The TikTok Trap: Navigating Misinformation in the Digital Age

Something remarkable has happened in recent years: neurodivergence has gone mainstream. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are filled with content creators sharing their experiences with autism, ADHD, and other conditions. Hashtags like #ActuallyAutistic and #ADHDTikTok have billions of views. For many people, especially adults who grew up without understanding why they felt different, this content has been genuinely life-changing. It has sparked recognition, reduced stigma, and built community.

We celebrate this increased awareness. We have seen many clients who first started wondering about autism or ADHD because of something they saw on social media. That spark of recognition - 'wait, that sounds like me' - can be the beginning of a journey toward understanding and support. Social media has helped people find language for experiences they could not previously articulate and has shown them they are not alone.

But we also need to talk honestly about the limitations and risks of getting diagnostic information from social media. Because while TikTok can be a great starting point for curiosity, it is not - and cannot be - a diagnostic tool. And treating it as one can lead to real harm.

The first problem is accuracy. Social media algorithms reward engagement, not accuracy. Content that generates strong emotional reactions - 'Oh my God, that is so me!' - gets pushed to more viewers, regardless of whether it is clinically accurate. Many viral posts about autism or ADHD describe experiences that are actually common to most humans, not specific to neurodivergent individuals. Feeling overwhelmed in crowds, having a song stuck in your head, preferring routine, being passionate about hobbies - these are human experiences, not diagnostic criteria.

This is sometimes called the Barnum Effect, named after the circus showman: statements that seem personally specific but actually apply to almost everyone. When you see a video listing 'signs you might be autistic' and several items resonate, it can feel like a revelation. But the same list might resonate with the majority of viewers, autistic or not. Without clinical training, it is very difficult to distinguish between 'this is a common human experience' and 'this is a meaningful indicator of a neurodevelopmental condition.'

The second problem is oversimplification. Autism and ADHD are complex conditions that present differently in different people and interact with countless other factors - personality, other mental health conditions, trauma history, cultural background, and more. A 60-second video cannot capture this complexity. It can only present a simplified, often stereotyped version of what these conditions look like. If your experience does not match the simplified version, you might wrongly conclude that you are not autistic or do not have ADHD. If your experience does match, you might wrongly conclude that you definitely are - when actually something else entirely might be going on.

The third problem is what happens after self-diagnosis. We are not here to debate whether self-diagnosis is valid - that is a nuanced conversation with legitimate perspectives on multiple sides. But we are concerned about what happens when people make significant life decisions based on social media content alone. We have seen people start medications obtained online without proper evaluation. We have seen people decline treatment for conditions they actually have because they have decided their 'real' issue is something they saw on TikTok. We have seen people adopt identities and communities based on self-diagnosis, only to feel lost and confused when a later professional evaluation does not confirm what they believed.

We have also seen the opposite: people who dismiss their own valid experiences because they do not match what they see online. 'I cannot be autistic because I make eye contact.' 'I cannot have ADHD because I can hyperfocus.' Social media often presents narrow, stereotyped versions of these conditions, and people whose experiences do not fit the stereotype may not seek the evaluation they actually need.

So what should you do if social media content has resonated with you? First, honor that resonance. It means something - maybe not what you think it means, but something worth exploring. Your experiences are real and valid regardless of what diagnosis they might or might not point to. Second, bring that curiosity to a qualified professional. A good clinician will not dismiss what you have learned online. They will use it as a starting point for a deeper, more nuanced exploration of your experiences.

A comprehensive evaluation can do what social media cannot: look at your complete history, administer standardized assessments, consider alternative explanations, and give you a thorough, individualized understanding of how your brain works. It might confirm what you suspected. It might reveal something different. Either way, you will have real answers rather than algorithmic guesses.

If TikTok has sparked questions for you, that is a gift - the gift of curiosity about yourself. The next step is bringing that curiosity somewhere it can be properly explored. We are here to help you do exactly that, with the depth and nuance that your experiences deserve.