Much ADHD content on TikTok is inaccurate, and this has potentially influenced how young adults perceive the disorder, according to a recent UBC study.
The study analyzed the 100 most viewed TikToks related to ADHD and found less than half the claims about symptoms actually align with clinical guidelines for diagnosing the disorder.
And it found those who consumed more ADHD-related content were more likely to recommend the videos to others — and to overestimate the prevalence and severity of ADHD in the general population.
“Most of them come from a really good place,” said Vasilea Karasavva, a PhD student at UBC who led the study.
“But words have power. When you have a platform, you yield a certain amount of power, and you have to be a little careful about that.”
ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder that can make people hyperactive, inattentive or a combination of the two, and it affects approximately four to six per cent of adults, according to the Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada.
Karasavva said many people turn to TikTok for information because receiving a diagnosis in the health-care system can be challenging.
And she said TikTok can be a useful tool to provide this information — if it is accurate.
“In many ways, social media has democratized access to information about mental health,” said Karasavva.
Karasavva said she and the other researchers were surprised to find certain behaviours being attributed as signs of ADHD on TikTok, such as having a sweet tooth, liking certain TV shows or bumping into objects.
They were also surprised to find about half of the commenters they looked at stood to make financial gains from posting about ADHD — often engaging in brand deals to sell items such as fidget spinners, work books, or supplements.
“The goal of a lot of those creators might not be 100 per cent to educate them. . . But more so to describe their own personal experience and be funny and quirky and entertaining.”
‘For Our Attention’ is a CBC Creator Network series about adult ADHD. In this episode, hosts Mackenzie Stannard and Sophia Biedka visit Noelle Jones, a tattoo artist at Grateful Tattoo in Squamish, B.C. Diagnosed with ADHD at 24, Noelle shares how understanding her brain’s unique wiring brought validation and clarity after years of struggle with executive dysfunction and feelings of inadequacy.
Karasavva says her key takeaway of the study is not for people to stop using social media to talk about mental health, but rather to caution users to fact-check information they find online.
Karasavva also recommends creators indicate that their personal experiences may not apply to everyone with ADHD and be wary of brand deals offered to them.
“There’s nothing more human than people wanting to understand their own experience more and try to find community,” said Karasavva.
Useful information
Kiri Vanderwel’s life changed for the better when she received an ADHD diagnosis a few years ago.
And for that, she says she has social media to thank. It was through social media — both Instagram and TikTok — that she learned many of her characteristics might be indicative of ADHD.
“It has changed my life fundamentally, being able to have access to that information,” she said.
Vanderwel says she has seen misinformation on social media, noticing some videos appear to be more for views than actual education.
“It is just video upon video upon video. . . we run the risk of taking in a piece of content without ever investigating further.”
But she says she also follows several social media creators who are medical professionals who provide valuable information.
She recommends people who are in her position who may have seen something on social media that indicates they might have ADHD to pursue further information and seek out a diagnosis.
“There truly is a lot of valuable information out there, and it provides an access point,” said Vanderwel.
