Social networks increase misinformation about mental health, study finds

Social networks have become an improvised clinic for millions of young people looking for answers about anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and other mental disorders. The problem is that most of these answers may be wrong.

A systematic review published in March in the Journal of Social Media Research analyzed the quality and accuracy of information from more than 5,000 posts about mental health on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. The conclusion: up to 56% of this content was inaccurate or unsubstantiated.

TikTok appeared as the main focus of misinformation, with emphasis on ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with 52% and 41% of videos containing errors, respectively. On average, the Chinese social network contained 34.56% of misinformation about mental health and neurodivergence. According to researchers, platform-specific factors, such as algorithmic systems and content moderation, can influence the spread of misinformation.

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Another study, from 2025, with 490 university students from New York, sought to understand the effects of TikTok content on knowledge about ADHD, stigma and intentions to seek treatment. The analysis concluded that exposure to misinformation reduces correct knowledge about the disorder and increases the intention to seek treatments for ADHD, with or without scientific evidence.

"Mental health is a complex field, with important diagnostic nuances, which do not translate well into formats lasting a few seconds. The result is a compression of science, in which sophisticated concepts are transformed into simplistic lists or quick identifications, increasing the risk of distortion", points out psychiatrist Luiz Zoldan, medical manager of the Einstein Well-being and Mental Health Space, at Einstein Hospital Israelita. "There is a tendency to romanticize or trivialize the diagnosis, caused exactly by this misinformation on social media."

Short content tends to be more persuasive, because it condenses complex subjective experiences into quick, emotional and easy-to-connect narratives. The impact on young audiences could be even greater. "Among them, this adds up to a phase of development marked by the search for identity, social comparison, the need for belonging and sensitivity to peer validation", observes psychologist Karen Szupszynski, professor at the School of Health and Life Sciences at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS).

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Impacts go beyond wrong self-diagnosis
According to Zoldan, the number of patients arriving with closed hypotheses based on videos has increased. The consequences of this self-diagnosis may include increased anxiety, search for inappropriate treatments, frustration with ineffective interventions and delay in correctly identifying the condition.

"When patients arrive convinced of incorrect diagnoses, there is a need for initial deconstruction and a lot of re-education, bringing a little more complexity to the consultation", says the psychiatrist. "On the other hand, some people start to seek help earlier, which is positive."

Inaccurate or misleading publications can also lead to other consequences, such as anticipatory discrimination, in which the person does not even have a diagnosis and labels themselves negatively, bringing about a fear of stigma and prejudice. This sometimes ends up delaying the search for professional care.

The pathologization of common behaviors is another problem: distraction, procrastination, introversion, need for routine or specific interests end up becoming "symptoms" of disorders such as ADHD or ASD.

"The clinical differentiation of these conditions requires three fundamental pillars: intensity of symptoms, persistence over time and functional impairment in the patient's life", explains the psychiatrist. In other words, attentional lapses that have no impact on daily life are not ADHD.

Discomfort with specific noises, specific food selectivity and occasional difficulties in socialization that do not have functional repercussions are not a support level 1 ASD.

"The risk of social networks is to transform everyday traits into central markers of a diagnosis, erasing essential connections, which differentiate problems from disorders", warns Szupszynski. She recommends being wary of videos that promise quick diagnoses or use formulas like "if you do X, then you have Y." Safer content tends to recognize limits and nuances, cite verifiable sources and differentiate common characteristics of disorders, in addition to mentioning functional impact, recommending professional evaluation and avoiding absolute certainties.

"Prioritize content from reliable sources and qualified professionals, avoiding conclusions based on short videos", advises the Einstein doctor. Social networks can serve as a gateway to information and reflection, but they do not replace consultation, clinical listening and professional diagnosis.

What TikTok says
In a note sent to Agência Einstein, TikTok stated that it recognizes the value of the platform as a space for dialogue about health and neurodiversity and said it takes seriously the responsibility of maintaining this safe environment.

The company said it encourages users to seek professional medical advice and that its policy on health misinformation prohibits content that could cause significant harm.

According to the platform, in the fourth quarter of 2025, 99.2% of content that violated guidelines on misinformation was proactively removed, as was 99.7% of content that violated policies related to mental and behavioral health.

TikTok also says it relies on independent fact-checking partners, guidance from public health authorities and a database of previously verified claims to assess the accuracy of content.

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Source: CNN