In many ways, social media platforms like TikTok have helped democratize mental health discussions around things like ADHD. But researchers find the information is not always accurate.
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In many ways, social media platforms like TikTok have helped democratize mental health discussions around things like ADHD. But researchers find the information is not always accurate.
Fiordaliso/Getty Images
Have you ever diagnosed yourself with a mental health disorder based on a TikTok video?
If so, you’re definitely not alone. Many people turn to social media to understand their behaviors and to find community.
“I personally don’t think that there’s anything more human than wanting to understand yourself and wanting to understand your own experiences,” says Vasileia Karasavva, lead author of a paper published in the journal PLOS One this week. “People have this innate urge to say, hey, like, am I alone with this?”
Yet the research throws a wrench in that tactic.
According to the paper, less than half of the claims made in the 100 most popular TikTok videos with the hashtag #ADHD aligned with the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The DSM is used by psychiatrists and other clinicians to help diagnose and treat patients.
The researchers tasked two clinical psychologists with rating the accuracy of each video, according to the DSM, using a five-point scale. A rating of one signaled they would “definitely not recommend” the videos for concerns over it being either harmful misinformation or completely useless. A five indicated the psychologists would recommend the video without caveats or clarifications.
In the end, less than 50% of the claims were accurate based on the DSM. No video got a perfect rating.
The research team then showed the five most and least accurate videos — as rated by the clinicians — to 843 undergraduate students.
The students scored the lowest rated videos more highly than the psychologists but were less likely to recommend the bottom five videos as a form of psychoeducation versus the top five. Taken together, the paper authors say this suggests young adults do critically evaluate the videos — just not always in a way that aligns with clinical standards.
This could lead to a disconnect between mental health professionals and those seeking help. Patients may feel frustrated or invisible, and could miss out on help if they’re given a different diagnosis. Another worry is that TikTok users may fall prey to products and services that are presented as ADHD treatment but are not backed by science and may be ineffective or harmful.
Still, Karasavva understands why people seek out mental health information on social media.
“Mental health support has been gate kept for most people. And here is the Internet and social media kind of democratizing access to this information,” says the University of British Columbia graduate student. She also notes that creators are often sharing their personal experiences without the intent of sharing misinformation.
Karasavva advises anyone who wants mental health support to seek out therapy if they can afford it. She also encourages people to check both the credibility of their sources and how the content they consume is, in turn, affecting their mental health.
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This episode was produced by Rachel Carlson and Elena Burnett. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Christopher Intagliata. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Jimmy Keely, Valentina Rodriguez Sánchez and Hannah Gluvna were the audio engineers.
