ADHD misinformation on TikTok is shaping young adults’ perceptions

[u/blankblank]

https://news.ubc.ca/2025/03/adhd-misinformation-on-tiktok/

[u/RolandTwitter]

As a person diagnosed with ADHD, I always thought it was weird that it was very common for people online to say something like, "do you have this super generic symptom of mental illness? You probably have ADHD!"

[u/Tabula_Nada → u/RolandTwitter]

Yeah, I think it's just comes down to wanting a name to put on their struggles so they feel valid. The thing is though, mental illnesses are defined by a set of certain negative traits, and people seem to assume that having one or a few negative traits that are on a list means they definitely have that disorder, and people like having a name for things to identify with and blame their struggles on. But the thing is, just because you only have 4 of the 9 things on the list for ADHD when you need 5 for a diagnosis, doesn't mean there isn't a problem and that you aren't validated in your struggles. You can still go to therapy and work on organizational skills or emotional tolerance or impulsivity. Maybe you can't get the medication (which, I know, is such a huge help) but you are still deserving of getting help for things that bother you (and you're still responsible for your behavior with or without diagnosis). The pathological symptoms you struggle with are still there, still valid, and can still be treated even if you don't get a diagnosis.

But it also doesn't help that there is aggressive marketing on social media for ADHD treatments, and that the younger generations are being targeted with "mental illness is cool - we can make you cool by diagnosing you with a chat bot and then everyone can admire you, feel sorry for you, and let you get away with anything!" I remember during COVID, ads for ADHD diagnosing and medication services on IG were like 80% of my feed. It was just out of control.

And on top of all that, like you were saying, the "generic symptom of mental illness" issue is so hard to work with because so many disorders share so many symptoms and behaviors, leading to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment. Kids and influencers don't need to be the ones telling you what you have because even the professionals are often incorrect the first time around. Like... You could have BPD, ADHD, and/or CPTSD just based off a few similar symptoms. I have had a diagnosis for all three at some point, and the BPD diagnosis came first based on an blog I'd read online that insisted "quiet borderline" was a thing and the manipulative/harmful aspects of BPD were instead explained as self-harm. But the other symptoms we'd used to diagnose me (impulsivity, emotional disregulation, issues in personal relationships) are also symptoms of ADHD and can be symptoms of CPTSD. Once my new doctor realized it was ADHD it all made so much sense. If I hadn't been reading a bunch of crap online written by some bored undergrad, I wouldn't have delayed the proper treatment so long.

[u/canteloupy → u/Tabula_Nada]

If everyone feels mentally ill maybe our society is kind of sick.

[u/Thadrea → u/canteloupy]

ADHD specifically isn't considered a mental illness, and conditions matching its modern description have been discussed in medical literature since the 18th century. It also appears with about the same frequency in every country, ethnic and cultural group.

You can't blame your society for the existence of ADHD. It's been around longer than your society has existed, and appears across many other societies. Its genetic drivers have also been identified dating back to the Neolithic period.

[u/mucifous → u/Thadrea]

What are your credentials? It seems like you are doing what this article is talking about. Your comment is a mix of half-truths and misleading implications.

ADHD is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder in the DSM-5, but it is also frequently categorized as a mental health condition. The distinction is more about medical classification than a fundamental difference in how it affects people.

There are historical descriptions of behaviors that resemble ADHD, but these were not necessarily considered the same condition. The modern concept of ADHD, including its diagnostic criteria, did not solidify until the late 20th century. As a kid with ADHD in the 80s, I can attest to this fact.

The notion that ADHD appears with about the same frequency in every country, ethnic and cultural group is demonstrably false. ADHD diagnosis rates vary widely across countries and cultures. While genetic factors play a role, environmental and cultural influences also affect prevalence rates.

The statement that we can't blame society is a strawman argument. No serious researcher claims society creates ADHD, but societal factors influence its diagnosis, perception, and how impairing it is for an individual.

it's been around longer than your society has existed, and appears across many other societies.

