TikTok is generally considered a light hearted social media platform, but recent trends have gotten to the nitty gritty of how users are truly feeling. The surge in videos in recent weeks can be interpreted as a cry for help – or a comedic way to cope with life’s biggest challenges. Regardless of your interpretation of the probably needed a hug trend, one thing is true. People are taking notice and taking their power back in their own lives.
Have You Made a ‘Probably Needed a Hug’ Video Yet?
If you’re hoping to participate in this social media trend, there really are no limitations, as users have been applying it to many different predicaments. It normalizes the sense of escapism that many people online are seeking out due to the rapidly changing state of the world. Some creators have posted more personalized sentiments. But generally, the reason for needing a hug is not specified. So people wanting to join the trend do not have to put their business out on the online streets if they don’t want to. But they may find it cathartic.
In a moment of need, sometimes the thing that would really help, like a hug from a loved one, is just not accessible. So, this probably needed a hug trend is a way to discuss the next best thing – people’s guilty pleasures. Creators simply have to finish the phrase with their personal contribution and show off their circumstances. No matter what avenue people take with their videos, the trend offers both hilarious and humbling responses to the catchphrase. There is a central appeal too, the trend connects humans from different backgrounds. So, whether your guilty pleasure is knitting, stress eating or texting your no-contact ex, there’s a space for you.
How Users Are Approaching the Trend
The trend is like a virtual diary, so the countless probably needed a hug trend videos are diverse. Most participating are using the TikTok audio for Adele’s somber song “Hometown Glory” which is a bittersweet tribute to her childhood home. The singer belts the lyrics, “Shows that we ain’t gonna stand s**t. Shows that we are united, Shows that we ain’t gonna take it”, which has empowered users to stand up to their own personal demons. Therapists, influencers and everyone in between are putting their own spin on the trend. Some show off the casual things that bring joy back to their life. As @summerbotwex jokingly stated in her video, “Probably needed a hug. Booked a solo trip instead.”
Others get a bit more emotionally vulnerable and may possibly explore coping strategies for mental health struggles. User @shadrekia nods at the hidden struggles that people may not share with the world in her post. She states, “Probably needed a hug…But I blasted my music and went for a walk instead.”
What Does the ‘Probably Needed a Hug’ Trend Say About Mental Health in 2025?
While this trend focuses on other ways to cope, it may highlight the way that people are overlooking the power of hugging. Science has proved that there really is a big benefit to the simple gesture. Hugging is an expression of affection that can actually decrease stress and help stabilize mental health.
It’s important to note that the hug does not have to come from someone else. As Psychology Today reports, “[results of a recent study] showed clearly that volunteers in both the hugging and the self-hugging condition showed lower cortisol levels.” While it does not replace the need for human connection, you can shower yourself with love too in moments when others aren’t available to support you. This practice may even be a life hack, similar to the science of smiling helping to improve mood.
Although the COVID pandemic has passed, it may be possible that the adverse cultural impacts are still in play. Or society is facing new challenges with the emphasis on virtual connection steadily becoming a norm. Professor Michael Banissy of The University of Bristol asserts that, “research is increasingly staking up to show that touch matters. It has revealed the nuanced nature of our sense of touch and shed light on the importance of touch in our daily lives. We know that touch is something that affects us all – yet it is more powerful and complex than we might first think.” So while the probably needed a hug trend is an innocent and fun joke, it is also an example of how society expresses its anxieties and fears through humor.