r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 17d ago
Neuroscience ADHD misinformation on TikTok is shaping young adults’ perceptions. An analysis of the 100 most-viewed TikTok videos related to ADHD revealed that fewer than half the claims about symptoms actually align with clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD.
https://news.ubc.ca/2025/03/adhd-misinformation-on-tiktok/
27.8k
Upvotes
2
u/PaintshakerBaby 17d ago
Same! I had been struggling with debilitating depression and anxiety for as long as I can remember. It led me down the road of alcoholism TWICE. Five years of drinking, five years sober, than relapsed for four more years.
Because even during my long stint of sobriety, I suffered all the same consequences of poor executive function. My life felt out of control dead sober, and out of control drunk off my ass. Didn't matter, so I backslid into the alcoholism.
The precipitated in a divorce, and I finally dragged myself to my GP to see what the hell was wrong. They threw me on Benzos and SSRIs and it made everything 10x worse...
It killed my will to do or care about anything. I was in a super dark place, when finally my therapist, not my doctor, said I should get a ADHD workup from a specialist.
That was 3x 2 hour interviews with a specialist. They asked me questions about my childhood, all the way to the present. At the end, they concluded I had quite a severe case and prescribed me Vyvanse/adderall.
It was like a light switch! Within a couple weeks, I had hardly any symptoms of depression/anxiety, was motivated, and slept like a baby!
I could cry just thinking about it! All the GPs just dismissed me as a lazy and depressed alcoholic. I couldn't get through to any of them. Thank god my counselor was actually paying attention, and recommended a specialist. I feel like I owe her my life! I'm in a fantastic place now that I never thought possible before.