This is a vague statement that doesn't prove anything. Human cognitive diversity has always existed, but our interpretation of what constitutes a disorder is culturally and historically contingent.

Its genetic drivers have also been identified dating back to the Neolithic period.

ADHD has genetic components, but no one has "identified" specific ADHD genes dating back to the Neolithic period. Genetic traits associated with impulsivity and novelty-seeking may have had evolutionary advantages, but that is not the same as proving the existence of ADHD in pre-modern humans.

[u/Thadrea → u/mucifous]

What are your credentials? It seems like you are doing what this article is talking about. Your comment is a mix of half-truths and misleading implications.

Clinical data scientist who has read a considerable corpus of peer reviewed literature on these specific topics and does backend work supporting medication management. I am also clinically diagnosed with ADHD. You?

I don't claim to be a diagnostician and don't work with patients directly. Nonetheless, most human knowledge is parseable to anyone who is reasonably educated and has the curiosity to review the work of others.

ADHD is classified as a neurodevelopmental disorder in the DSM-5, but it is also frequently categorized as a mental health condition. The distinction is more about medical classification than a fundamental difference in how it affects people.

It is a mental health condition, but it is not considered a mental illness. Words matter.

There are historical descriptions of behaviors that resemble ADHD, but these were not necessarily considered the same condition. The modern concept of ADHD, including its diagnostic criteria, did not solidify until the late 20th century. As a kid with ADHD in the 80s, I can attest to this fact.

That is a very silly take. The way in which clinicians describe identifiable pathologies changes over time based both on the level of scientific understanding of the condition and the development of more specific diagnoses. It is also affected by the social factors present at the time the author writes.

The term "ADHD" dates to the DSM-IV, but there is no argument within psychiatry that it is the modern way to describe the pathologies the DSM-III called ADD and ADD/H and which the DSM-II called hyperkinetic disorder.

When comparing older medical literature to more recent material, it is critical to understand that the words used to classify a pathology may be different, and it is more useful to compare the itemized symptoms. In this regard, ADHD has been attested in literature far longer than its modern diagnostic criteria suggest.

The notion that ADHD appears with about the same frequency in every country, ethnic and cultural group is demonstrably false. ADHD diagnosis rates vary widely across countries and cultures. While genetic factors play a role, environmental and cultural influences also affect prevalence rates.

Diagnosis rates in clinical practice vary more due to availability and quality of mental health services and government priorities and policies regarding treatment in different countries than actual prevalence of the disorder. Large sample studies using clinical tools such as ASRS have shown that the prevalence of clinically significant ADHD symptoms is approximately 3-7% of the adult population in nearly every country.

Cultural factors do have an impact on how impairing the disorder is to the given person, however, and that is the one area where your post is entirely correct.

ADHD has genetic components, but no one has "identified" specific ADHD genes dating back to the Neolithic period.

Might want to give Dr. Faraone that memo, since he has talked about the prevalence of some of those genes in genetic history studies. I am sure he knows more about ADHD than either of us given that he's the primary or co-author to hundreds of the most important papers on it and would be excited to learn of the fascinating discovery of two randos on /r/skeptic.

If you would like, I would be happy to share some citations for each of these points, as you seem to be confidently incorrect in a number of areas.

[u/LimpPut2935 → u/Thadrea]

Thank you for this rebuttal. I too was concerned with how confidently the person above was spouting off demonstrably false statements.

[u/biskino → u/Thadrea]

Holy shit that’s the best post I’ve seen on Reddit in a long while. Excellent rebuttal and explanation, thank you!

I wish more people could see it now that we’re awash in RFK, MAHA bullshit.

[u/mucifous → u/Thadrea]

Well if being a "data scientist" gives you ADHD bona fides, my actuarial background and current carreer in cloud infrastructure should work too!The truth is that I am not the one making assertions about the condition, so my credentials, beyond spotting the antipatterns in your post aren't really imoprtant. This is in fact the best pattern in which to be a skeptic. Keeps me from just buying what you data scientists are selling context-free.

It is a mental health condition, but it is not considered a mental illness. Words matter.

