Mental Health Misinformation on Social Media: A Growing Concern

With more people turning to platforms like TikTok for mental health advice, it's important to stay informed about the quality of what we’re seeing online. 

The Guardian took the top 100 videos posted under the #mentalhealthtips hashtag on TikTok and shared them with psychologists, psychiatrists and academic experts, who took a view on whether the posts contained misinformation.⁠

The experts established that 52 out of 100 videos offering advice on dealing with trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression and severe mental illness contained some misinformation, and that many others were vague or unhelpful.⁠

From “quick fixes” to misused therapy terms, and even questionable recommendations like showering with an orange to ease anxiety, the line between helpful and harmful advice is becoming increasingly blurred. Some posts promote supplements with little scientific backing or offer unrealistic claims, like healing deep trauma in under an hour.⁠

Mental health experts have called this trend worrying, with many urging tighter regulation to protect people from being misled by unqualified content creators. 

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In an age of social media it's tempting to absorb advice from influencers and popular accounts, but communicating with a qualified, licensed therapist is the only authentic and recognised method, recommended to help you with any type of mental health support. The most reliable path to understanding and managing mental health challenges is through professional, evidence-based support.⁠

Real support isn’t a trending hashtag, it’s grounded in empathy, ethics and proper care.⁠