Social media has made everything from shopping to news consumption ridiculously easy. Now, it’s even changing the way we approach therapy. With mental health influencers sharing advice on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter (sorry, “X”), more people are engaging with mental health content than ever before. But is this a good thing, or are we all just diagnosing ourselves with TikTok-induced ADHD?
What Is Social Media Therapy?
Social media therapy refers to the growing trend of mental health advocates sharing educational content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Instead of sitting in an office or a Zoom call, users can now consume bite-sized mental health insights while scrolling through their feed.
But here’s the catch: While these posts can raise awareness and help reduce stigma, they aren’t a substitute for real therapy. Licensed professionals may provide general advice, but social media lacks the personalized, one-on-one support necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment.
So, is social media therapy a helpful tool or a slippery slope? Let’s break it down.
Exploring Social Media Therapy: Benefits, Challenges, and Insights
Benefits of Social Media Therapy
Increased Accessibility: Therapy can be expensive and not always available to everyone. Social media provides free mental health resources, making support more accessible to those who need it.
Reducing Stigma: Seeing therapists and influencers openly discuss mental health helps normalize seeking support.
Community Support: Many people find comfort in online communities where they can share experiences and feel less alone.
Bite-Sized Mental Health Education: Short videos and infographics make complex mental health concepts easy to understand.
Challenges and Risks
Misinformation & Self-Diagnosis: Not all content is accurate, and many users diagnose themselves based on oversimplified videos.
Lack of Personalization: Generalized advice doesn’t account for individual differences in mental health conditions.
Privacy & Confidentiality Risks: Sharing personal struggles online can make users vulnerable to judgment or exploitation.
Over-Reliance on Social Media: Engaging with mental health content is great, but it shouldn’t replace professional therapy.
Key Insights
- Social media therapy should supplement, not replace, professional mental health support.
- Verify sources – Follow licensed professionals, not self-proclaimed “mindset coaches.”
- If a post resonates deeply, use it as a conversation starter with a real therapist.
A Registered Psychotherapist’s Perspective
Social media can be great for providing advice and interventions people can use on their own, like breathing exercises. But, I find it oversimplifies mental health and oftentimes I see clients using clinical terminology for normal experiences. On one hand, social media normalizes mental health challenges but it often can make us feel like every experience we have is related to a diagnosis that we could have. In reality, mental health conditions have numerous criteria that need to be met. I find it dangerous when every experience is labelled with a clinical term because it can cause people not to take responsibility for their experiences / responses and can impact people’s self-esteem if they start to think they have a laundry list of conditions.
For example, having a niche interest is a common human experience and not always an indicator that someone is autistic.
Social Media also doesn’t account for differences in presentation. Certain conditions show up differently in women (eg. ADHD) and some conditions align with normal developmental stages (eg. BPD traits are often very similar to normal teenage experiences)
How Can Social Media Posts Influence Mental Health Concerns?
The Role of Algorithms in Content Exposure
Ever watched one video about anxiety and suddenly your entire feed is filled with mental health content? That’s the algorithm at work. While it can be helpful, it also creates an echo chamber where users are exposed to only one type of content—sometimes reinforcing concerns rather than addressing them properly.
The Virality of Mental Health Trends
TikTok has made conditions like ADHD, autism, and dissociative identity disorder (DID) go viral. While increased awareness is great, oversimplified explanations can lead to misinterpretation and misdiagnosis—convincing users they have a disorder based on a handful of symptoms.
The Psychological Impact of Relatable Content
We naturally gravitate toward content that resonates with us, but this can lead to emotional contagion—where users start feeling symptoms just because they see others discussing them. While community support is valuable, it’s important to recognize when content is influencing perceptions rather than reflecting reality.
The Risk of Self-Diagnosis and Labeling
Throwing around terms like “trauma,” “narcissist,” or “OCD” in casual conversation has become common, but misusing these clinical terms can dilute their meaning and contribute to self-diagnosis without proper assessment. Not every bad mood is depression, and not every forgetful moment is ADHD.
Validation vs. Over-Identification
Feeling validated is important, but over-identification with symptoms can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy—where users unconsciously reinforce behaviors they see online. It’s okay to relate to mental health content, but it shouldn’t define your identity.
How to Navigate Social Media Therapy Responsibly
Follow Credible Sources: Stick to licensed therapists, psychologists, and medical professionals.
Fact-Check Information: Cross-reference claims with reputable sources (e.g., the APA, NIMH).
Engage Critically: Just because something is relatable doesn’t mean it applies to you.
Seek Professional Guidance: If a post strongly resonates, discuss it with a real therapist rather than relying on self-diagnosis.
Limit Doomscrolling: Your mental health isn’t going to improve if you’re glued to distressing content all day. Take breaks when needed.
A Brief Guide to Fact-Checking
If something resonates with you, bring it to a licensed professional. My clients bring TikTok and Instagram posts to me all the time!
One good way to reflect, if therapy isn’t available to you, is ask yourself “What would this diagnosis mean for me?” or “Is this label helpful to me in some way?”. Consider whether you would seek medication, treatment, or support in some way.
You can also take online assessments! For example: https://www.additudemag.com/category/adhd-add/
You’ll notice the tests have a lot of questions and, while some may apply to you, others may not.
Final Thoughts: Is Social Media Therapy Helpful or Harmful?
The answer is: It depends. Social media therapy can be a great tool for education, reducing stigma, and providing support, but it should never replace real therapy. The key is to consume content responsibly, recognize the limitations of online advice, and seek professional help when needed.
So, next time TikTok tells you that you definitely have <insert trending disorder here>, take a deep breath, do some research, and maybe schedule an actual therapy session before diagnosing yourself.
After all, real mental health support should be more than just a viral trend.