Words do matter, that's why I said something. OP of this thread should take note of your accurate semantic adjustment that doesn't really change or speak to my points.

I didn't read the rest of your comment.

[u/Thadrea → u/mucifous]

Well if being a "data scientist" gives you ADHD bona fides, my actuarial background and current carreer in cloud infrastructure should work too!

I mean, actual clinicians use my research work to manage their patients. I don't claim to treat the patients personally, but a moderate understanding of the condition being treated is necessary for me to design tools for them to provide that care.

I didn't read the rest of your comment.

Obviously. You haven't read much about ADHD in general I gather.

I get that you also have first-hand experience living with it, but so do I. I also have a few million words of peer reviewed material in my brain about ADHD, which you do not. I am comfortable saying I am adequately informed on ADHD for a non-clinician, and well above the lay level. I don't require your validation of that, given that the actual clinicians I work with agree with me.

[u/pangolin_nights → u/mucifous]

He is correct in this instance ADHD is neurodevelopmental not mental illness. There may be a higher prevelance of for instance anxiety related to ADHD vs neurotypical... But how much of that is due to living in a neurotypical world. Complex subject.

[u/WMDU → u/mucifous]

There have been many studies comparing rates of ADHD from country to country and it has been proven time and time again that the rates of actual ADHD are roughly equal in all countries.

The differences in diagnostic rates are due to different diagnostic standards.

Some countries apply the diagnostic criteria too loosely and rush the diagnosis, not running enough tests to rule out other disorders, ensure the conditions has been present since childhood and actually meets the criteria and end up over diagnosing the disorder.

Other countries only diagnose the most absolute severe cases, and end up under-diagnosing.

But, when the same standards are applied in studies in various counties, the diagnostic rates are roughy equal.

[u/La_Guy_Person → u/RolandTwitter]

Yeah, I have a child on the spectrum that struggles with OCD and it's really frustrating how that gets tossed around. Literally everyone has compulsive thoughts. OCD is about a debilitating inability to manage them. If you've ever spent time with someone who struggles to regulate their intrusive thoughts, it isn't fun and quirky at all.

[u/Tactless_Ogre → u/RolandTwitter]

It’s the same back when it was first announced: Kids with a bit too much energy or symptoms that align with being a kid got hit with that; which led to overmedication of kids who probably didn’t have it but now need the meds to function.

Not helping in the modern age is that ADHD is comorbid. You can have anxiety and depression but not ADHD; but because the symptoms overlap, people think it’s that.

[u/hookhandsmcgee → u/Tactless_Ogre]

As a disclaimer, this is just a random thought concerning the topic of over-medication, I'm not trying to make any claims as to whether it is/was or isn't/wasn't a real issue.

The doctor who diagnosed me specializes in the treatment of adhd, and has an interesting, and for me a very credible, take about overmedication in the 80s and 90s. He basically explained to me that in the early days of adhd meds, there were very few different formulations and none of those formulations were extended release. The importance of very precise and individually tailored dosing was also not yet well understood. So kids would be prescribed a standardized dose of either ritalin or adderal, which realeased the entire dose into the blood stream very quickly, giving a "high", and then got metabolized quickly, creating a "crash" just 2 to 4 hours later. That's not enough to get a kid through the school day, so kids would have to take multiple doses a day. Now, if you've ever taken amphetamines recreationally, or even just got prescribed a dose that was too high for you, you know that the high that creates can make you irritable and cause neurotic behaviours, or maybe make you elated, but in either case you're not yourself. And the crash gives you brain fog and lethargy, and maybe some emotional numbness or disregulation. It just generally feels like shit. Kids on early adhd meds were going through this multiple times a day, and the concept of "ritalin zombies" was born. Many would also have developed dependencies from this. These days, the efficacy of adhd meds has been much more extensively studied and there are many extended release formulations available. My doc stressed that if you feel any kind of a rush or high from your medication, it's not an ideal dose or formulation. That typically happens when you are started at a standardized dose instead of titrating up to the dose that works best for you personally, and that rushed method of treatment is more likely to lead to abuse of the medication. I take one pill each morning and feel absolutely nothing from it, but I am aware that I function significatly better. It took 2-3 years of titration with a variety of different medications to find what worked best for me, and at no point was I encouraged to keep going with a medication or dose that made me feel icky. I'm really lucky to have been treated by a doctor who takes so much time with his patients to get it right. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the experience for a lot of others with adhd.

