Scrolling for Symptoms: The Pitfalls of Online Self-Diagnosis

Mar 16 , 2025
By Kidist Yidnekachew

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It is striking how much social media has threaded itself into the fabric of our lives. Beyond connecting us, it has become a primary source of news, education, and even health information, both physical and mental. Platforms like TikTok, with their rapid scroll of short, punchy videos, have become massive hubs for sharing personal stories, and mental health is a popular topic.

On one hand, it is encouraging to see these platforms break down stigma and open up conversations that were once shrouded in taboo and secrecy. However, there is also a shadowy side creeping in, especially when it comes to how we understand our mental well-being and ourselves. It is worth taking a closer look at the rise of self-diagnosis on these platforms.

Picture this: you are scrolling through TikTok after a long day, and you come across a video where someone is describing their experience with ADHD, anxiety, or another condition. As they list their symptoms – difficulty focusing, restlessness, and impulsivity – you find yourself nodding along, thinking, "Wait, that sounds a bit like Me." This is where things can get a little tricky.

These TikTok creators, often engaging and relatable, share their personal journeys with conditions like ADHD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. They talk about their struggles, their "aha!" moments of self-discovery, and sometimes, their paths to diagnosis and treatment. When you are feeling despondent, seeing someone online describing experiences that mirror your own can feel like a lightbulb going off. Suddenly, those vague feelings of unease have a label.

Yet, the leap from recognizing familiar feelings to self-diagnosing a mental health condition is where the danger lies. Everyday forgetfulness or stress-induced distraction, for example, can easily be mistaken for a clinical disorder when viewed through the lens of social media. When you see a TikTok video where someone declares that forgetfulness is a major symptom of ADHD, you suddenly start to piece together other moments. That time you could not sit still in that meeting or blurted out something without thinking, could they be pointing to a certain condition? "Could I actually have ADHD?"

The problem is that these creators are only sharing stories. They are not medical professionals. Their stories can be valuable, but they lack the years of training required to make accurate diagnoses. Mental health conditions are incredibly nuanced and cannot be reduced to a checklist of symptoms. A proper diagnosis involves a thorough assessment by a qualified professional who can consider your history and rule out other potential causes. TikTok simply cannot provide that level of care.

Aggravating the issue is the way social media rewards simplicity and sensation. Nuance does not always get clicks. Instead, symptoms are boiled down to catchy phrases and complex conditions are presented in ways that are easy to digest in under a minute. This oversimplification blurs the line between normal human experiences – feeling sad, mood swings, or lack of focus – and serious mental health conditions. This can be misleading.

What is the harm in thinking you might have a mental health condition, even if you are wrong? For one, it can create unnecessary anxiety. Believing you have a mental illness can be emotionally taxing. It can change how you see yourself, and how you interpret your feelings and behaviours. This may cause you to hyper-focus on perceived symptoms, amplifying normal worries into persistent concerns.

Most problematic of all, self-diagnosis can lead to inappropriate self-treatment. It can ironically distract from real issues someone might be facing. If someone is genuinely struggling with their mental health, self-diagnosing based on TikTok could delay them from seeking proper professional help, which is the most important step they could take.

Moreover, when everyone starts throwing around words like "ADHD" based on internet videos; it trivializes the experiences of people who are genuinely diagnosed with these conditions. This risks encouraging a culture where mental health is viewed as just another trendy self-descriptor, rather than a serious health concern that requires professional care and support. This trivialization can be hurtful and undermine the real struggles of those living with diagnosed mental illnesses.

This is not to say that social media is inherently harmful. Far from it. It has undeniably advanced mental health awareness, connected people to supportive communities, and normalized conversations about well-being that were long overdue. Nevertheless, we must engage with this content critically. It is vital to differentiate between personal anecdotes and medical advice.

Social media can be an important starting point for conversations about mental health, a place to raise questions and feel seen. Nonetheless, it should never have the final word on our mental health. When it comes to our well-being, we cannot rely solely on bite-sized videos and personal anecdotes. Accurate diagnoses require the expertise of trained professionals who can offer a deeper, more individualized understanding. In the age of instant information, the human connection remains irreplaceable. For something as vital as mental well-being, there is no substitute for professional care.

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PUBLISHED ON Mar 16, 2025 [ VOL 25 , NO 1298]

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