Every October, World Mental Health Day (10th October) invites us to reflect on how we understand, support, and respond to mental health struggles. In 2025, there’s no denying that conversations around mental health have exploded online. TikTok reels, Instagram carousels, and bite-sized “therapy tips” flood our feeds daily. At first glance, this may seem like progress after all, more people are talking openly about mental health than ever before, but beneath the hashtags and “relatable” clips, something troubling is happening. Here, Ryan Erispe, Head of Clinical at The Cabin, Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Thailand, looks at how we use the awareness that online spaces bring, whilst not letting them replace appropriate mental health care.
Ryan comments: “Social media has become a place where people are not only learning about mental health but also diagnosing themselves and each other. Terms like “narcissist,” “OCD,” “toxic,” “gaslighting,” and “trauma” are tossed around casually, often stripped of their clinical meaning. What was once a medical diagnosis has become a buzzword, a shorthand for personality quirks, or worse, a weapon in arguments. Further, people are joining the conversation irresponsibly. People who have little qualification or experience make professional recommendations, give tips, or even provide checklists for diagnosis”.
The danger here is twofold. First, mental health diagnoses are complex and require professional assessment. No Instagram reel, no matter how polished, can capture the nuances of a person’s lived experience, history, biology, and environment. Self-diagnosing (or diagnosing others) based on a trending video risks can overlook serious conditions, trivialising genuine struggles, or misdirecting people away from appropriate treatment.
Second, the misuse of these terms waters down the reality of those living with diagnosed conditions. When “anxiety” becomes a synonym for being nervous before a presentation, or “OCD” is used to describe neat handwriting, it undermines the lived experiences of those whose conditions are debilitating. It shifts the conversation from empathy to entertainment.
Social Media Impact on Eating Disorders
A powerful example is the impact of social media on those who struggle with eating disorders. While social media can offer a sense of belonging and inspiration, it also creates a distorted mirror through which many measure their own bodies and self-worth. Platforms saturated with filtered photos, “what I eat in a day” videos, and fitness transformations often set unrealistic standards that quietly seep into our self-image. For women, this often manifests in the pressure to appear slim yet toned, flawless yet natural, a contradictory and exhausting standard. For men, the expectations are no less damaging: lean, muscular, and perpetually disciplined. The constant exposure to these ideals fuels dissatisfaction, shame, and in many cases, the onset or worsening of eating disorders.
Eating disorders thrive in silence, and social media’s algorithms can deepen that silence. Once a user engages with diet culture or fitness content, the platforms often amplify it, feeding a cycle of comparison and obsession. This can normalise harmful behaviors such as restriction, bingeing, or excessive exercise, while presenting them as lifestyle choices. For young people in particular, who are still forming their identity and relationship with their bodies, this influence can be profound and dangerous.
It is important to recognise that men, too, are deeply affected, though their struggles are often overlooked. Conversations about eating disorders tend to focus on women, but research shows that men are increasingly at risk, especially with the rise of fitness and bodybuilding culture online. The shame of admitting to these struggles, compounded by stigma around male vulnerability, leaves many suffering in isolation. Social media can therefore magnify not only the disorders themselves but also the barriers to seeking help.
On World Mental Health Day, we must widen the lens of awareness. Social media does not inherently create eating disorders, but it does play a significant role in shaping how we see ourselves and how we value our bodies. Challenging harmful narratives, promoting diverse and realistic representations of bodies, and fostering open conversations about men and women’s struggles alike are vital steps toward reducing the silent harm caused by curated feeds and unattainable ideals. Healing begins when we reclaim social media as a space for authenticity, compassion, and genuine human connection.
Social media can play a positive role in mental health. For many, it provides connection, solidarity, and a sense of being less alone. A post that says, “You are not broken” or “It’s okay to ask for help” can reach someone at just the right time. Community matters. But community is not the same as treatment. Solidarity is not the same as diagnosis. Having access to information and being better positioned to manage a diagnosis or recovery because of social media is invaluable, but be sure the account is that of a reputable professional, not someone exploiting mental health topics for engagement.
Checklist: Is Social Media Helping or Harming My Mental Health?
Signs social media may be harming you:
You notice frequent comparisons to others that leave you feeling inadequate, ashamed, or dissatisfied with your body, lifestyle, or achievements.
Your feed is filled with extreme or rigid health, fitness, or diet content that pushes all-or-nothing thinking.
You find yourself self-diagnosing mental health conditions based on short clips or memes, without professional input.
Words like “trauma,” “anxiety,” or “OCD” feel overused in your feed, leaving you confused about what these terms actually mean.
Logging off leaves you more anxious, restless, or critical of yourself than before you opened the app.
You avoid seeking professional support because you feel you’ve already found the “answers” online.
You feel pressured to present a curated version of yourself, rather than showing up authentically.
Signs social media may be helping you:
You feel validated and less alone when you see others sharing experiences similar to yours.
You’ve found supportive online communities that encourage recovery, resilience, or personal growth.
Following diverse creators has broadened your perspective and challenged narrow definitions of beauty, success, or mental health.
Content inspires you to take small, positive steps such as journaling, reaching out to a friend, or booking a therapy session.
You feel empowered by accurate, well-sourced information that adds to (rather than replaces) professional advice.
You can step away from your feed without distress, and social media doesn’t dominate your self-image or self-worth.
Let’s remember that while social media can start the conversation, it should never be the place where it ends. Real healing requires more than a trending audio clip or a checklist from a stranger online. It requires trained professionals, evidence-based care, and compassion grounded in understanding, not algorithms. The challenge for all of us is to hold both truths at once: to value the awareness that online spaces bring, while refusing to let them replace the depth and care that mental health truly demands.
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