[u/BioMed-R → u/RolandTwitter]

Hahaha, yeah, there was a post in r/skeptic a week ago and people were literally saying one of the commenters may have ADHD because he’s often running late and that’s a classic symptom of ADHD and others saying their whole families and relatives had been diagnosed with ADHD.

And I was downvoted for suggesting there’s overdiagnosis.

[u/Thadrea → u/BioMed-R]

There isn't really a problem with ADHD being overdiagnosed. It is a common disorder.

It is also highly heritable, and it is very common for people with ADHD to have ADHD relatives as the majority of the causes of the phenotype are genetic.

[u/BioMed-R → u/Thadrea]

I don’t believe that, and many researchers agree. On the other post, I linked a PDF written by two authors:

• Michael Quinn is President & CEO of Autism Support Now. He holds a PhD from University College Dublin, Ireland, where he specialized in behavioral intervention for children with developmental challenges.

• Andrea Lynch has a PhD in ADHD research.

It lists support for and against ADHD overdiagnosis. And there’s a whole Wikipedia page about controversies.

And claiming it’s “heritable” as some kind of justification for its biological reality is fallacious because “heritability” is a hoax, a really hollow metric.

[u/Thadrea → u/BioMed-R]

I'm going to guess you didn't read the journal article the news post you linked to is based on, and I lack the time this morning to summarize it for you.

It would be instructive to note that of the list of 17 articles included in their systematic review, most are quite old and not focused on ADHD specifically. More than half are so old that they're based on the DSM-III, which came out in the 80s.

https://capmh.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13034-016-0140-5/tables/1

The authors' thesis appears to be that with diagnosis rates of ADHD increasing over 40 years and medication prescriptions having increased, this must imply that overdiagnosis is a problem, but that doesn't not follow. There is no genuine evidence supporting that conclusion presented in the paper, and you would know that if you had bothered to read it.

[u/BioMed-R → u/Thadrea]

This is science denialism. You know you don’t have to nitpick anything which opposes your opinion, you know? Accept differences of opinion.

It’s not difficult to find research papers questioning ADHD as I showed with multiple references and a Wikipedia article, how many do you need?

The guy on the other post was exactly the same, insinuating the authors of the paper I linked being cranks specializing in philosophy and “sand play” when in reality they’re both post-docs.

[u/Thadrea → u/BioMed-R]

The only science denialism here is your apparent crusade against people getting adequate support for their mental health issues.

[u/BioMed-R → u/Thadrea]

You keep telling yourself that even as you ignore a scientific study written by multiple qualified professionals and published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal with 72 references.

Here’s another 2021 systematic review of ADHD overdiagnosis:

This review found evidence of ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in children and adolescents.

I found multiple others papers discussing the issue from 2015, 2022, and the paper I originally cited (PDF) above as well as the Psychology Today article and here’s another by the American Association of Family Physicians, and so on.

A whole Wikipedia page, multiple articles in science media, multiple scientific studies, and a systematic review…

I guess there are all simply totally invalid?

I’ve been following the discussion around ADHD overdiagnosis for decades, it’s not at all inconceivable to say that there’s overdiagnosis. It’s a fair take.

[u/Thadrea → u/BioMed-R]

You aren't helping your case here when you haven't actually read your own citations at all. I'm going to guess you just googled for "ADHD overdiagnosis" and copy-pasted a bunch of links blindly, hoping they would support your argument.

Here’s another 2021 systematic review of ADHD overdiagnosis:

Of the five links in your post, this is the only one that actually sort of supports your position. Their conclusion is much more nuanced, though, than the single sentence you took out of context, which you would know had you actually read the rest of the paper.

