Key Points
- Experts warn influencers spread misleading mental health advice
- TikTok tip suggests eating oranges in shower to ease anxiety
- TikTok claims to remove 98pc of harmful misinformation
ISLAMABAD: More than half of TikTok’s most popular mental health advice videos contain misinformation, raising serious concerns about the quality and safety of content on the platform.
As increasing numbers of people seek mental health support online, experts warn that social media influencers are sharing misleading content—ranging from misapplied psychological terminology to dubious “quick fixes” and unproven remedies, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian investigation reviewed the top 100 videos under the hashtag #mentalhealthtips, analysed by psychiatrists, psychologists, and academic specialists. Of these, 52 were found to contain misinformation, while many others were vague or unhelpful. The videos covered issues such as trauma, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression, and severe mental illness.
Dubious advice included eating oranges in the shower to reduce anxiety, promoting supplements like saffron and magnesium glycinate without strong scientific backing, and suggesting that trauma can be “healed” in under an hour.
Normal emotional responses
Some videos also portrayed normal emotional responses as symptoms of serious mental health disorders, such as borderline personality disorder or abuse.
Dr David Okai, consultant neuropsychiatrist at King’s College London, said many videos used clinical terms interchangeably—such as wellbeing, anxiety, and mental illness—leading to public confusion. He added that advice often stemmed from personal anecdotes rather than clinical evidence, making it potentially unreliable or misleading for wider audiences, reports The Guardian.
Dan Poulter, a former health minister and NHS psychiatrist, reviewed videos addressing serious mental illness. He warned that some posts “pathologise everyday emotions”, falsely equating them with clinical diagnoses, which he said both misinforms the public and undermines the lived experience of those with genuine psychiatric conditions.
Over-generalising PTSD
Amber Johnston, a psychologist accredited by the British Psychological Society, assessed trauma-related content. She noted a tendency to over-generalise PTSD symptoms and ignore their complexity. “These short videos suggest everyone experiences trauma in the same way, which is simply not true,” she said. “Such portrayals risk making individuals feel like failures when these tips don’t work.”
MPs have called the findings “damning” and urged government action. Chi Onwurah, chair of the Technology Committee, said her group was examining the effectiveness of the Online Safety Act (OSA) in dealing with such content. “Recommendation algorithms on platforms like TikTok can amplify misleading mental health content,” she warned.
The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Prof Bernadka Dubicka echoed concerns, stressing the importance of accessing evidence-based advice from qualified professionals. “Only a thorough assessment by a trained mental health practitioner can lead to a reliable diagnosis,” she said.
TikTok’s response
TikTok responded by stating it removes 98 per cent of harmful misinformation before it is flagged and works closely with health authorities, including the NHS and WHO.
The platform defended the right of users to share personal stories, but insisted it promotes accurate information.
A government spokesperson confirmed that the Online Safety Act mandates platforms to tackle harmful or illegal content, particularly where children are concerned, and said ministers are working to reduce the spread of misinformation online.
