‘TikTok Made Me Think I have ADHD’
Recently, some interesting debates have been emerging in the media and health sciences around self-diagnosis for mental health issues. This has been highlighted by the popularity of TikTok: a social media and content sharing app, which has contributed to bringing discussion of mental health into the mainstream.
A recent study showed that misleading videos of ADHD are being widely shared on the popular app, leading to some experts being concerned about self and mis-diagnosis of the disorder.
Clinicians and GP’s are seeing an increase in patients requesting treatment for ADHD, convinced they have the disorder based on recognising their own symptoms in popular TikTok videos.
What is adult ADHD?
ADHD is a complex developmental disorder that usually begins in childhood, which sometimes can persist into adulthood. It primarily consists of persistent problems with inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness which often leads to poor performance at work, relationship issues, and low self-esteem. Hyperactivity usually reduces in adulthood and can be replaced by restlessness. Symptoms tend to decline with age.
Most people experience symptoms similar to ADHD at different points in time, but ADHD can only be diagnosed when symptoms are severe enough to cause ongoing problems across multiple areas in your life, and can be traced back to childhood.
Is TikTok helpful for diagnosing ADHD?
You should not self-diagnose based on TikTok videos, however TikTok is useful for:
Bringing increased awareness to adult ADHD, which has long been an under-researched and under-specialised area in Psychology and Psychiatry.
Highlighting how ADHD manifests in women, which can be, and often is, different compared to men.
Providing a space to find comfort in other experiences that may be similar to your own.
Finding strategies on how to manage symptoms.
There are a lot of professionals in the field producing videos that can be very informative.
May boost a person’s confidence in seeking a diagnosis from a professional.
Here’s why you shouldn’t diagnose yourself with ADHD based on TikTok videos:
TikTok is unregulated and has high potential for the sharing of false information.
Can lead to over self-diagnosis due to confirmatory bias (the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one's existing beliefs). If someone already suspects they have ADHD, they will seek out additional information to confirm that suspicion, discounting any additional information that does not fit in with that diagnosis. Pair that with TikTok’s forceful algorithm that presents videos that are similar to ones they have previously interacted with, and the person is quickly flooded with videos on that specific topic and confirmatory bias is working full force. Someone can quickly become convinced, through TikTok alone, that they have ADHD.
TikTok misses the complexity of the disorder. ADHD symptoms overlap with many other mental health disorders, such as anxiety, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
ADHD presents differently in each person, so one person’s experience can be widely different to another’s.
ADHD is often co-morbid (or diagnosed together with) other mental health disorders. These co-morbid disorders often interact/perpetuate the other and so one person’s health profile is significantly different to the next persons. Long-term undiagnosed ADHD in adults can also lead to more complications and comorbidities. These are complexities that are not easily portrayed in a TikTok video.
An incorrect diagnosis can lead to harm through ineffective or unsuitable interventions. It takes specialist training and experience to be able to diagnose ADHD effectively.
How to get diagnosed with ADHD
To be diagnosed with ADHD in Australia, generally you need to see a Psychologist or Psychiatrist with specific knowledge and training in this area. Diagnosis includes:
In depth clinical interviews (to gain history of symptoms)
Observations by trained professionals
ADHD tests and questionnaires
Interviews, and/or questionnaires filled out by/with loved ones/colleagues/parents etc
Reviewing of issues in past schooling
Sometimes, complex cognitive psychometrics are necessary to finalise a diagnosis.
What to do if you are considering that you may have ADHD and are engaging in a lot of TikTok videos on the topic
Talk to a professional. Book a Psychology session and discuss your concerns; they can determine if seeking a diagnosis and further assessment would be useful for you.
Choose who you follow wisely on TikTok. Select only those that have verifiable credentials and take the information shared with a grain of salt.
Here at Psychwest, we have Clinicians available who are open and willing to discuss adult ADHD, whether you have a previous diagnosis or suspicions. We also have an assessment package that provides comprehensive assessment/diagnosis for adult ADHD. We also provide adult ADHD treatments/interventions.