I found multiple others papers discussing the issue from 2015

It's clear you did not read this one. It is an editorial, not a research paper, and it makes no claim that ADHD is overdiagnosed.

2022

...or this one... It's not clear whether it's peer reviewed or not, but the conclusion in the paper says rather clearly that ADHD is not overdiagnosed:

... People are more likely to bring up their concerns to a physician, which in turn might prompt more numbers of people to be diagnosed. ... In fact, as medical providers, focus on the idea of “overdiagnosis” may instead be harmful, create additional barriers to care, and add to the stigma towards their requests for help. It is important, instead, to approach patients holistically, and with an understanding of both the risks of treatment and undertreatment in mind. For those who have been struggling with unrecognized ADHD, there are significant impacts to mental health, social life, and work life. Thoughtful diagnosis and subsequent treatment can make all the difference.

here’s another by the American Association of Family Physicians, and so on.

...or this one... Had you done so, you would have noticed rather quickly that this isn't even a research article, it's a case scenario presented to assist in training of differential diagnosis.

Please just stop. You are doing an excellent job tossing your own argument into the woodchipper by citing articles that are either irrelvant to the point you are trying to make or actually argue against that point.

[u/Lighting → u/Thadrea]

well said. The only thing I'd add is that if you notice a "gish gallop" you can defeat it by noting it as a gish gallop and then you only have to demolish one source.

[u/BioMed-R → u/Thadrea]

Waaah waaah waaah… sticking your head in the sand again. Everything is wrong according to you. Because I’m not a denialist like you I’m not only linking papers that repeat my opinion (just kidding, you don’t actually link any papers) but a range of studies showing there is discussion and why would there be discussion if there wasn’t disagreement and indeed, as many of my sources show there are many signs of overdiagnosis and much disagreement over the validity of the diagnosis of ADHD in the first place. The diagnoses are skyrocketing and it’s frightening to see illiterate individuals rely on hoax metrics such as heritability to argue ADHD must be real.

Had you done so, you would have noticed rather quickly that this isn't even a research article, 

Why don’t you keep reading until you get to the literature review? Are you telling me the American Association Academy of Family Physicians are a bunch of cranks?

They for instance mention how diagnoses have steadily climbed in step with a growing definition possibly influenced by the pharmacological industry and how studies show two times higher rates depending on which grade a child ends up in because of exactly when they were born, and clinicians overdiagnosing boys with identical symptoms to girls in a study, and then there’s the issue of comorbidities, and so on.

Their words, not mine, don’t shoot the messenger!

[u/PaunchBurgerTime → u/BioMed-R]

You're being deeply unskeptical right now. Any given author can be wrong, biased, or actively malicious. That's why we emphasize replication and peer review. The scientific consensus is what matters, two post-docs, neither of them actual psychiatrists or psychologists, with a cherry-picked review does not outweigh decades of the consensus of thousands of doctors and scientists, who actually trained on and studied ADHD, just because it agrees with what you personally believe. There have been tens of thousands of studies on ADHD, the fact that they could find a few dozen that agreed with their premise isn't surprising. But the vast majority of those studies and people's own life experience, disagrees with them.

You're doing the equivalent of people who believe Andrew Wakefield about vaccines just because he had credentials at one point and, by his own admission, lied about data to get published.

[u/BioMed-R → u/PaunchBurgerTime]

Get your head out of your ass, dude.

Here are papers discussing the issue from 2015, 2016 PDF, 2017, 2022, an article in Psychology Today, and another one by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Here’s another 2021 systematic review of ADHD overdiagnosis:

This review found evidence of ADHD overdiagnosis and overtreatment in children and adolescents.

A whole Wikipedia page, multiple articles in science media, multiple scientific studies, and a systematic review…

I’ve been following the discussion around ADHD overdiagnosis for decades, it’s not at all remarkable to say there’s overdiagnosis. It’s a widely acknowledged issue.

You cite literally nothing.

