THis classic vision of therapy revolved around a person lying on their back on a couch, tapping into their deepest, darkest hopes and fears. A modern remix might look like this: People are still sitting on the couch, but at home, scrolling through a constantly updated selection of mental health content on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
While it may feel therapeutic, experts advise proceeding with caution. More psychologists are stepping into the role of mental health influencers, opening doors to fame and financial incentives, and generating millions of posts about attachment styles, unresolved trauma, and other everyday obstacles. It’s reaching people.
“We’re moving away from a time when mental health was so stigmatized that people couldn’t get treatment because of it,” said Evelyn Hunter, a counseling psychologist in Auburn, Alabama. In a way, it normalized the fact that we sometimes struggle. ”
However, determining which so-called experts can be trusted and whether their information is reliable can be difficult and can lead to misinformation and harmful misunderstandings. “Information spreads so quickly on social media that it can be difficult to know what is accurate, what is professional, and what is based on expertise,” Hunter said. To tell. She emphasizes that mental health professionals active on social media must demonstrate her three qualities: competence, honest interpretation of evidence, and integrity.
With that in mind, if an algorithm is serving you content about mental health, be aware of these red flags.
1. The person running the account does not share credentials.
Most trusted mental health influencers are transparent about their training, licenses, and specialties. The American Psychological Association (APA) Guidelines for the Optimal Use of Social Media in Professional Psychological Practice require psychologists to regularly update their personal and professional websites and ensure that others are aware of what others are saying about them online. We encourage you to monitor the information you post and verify its accuracy.
For those looking for veterinary professionals, Victoria Riordan, a certified professional clinical counselor with the Ohio-based counseling practice Thriveworks, suggests starting by checking the account background. Masu. Here, many practitioners specify whether they are a psychiatrist, a social worker, or perhaps another profession that does not require specific training or regulation, such as a life coach. It may also include areas of expertise and includes links to where you can read more.
If you can’t find much information, search for the person’s name online. If they’re legitimate, “they’ll appear on Psychology Today, LinkedIn, or their own private practice website,” Riordan says. “You’re going to find them through several different sources, not just social media.” You can also check to see if they’re currently licensed. This is a vote of confidence in support of their education, experience, and ethical standards. Start with resources like your state licensing board’s website or the Association of State and Local Boards of Psychology.
2. They are trying to sell you something.
Genesis Games, a psychotherapist in Miami, said it’s natural for psychologists to use social media platforms to promote things like online courses or books they’ve written. “But if all that content is bringing you back to the store, that means they’re more concerned with turning you into a customer than they are with providing quality education,” she says. Masu. “There’s a difference between saying, ‘These are resources,’ and posting only about Taka products.”
The APA Code of Ethics emphasizes that psychologists must avoid conflicts of interest. However, this information can appear online when people promote products, such as supplements that supposedly reduce anxiety, without disclosing their business relationships. If something doesn’t seem right, the game suggests trusting your instincts and doing some additional research, such as searching for the person’s name and product on Google and checking the results. Masu. Another tell-tale sign of a business relationship is whether a company regularly tags the expert in its social media posts.
Games says it’s ultimately up to each consumer to choose what they feel is best in this situation. She recommends asking for clarification about the person’s relationship with a product or simply unfollowing them as a first step. But maybe you’ve come across a claim that you don’t understand or something that really bothers you. “If you believe the practice is malicious or poses a serious risk to others, you can also report the practitioner to the licensing board or the state university where the practice is performed. ” she says.
3. Posts contain a lot of technical terminology.
Therapeutic speaking has permeated everyday language. Talk about boundaries, repression, inner child functioning, attachment styles, trauma, triggers, etc. is thrown around frequently and casually. Experts say this overuse is concerning for a variety of reasons. First, people who don’t fully understand the term but see it in their social media feeds may use it as a weapon in their relationships to create power relationships. will be higher. Second, in some cases, clinging to a word and using it incorrectly “dilutes its meaning,” says Molly Spiethman, a licensed clinical social worker in New York.
She warns social media users to be wary of accounts that turn these types of treatment terms into buzzwords. Trusted practitioners “usually don’t use therapeutic jargon or jargon because they want to make therapy and mental health more approachable and easier to understand,” she says. “If someone is trying to appear smarter than they actually are or uses terminology that you don’t understand, that’s a red flag.”
Four. Physicians facilitate self-diagnosis and labeling.
As a rule of thumb, never diagnose yourself or others, Spiesman warns. On social media, we often cling to the following labels: If he does these five things, you’re depressed, or narcissistic, ADHD, or on the autistic spectrum. This could go against APA’s social media guidelines, which advise psychologists to avoid offering diagnoses, giving advice, or “acting as if they are administering treatment.”
“What I find in talking to clients and friends is that people have internalized these messages so deeply that they’re actually diagnosing themselves,” Spiethman says. “They see something on TikTok and go, ‘Oh, I have this problem, or my partner has that.'” She currently spends her time in sessions We ask our clients to take a step back and consider why a particular post resonated with them. They are very.
Five. They interact with customers on social media.
Jeff Guenther, a licensed counselor based in Oregon, started his TikTok account when he started craving a creative outlet during the pandemic. Now, nearly two years later, he’s probably best known as his online alter ego, Therapy Himself Jeff, with nearly 3 million followers on TikTok and more than 850,000 followers on Instagram. Masu.
Gunter describes social media as being like the Wild West. He treads as carefully as possible by setting rules for himself, such as not replying to existing clients who comment on his posts. As APA points out in its guidelines, doing so can violate confidentiality and blur the boundaries of a professional relationship. “Just like you would if you encountered it at the grocery store, you have to tell the customer to ignore it,” he says. So what if we see practitioners engaging with people they’ve clearly worked with? Unfollow – That’s a red flag.
6. They tout one modality as better than another.
Therapists are typically trained in a variety of therapies, including cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), Gestalt therapy, somatic therapy, and art therapy. While they may specialize in the field and even prefer it, Games says they shouldn’t market it online as a last resort. “No single treatment will work for everyone,” she emphasizes. “It’s not one size fits all.”
In the game, you may notice that especially new healers emphasize certain treatments as if they are a panacea. “If you get a lot of content about EMDR and you think, ‘I need to find an EMDR therapist,’” she says. “So I tried it and it didn’t feel very good. Instead of thinking that it’s not the right treatment for me, you might think that there’s something wrong with me and that there’s something wrong with me.” I can’t, because it’s supposed to work and it doesn’t.”
This suggests that practitioners are aware of one important thing about mental health content on social media. Not all information will apply to everyone, so take it with a grain of salt. Therapists on social media are just that: therapists.they are not your therapist.