravel (think: Reesa Teesa’s “Who TF did I Marry” series), with Hilty explaining that she began seeing this psychiatrist four years ago while trying to get back on ADHD medication and went on to develop feelings for him.
In Hilty’s perspective, the psychiatrist was “the one with the medical degree, he was the one that knew better, but he loved the attention that I gave him too much to do the right thing” and get rid of her as a patient.
The psychiatrist has yet to publicly identify himself. Scroll down to learn more about Hilty’s TikTok series:
When Did Kendra Hilty and Her Psychiatrist Meet?
Hilty explained that she and the psychiatrist crossed paths when she found him on Google. During their first remote intake session, Hilty observed that the psychiatrist was around her same age and found him to be “pretty attractive.”
Did Kendra Hilty Tell Her Psychiatrist She Loved Him?
According to Hilty, repeatedly. Hilty claimed she was “begging” the psychiatrist to move their visits to be weekly rather than monthly. She also alleged that she sent her psychiatrist emails to receive “attention” from him and would receive no response.
How Did the Psychiatrist Respond to Kendra Hilty Being In Love With Him?
Hilty claimed that the psychiatrist would become “warm and kind and wonderful” whereas other times he was “cold” with her, which led to her “addiction” to him. Hilty noted that at one point she described their connection as “special patient-doctor relationship” — to which he allegedly “glared” at her and replied that it was a “professional patient-doctor relationship.”
Did Kendra Hilty See Any Other Mental Health Professionals?
Hilty explained that she began seeing another mental health professional, who she informed of her intense feelings toward the psychiatrist. The new therapist allegedly told Hilty that the psychiatrist was avoiding meeting her in person because he didn’t “want to risk” seeing her in real life. Hilty also claimed that the new therapist began texting her asking for advice about her other clients. Hilty noted that she does not see this therapist anymore.
Is Kendra Hilty Still Seeing Her Psychiatrist?
Hilty claimed that she was “brave enough to leave him” before posting the TikTok videos.
Why Is Kendra Hilty Facing Backlash?
Some users think Hilty’s perspective on the relationship with her psychiatrist is “delusional.” Others, meanwhile, have come to her defense. “We should all remember that regardless of what we think of Kendra’s story, she is still a human being!” one user wrote in the comments section of her TikTok. “We should never ostracize people, especially when we believe they’re in crisis. HUMAN connection is the remedy.”
Has Kendra Hilty Addressed the Backlash from Her Viral Series?
In a statement to The Cut, Hilty said, “I am proud of myself for telling my story. The internet had a huge backlash because I am exposing something that not many people talk about — exploitation from people in power. I have healed myself and others in this process, while learning I’m stronger than I think.”