[u/PaunchBurgerTime → u/BioMed-R]

I feel like your other interlocutor did a much better job of interrogating that source spam than I'm willing/capable of. For the record, I thought ADHD being somewhat over-diagnosed was considered uncontroversial, but the discussion between the two of you convinced me it's more complicated. My psychiatrist considers it both under and over diagnosed and I think what evidence you actually linked bears that out, people with hyperactivity, and especially men are somewhat over-diagnosed, women and people with inattentive presentations are very under-diagnosed.

I mostly had a problem with your claim that heritability is a hoax, something your own vaunted wikipedia page dispels pretty thoroughly.

And perhaps less fairly, from your other post in particular, I just get the feeling you don't respect ADHD as a real diagnosis at all, which would pit you against a weight of evidence I can't even fathom.

[u/BioMed-R → u/PaunchBurgerTime]

As a biological and medical scientist, I don’t believe for a single second ADHD is “real”. I don’t believe it’s a single, delineated biological pathophysiological condition and particularly not of genetic aetiology. It seems to be more of a catch-all for fidgety students and huge discrepancies in diagnostic criteria and application of these criteria have surely led to massive misdiagnosis. I agree with the literature saying it’s more of a social phenomenon and a way to pathologise normal variation in behavior. I think in particular the fact that diagnoses increase twofold depending on when you’re born relative to the school year is telling that there’s substantial confounding.

Heritability is a hoax and that’s something we often discussed in this sub before the pandemic, back when we mostly discussed racism and alternative medicine instead of politics and conspiracy theories. Again, for proof of this just look at the phenomenon of “hidden heritability”. So you have decades of research saying various traits are 80% heritable because of genetics, but then you go look for the underlying mutations and the estimate drops by more than 90%. Ooops? Some years ago, a major journal of behavioral genetics was forced to admit that decades of research into heritability was bogus. They have a huge issue with replication. But I no longer have these links, papers, and resources saved since “race realism” (which bases many of its arguments on heritability of intelligence) hasn’t really been a hot-button topic since Trump’s first presidency. Good riddance.

Some people focus on stories about how glad people were to get a diagnosis. Some other guy tried to portray me as a monster who simply doesn’t want people to get treatment. But a diagnosis can also cause stigma, students getting sent off to special needs classes, and so on. To ignore that is incredibly naive.

My sources contain references to many studies highlighting various issues with the ADHD diagnosis, but I’m not claiming to have a final verdict either way, only that it’s insane to pretend it’s not a contentious topic.

[u/RathaelEngineering → u/RolandTwitter]

Perhaps its worth asking yourself how you were diagnosed, and if there is actually any rigor in it?

The definitions and criteria for diagnosis of both ADHD and autism in adults are insanely vague. It's much more clear-cut in kids, but when you go to a diagnostician for an assessment of adult versions of these traits, it basically comes down to that therapist's subjective opinion on if the history given and your personal experiences match the criteria.

I've never seen any sort of quantitative or objective way of "diagnosing" ADHD or autism in adults. It is a purely subjective and qualitative process.

If the boundaries for what is/isn't considered ADHD or autism in adults is so incredibly nebulous and subjective, then it only makes sense that so many people are self-diagnosing. Their self-diagnosis is hardly much worse than the opinion of a therapist.

The problem is that people are treating it like a hard line. "Oh I struggle to concentrate. That means I have ADHD" as if "having ADHD" is some sort of binary. People treat it with the same confidence level as a physical diagnosis that has been confirmed through objective test and analysis, as is seen in modern medicine.

[u/Thadrea → u/RathaelEngineering]

The definitions and criteria for diagnosis of both ADHD and autism in adults are insanely vague.

Tell me you've never actually looked at the criteria for ADHD without telling me. The criteria are actually quite specific. Please go read them before posting on this topic again.

Their self-diagnosis is hardly much worse than the opinion of a therapist.

Therapists do not diagnose either ADHD or ASD.

The world would be so much better if people chose to acquire a basic subject matter comprehension about the topic of conversation before running their mouth about their preconceived biases.

