Tik Tok “Therapy”: Why Social Media Advice is Not Therapy
In recent years, platforms like TikTok and Instagram have exploded with content related to mental health. Short videos on topics like self-care, anxiety management, ADHD, trauma, attachment styles, and relationship advice rack up millions of views. While these platforms make mental health conversations more accessible, there’s a growing concern: social media advice is not a substitute for professional therapy! In fact, relying on TikTok or Instagram influencers for mental health guidance can be risky and, in some cases, downright harmful. So, what’s wrong with Tik Tok “therapy” you may ask? Well, here are a few things!
Oversimplified Solutions to Complex Problems
Therapy is a nuanced, personalized process. Therapists spend years studying human behavior, mental health disorders, and therapeutic techniques to provide treatment that is tailored to the person in front of them. In contrast, TikTok videos often reduce complex issues into bite-sized, easy-to-digest advice.
Mental Health is Not One-Size-Fits-All: What works for one person may not work for another. A 30-second clip about overcoming anxiety or improving relationships rarely considers the unique aspects of an individual’s emotional, psychological, and social context. Without that level of nuance, the advice is often too general to be truly effective—or even safe.
Danger of Self-Diagnosis: TikTok and Instagram influencers often discuss symptoms or conditions in oversimplified terms, leading people to self-diagnose based on incomplete or inaccurate information. This can result in people misinterpreting their own experiences, potentially delaying necessary treatment for serious conditions like depression, PTSD, or anxiety disorders.
Lack of Accountability and Professional Standards
Licensed therapists are bound by professional ethics, confidentiality, and evidence-based practices. When you see a therapist, you’re working with someone who is accountable to regulatory boards and who has undergone rigorous training. On social media, however, anyone can share advice, regardless of their qualifications.
Unqualified “Experts”: Many TikTok creators who provide mental health advice may not be licensed professionals. They may share tips based on their personal experiences or popular self-help books, but without professional training, they can easily give misguided or harmful advice. Individuals consuming advice from influencers are often seduced by their confidence, but this confidence does not equal actual competence and expertise to discuss mental health topics.
Spreading Misinformation: Mental health content can quickly go viral on TikTok, even when it’s incorrect. Misinformation can spread like wildfire, making it difficult to distinguish between reliable advice and pseudoscience. This is particularly dangerous when misinformation leads to ineffective or harmful coping strategies.
Mental Health Trends: Problematic and Unhealthy
The fast-paced nature of social media encourages content creators to stay on top of trends and continue to churn content that is simple and easy to digest. Unfortunately, this trend-driven approach often overshadows the real, long-term work necessary for improving mental health.
Oversaturation of “Quick Fix” Content: Many videos promise rapid solutions to deep-rooted problems—like “How to cure anxiety in three steps” or “5 ways to get over trauma instantly.” This kind of advice can mislead people into believing that their problems can be solved with a few superficial tweaks, rather than through sustained effort and therapeutic support.
Glamorizing Mental Health Issues: There’s also a disturbing trend of glamorizing or romanticizing mental health struggles. Content that highlights the “aesthetic” of depression or anxiety or “bed rotting” can trivialize these very serious conditions, leading to a culture where people self-identify with disorders they may not even have. This trivialization can prevent those who are truly suffering from seeking the help they need.
Therapy Provides Structure and Accountability
Therapy offers a structured environment for individuals to address their mental health concerns. A therapist builds a relationship over time, helping clients uncover deep-seated issues, track progress, and hold them accountable for making real change.
Ongoing Support vs. Short-Term Advice: Therapy is not about finding quick fixes but rather working through emotions and challenges over weeks, months, or even years. TikTok advice, on the other hand, is fleeting and lacks the follow-through necessary for true progress. Without consistent, structured support, people may fall back into unhealthy patterns.
Addressing the Root Cause: A key difference between therapy and social media advice is that therapy focuses on getting to the root of the problem. If someone is experiencing anxiety, a therapist will explore the underlying causes, whether that’s trauma, genetics, or environmental factors. TikTok videos tend to focus only on the surface-level symptoms, focusing on temporary relief rather than long-term healing.
The Risk of Triggering Harm
Mental health influencers often discuss sensitive topics like trauma, abuse, and mental illness. While these discussions can help raise awareness, they can also unintentionally trigger viewers who aren’t ready to process these topics in a safe, guided way.
Trigger Warnings Are Inconsistent: Unlike in therapy, where discussions of trauma or mental illness are handled carefully, TikTok videos often lack proper warnings. Someone scrolling through their feed could stumble upon a discussion of trauma without being emotionally prepared, leading to emotional distress.
Trauma Dumping: Some creators may engage in what is known as “trauma dumping,” where they overshare deeply personal experiences without considering the emotional impact on their audience. This can lead to emotional overwhelm for viewers, especially those with unresolved trauma or mental health conditions.
Therapy Is Evidence-Based
Therapy is grounded in research and clinical evidence. Licensed therapists use proven approaches and interventions that have been rigorously tested for effectiveness. Through sustained relationships with their clients, therapists assess the readiness for change and gauge what interventions might be most appropriate for the client given their unique challenges. TikTok, by contrast, is an open platform where anyone can offer advice, regardless of whether it’s backed by science.
The Importance of Professional Support
While TikTok and Instagram have opened up valuable conversations around mental health, they cannot replace the depth, structure, and safety that therapy offers. Mental health is complex, and it requires professional attention and individualized care. Relying on social media influencers for advice on issues as serious as trauma, anxiety, or depression can be dangerous and ineffective in the long run.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, reaching out to a licensed therapist or counselor is the best way to get the personalized, evidence-based support you need. Social media can provide useful information, but information is not what heals and it’s not a substitute for the real, meaningful work that therapy can provide.
If you’d like further resources on finding a therapist or managing mental health, feel free to reach out. It’s important to make informed decisions when it comes to your mental and emotional well-being.