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Social media has a funny way of making everyone seem like an expert these days. I mean I’m not totally complaining - I finally learned how to properly apply fake lashes and learned the secret to chapped lips (it’s nipple cream). With all of these “experts,” it makes it hard to discern between helpful information and not so helpful information, especially when it comes to mental health.
I’ve been seeing a lot of content related to, “If you have these symptoms, you might have ___”. I know that most of these types of posts and videos are meant to shine a necessary light on mental health. For so long mental was not something that was talked about or even considered in many circumstances, leading to perpetuating harmful cycles in our society. What happens if the content out there is being misused?
I like to stay away from the black and white thinking that can lead to thoughts like, “These people don’t know what they’re talking about ” or “There’s no helpful information about mental health on social media.”
Instead, I think it’s important to consider the pros and cons of getting all of our information about mental health from places like TikTok or Instagram-so let’s talk about it!
What are some of the downsides of getting mental health information from social media?
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Misdiagnosis
If you aren’t a mental health professional, chances are that you don’t completely understand what really goes into diagnosing someone with a mental health condition. Mental health clinicians take the necessary time to complete a full assessment because we understand the seriousness of someone forever having a diagnosis on their medical record. When you’re watching a 30-second clip, you’re really only getting a small piece of how that diagnosis will really show up in your life and because of that you might not really have that condition.
Trivializing Mental Health
Because of the trendiness of things like TikTok and Instagram, that trendiness could be extended to having a mental health condition. People nowadays throw around phrases like, “OMG they’re so bipolar” or “I had an ADHD moment”. However, in actuality, people who are living with untreated conditions like generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD, bipolar disorder, or BPD really struggle in their day-to-day life. It’s not something that’s “cool” for the moment; it’s something that they’ve likely been trying to manage for most of their life. By trivializing mental health, we can forget to have compassion for those who are actually living with it.
Band-aid Treatment
With all of the information on social media about mental health, it can be easy to assume that if you do live with an untreated mental condition that you can manage it by using the tips given in the posts. This isn’t to say that you can’t get some great information that will be helpful with your struggles but real healing comes from working with a team of mental health practitioners that can address you holistically. If you’re struggling from a legitimate mental health condition, the things you learn on social media will only act as a band-aid.
What are some upsides of learning more about mental health through social media?
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Empowerment
It can be intimidating to even think about talking to a medical professional about concerns you are having about your mental health because you may not know the language to use. Social media is a great tool for gaining mental health vocabulary that might make you feel empowered to speak with a professional about your concerns.
Connection
If you’ve been recently been diagnosed with a mental condition you might be experiencing shame around what that might mean about you. By looking at posts and videos about your struggles, you could feel less isolated, and less embarrassed, knowing that there are millions of people who are also dealing with similar things. While no one has lived your life, there is comfort in the collective experience.
Helpful Tips
If you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition by a professional, there are some practical tips that you can learn from TikTok and Instagram. These tips could be useful in combination with the treatment you are receiving. It’s important that whatever tips you learn from social media that you follow up with your mental health practitioner as well to ensure accuracy and efficacy.
So now what?
If you’ve ever watched something on social media about your mental health that you’ve related to, the first thing you should do is speak to your primary care physician. Express your concerns to them and see what they say. Most likely they will refer you to a mental health practitioner. At that point you and your therapist can collaboratively come up with a treatment plan to address your concerns. You might even find that your actual diagnosis is less important than how your life is being affected it by it.
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Social media has been a powerful tool for increasing the conversation around mental health. Let’s just make sure we’re using it in the appropriate way-as a tool for mental health and not as a treatment (or as a way to learn a new recipe for vegan key lime pie).
If you’re concerned that you have a mental illness, seek out professional help. If you’re a Maryland resident seeking a low fee option for telehealth therapy, working with an intern at Space Between Counseling Services may be an ideal fit.
Meet the author: AMBER TUNNEY, GRADUATE STUDENT INTERN
Amber works with clients in all life stages in Baltimore who are trying to manage life while dealing with anxious and depressed thoughts and feelings. She has a special interest in working with clients who are struggling with low self worth who are wanting to improve the quality of relationships with themselves and with other people.
During her downtime from school and working as an occupational therapy assistant, Amber makes it a point to balance her family, friends, pets and alone time to recharge so she can enjoy all areas of her life. She’s also currently taking new TV show suggestions.