[u/Jetstream13 → u/RathaelEngineering]

That’s going to be the case with basically any condition that primarily presents mentally. The only things you can observe are generally the patient’s behaviour, and their self-reported symptoms.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK36406/table/ch1.t1/

Take depression as a comparison. Two of the main diagnostic criteria are “Must have either depressed mood or loss of interest/pleasure” and “Symptoms must cause significant distress or impairment”. Both of which are subjective assessments.

[u/hookhandsmcgee → u/Jetstream13]

The length of time that the symptoms present for is also an important criteria.

[u/RathaelEngineering → u/Jetstream13]

That is precisely my problem with psychology and psychological diagnoses in general. It is not anywhere near as rigorous as harder sciences are, yet it is treated by the public as if it is. There seems to be a widespread lack of understanding of how nebulous these definitions and diagnoses actually are.

[u/Jetstream13 → u/RathaelEngineering]

Well, at the moment our options are to either accept that psychological diagnoses are necessarily subjective, or to abandon psychology entirely.

There isn’t really a way to rigorously measure someone’s mental state. Similar to how you can’t really measure how much pain someone is in. A lot of medicine is based on trying to reduce suffering, which isn’t always something you can put numbers to.

[u/Timothy303]

For the record, all of the same misinformation lives here on Reddit, too. I have ADHD and belong to some of the subs. Just so we don't go feeling all high and mighty.

Don't get your medical advice from memes. Solid advice, take it from me.

[u/dumnezero]

There's some sort of irony in attention stealing apps being used to learn about attention deficit disorders.

[u/hookhandsmcgee → u/dumnezero]

Seriously, and the number of ads telling you to "stop scrolling!", and then it turns out they are selling an app.

[u/dumnezero → u/hookhandsmcgee]

"Stop scrolling, throw your device at a wall."

[u/NotStuPedasso]

Instagram clued me into the possibility that I had ADHD...but being responsible, I didn't just self diagnose based on Instagram. I set up an appointment and a doctor confirmed the diagnosis. I think people sharing symptoms and information about their medical experience is great but the problem is that people think that's enough information for a self-diagnosis when it isn't. Unless a doctor diagnoses you, don't say you have something just cuz you saw it on social media.

[u/pocket-friends → u/NotStuPedasso]

I'm personally torn on self-diagnosis when it comes to general neurodivergent issues. I used to be a clinical social worker, and there are so many barriers to testing and quality care, and it's ridiculous. And this isn't even getting into the mess that providers who know very little about neurodivergence and/or refuse to engage in differential diagnosis.

The big thing is that suspecting, making space for, and/or even potentially naming something isn't the same as being clinically diagnosed. They should be parallel processes that complement one another, and providers need to be better educated. It's honestly worrying how few component providers there are in some places.

[u/Eastern_Rope_9150 → u/NotStuPedasso]

Same. TikTok made me take my suspicion that I’m neurodivergent seriously, and a doctor confirmed it.

I may never have clued in without it though.

[u/Brbi2kCRO → u/Eastern_Rope_9150]

Yeah, same. Now I have ADHD and autism diagnosis.

[u/biskino → u/NotStuPedasso]

I think there is a fear and anger amongst a lot of folks that someone, somewhere is getting help and care that they don’t ‘deserve’.

And a lot of them are people who are surrounded by privilege and comfort, but mistake having no emotional lives for being stoic.

(That’s my theory anyway).

Anyway. I went undiagnosed for decades, convinced that I had depression, or a messed up thyroid, or the wrong diet, or that I just needed to ‘grow out of’ this.

Seeing people on tic toc describe their symptoms and experience helped me the same as you. It was a major factor in discovering that I had it and seeking a diagnosis.

[u/bihtydolisu]

When I heard of "mental health Tiktok", I was gobsmacked! Its not a valid method of diagnosis, someone isn't getting actual help, and it devolves into buzzwords for self diagnosis, like collecting Pokemon! Horrifying!

[u/ShadowMosesSkeptic]

The real problem is these platforms only incentivize channels that get the most views and clicks. Content creators quickly run out of content and just end up making lesser quality videos and nonsense. It happens in almost every community/genre of content.

