A study conducted by The Guardian revealed that around half of the mental health tips shared on TikTok contain some form of misinformation.
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The finding came after an analysis of 100 videos shared under the hashtag #mentalhealthtips. According to the research, 52 of the clips included false or misleading content.
Some tips were relatively harmless, such as the idea of eating an orange in the shower to reduce anxiety, but others promoted so-called miracle solutions, like methods to heal trauma in just one hour.
Experts who analyzed the videos stated that in all cases, this type of content is “concerning” and may cause more harm than good.
“This gives misleading information to impressionable individuals and can also trivialize the life experiences of people living with serious mental health conditions,” said Dan Poulter, former health minister and psychiatrist with the NHS, to The Guardian.
After reviewing content about more severe mental health issues, he also warned that some videos “pathologize everyday emotions and experiences, suggesting they amount to a diagnosis of serious mental illness.”
Meanwhile, David Okai, a consultant neuropsychiatrist and researcher in psychological medicine at King’s College London, who analyzed videos about anxiety and depression, explained that the clips exaggerated the emphasis on therapy.
“While there is strong evidence that therapy is effective, it’s important to stress that it’s not magic, not a quick fix, and not a one-size-fits-all solution,” he told The Guardian.
Amber Johnston, a psychologist accredited by the British Psychological Society who reviewed the trauma-related videos, stated that although they may contain a grain of truth, the videos tend to minimize the complexity of trauma symptoms.
“Each video is guilty of suggesting that everyone has the same experience. The truth is […] trauma symptoms are highly individual and can’t be compared across people,” she told The Guardian.
“TikTok is spreading misinformation by implying there are secret universal tips and truths, which can make viewers feel even worse—like a failure—when those tips don’t work.”
In a statement, a company spokesperson said that TikTok is “a place where millions of people express themselves, share their authentic mental health journeys, and find supportive community.”
“There are clear limitations to the methodology of this study, which challenges that freedom of expression and suggests people shouldn’t be allowed to share their own stories,” the spokesperson argued.
“We proactively work with health experts from the World Health Organization and the NHS to promote reliable information on our platform and remove 98% of harmful misinformation before it is reported to us.”
Photo and video: Unsplash. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
