A Guardian investigation has found that more than half of the top 100 trending videos offering mental health advice on TikTok contain misinformation. The study, which involved psychologists, psychiatrists and academic experts, revealed that 52 out of 100 videos posted under the #mentalhealthtips hashtag included dubious advice, such as eating an orange in the shower to reduce anxiety or promoting supplements with limited evidence, like saffron and magnesium glycinate.
Experts expressed concern that many videos misused therapeutic language, presented quick-fix solutions, and pathologised normal emotional experiences. David Okai, a consultant neuropsychiatrist at King's College London, noted that some posts confused terms like wellbeing, anxiety and mental disorder, leading to misunderstandings about mental illness. He added that the short-form content often overshadowed the nuanced realities of qualified therapy.
Dan Poulter, a former health minister and NHS psychiatrist, criticised videos that equated everyday emotions with serious mental illness, calling it misinformation that could trivialise the experiences of those with genuine conditions. Amber Johnston, a psychologist, highlighted that trauma-related videos over-generalised PTSD symptoms, suggesting universal tips that could make viewers feel worse when they fail to find a quick cure.
MPs and experts urged the government to strengthen regulation under the Online Safety Act to protect the public from harmful mental health advice. TikTok responded that it removes videos discouraging medical support or promoting dangerous treatments, and directs UK users searching for mental health terms to NHS information.