[u/Stuporhumanstrength]

What's also shaping young adults' perceptions? TikTok.

[u/NarrMaster]

Telling kids that Adderall = meth certainly doesn't help.

[u/Rocky_Vigoda]

I'm not sure why they're singling out Tik Tok considering this kind of misinformation is prevalent on all social media platforms including sites like Reddit.

Cross check TikTok information with reputable sources such as medical websites, books and healthcare professionals.

Good luck with that considering google itself is full of bad information and sketchy links.

This study coming from UBC would do better if it contrasted Canadian and US media across multiple platforms. The fact that the US has pharma ads on tv is a massive problem personally. It makes people think they're as smart as doctors. Oh you think you need this pill because you saw it on tv.

[u/KilluaCactuar]

The whole self-diagnosing and bragging about it online is so invalidating and insulting to those who have it for real. It is sad.

[u/biskino → u/KilluaCactuar]

I have ADHD and don’t GAF. I get zero ‘invalidation’ from the thought of someone pretending they have adhd. I’m just glad for them if they don’t have it.

I went undiagnosed for decades. The relationships, educational opportunities, jobs, money, peace of mind that I’ve lost to ADHD could fill pages.

If 10,000 kids get to pretend ADHD so one person realises what they’re living with and how to get help, that is a fucking bargain.

[u/KilluaCactuar → u/biskino]

Yeah, and I'm not against that. However, imo these people also lead to ones who doubt or even perceive their symptoms as something that is unproblematic, or hell, even desirable.

Why put invalidation in quotation marks? It's a pretty important term in therapy.

[u/biskino → u/KilluaCactuar]

I know what invalidation is. I used quotations because I think you’re misusing the term.

Invalidation is assuming someone isn’t telling the truth when they describe their own experience. Which feels a lot like what you’re doing.

Lots of people correctly self diagnose for ADHD. They don’t get a prize, or ‘bragging rights’ (I’ve never seen anyone brag about having ADHD). But they do get an insight into how their minds work that can help them manage their lives better and work towards getting a diagnosis. Which is exactly how it worked for me.

Do some people assume they have ADHD when they don’t? Probably. But they can’t get the meds without a prescription, and no workplace or institution is going to provide accommodations for a self diagnosis. And following the other treatments for adhd - a good sleep schedule, exercise, healthy eating, avoiding drugs and alcohol - isn’t hurting you, is it?

[u/Thadrea]

Nonetheless, I think that, on balance, it's better than not having it.

So many people with ADHD have gone so many years without support because of people not knowing it existed. More people knowing ADHD exists and is debilitating means more people who can seek and get treated

[u/Tabula_Nada → u/Thadrea]

I agree. In high school I tried to tell our school counselor I thought I had it and was dismissed because I was a straight A student (well, one b+). He didn't realize how much more I had to work to get that far every day. But it took another 10 years for a therapist to bring it up to me and I was confused because they said I couldn't have it? But so much had changed in ten years as far as how women and adults are diagnosed. I'm lucky I had someone to initiate that diagnosis and for those who don't have a therapist around to initiate the conversation, the awareness that standards have changed might get them in that door and totally change their life.

[u/pooooork]

It's so infuriating that people go to Tik Tok for information

[u/KanataSlim]

Every goddamn consult asks for this and it's bullshit

[u/Thisguymoot → u/KanataSlim]

meaning they ask if you’ve seen things on TikTok? Or something else

[u/build319]

I found TikTok to be really useful to understand certain symptoms of ADHD that I just thought were quirks. I had at some point, but I don’t think anybody should self diagnose. It needs to go to a professional.

[u/Excellent_Jaguar_675]

ADHD isn’t some fun quirky thing to explain personal idiosyncrasies. Real neurological processing differences that profoundly affect functioning in every aspect of life to such a degree that it can lead to significantly poor outcomes for sufferers. There is no upside to having this neuro developmental issue. None.

[u/deblasco]

Why the duck would anyone use tiktok in general? Why the ducking duck would use it for a search of medical issues? I simply cant comprehend this tbh.