ADHD and Social Media - reveals more of a personal than a professional review of mental health diagnosis and symptoms
Science Daily had a recent podcast about ADHD and TikTok, and how mental health is being reviewed and discussed on social media. This could affect teens more than adults, yet social media scrolling, as well as AI, is easily accessible when looking for information about a mental health condition. The problem is, the popular reels are often provided from a personal perspective rather than a professional one. The information provided can feel “relatable,” and the basic symptoms of a particular diagnosis can sound compelling enough to fit the criteria.
In another podcast from the University of Utah, Braun Teller, PA-C, who works with ADHD patients in Utah, discusses how social media can connect and create humor. For viewers, there are positives. He warns that people with ADHD, or other mental health conditions, may feel a particular proclivity to social media, as well as a sense of isolation. Turning to social media or groups can be and feel helpful, but should be balanced with other mental wellness practices.
A more positive review of the effect of social media may have been captured in the National Geographic article entitled, “Why Women are the New Face of ADHD”, and how social media heavily influenced adult women to identify with the diagnosis, whereas boys and men were historically identified and focused on for research. Listening to influencers, for these adult women, created again, relatable symptomology. The article concludes that women have helped to reshape societal and cultural shifts in the perception of the ADHD diagnosis.
The fact is, social media platforms can provide an educational, relatable, personal, and inclusive community where people with ADHD, young and old, male, female, or trans, can feel relief. belonging, and convincing evidence.
The problems are twofold when it comes to ADHD and social media. People with ADHD can be attracted to social media’s immediacy, scrolling sensation, and quick answers that take little attention, but are interesting enough to keep attention. This, coupled with the fact that there are plenty of algorithms to serve the masses, whether young or newly diagnosed, or older and never diagnosed. Social media is quite pleasing to the ADHD brain of all ages.
As we wrap up ADHD Awareness Month of October 2025, let’s consider where we are at. I previously mentioned AI, and I won’t go into nearly enough detail to cover it, but I wanted to highlight ADHD and algorithms.
It’s easy to see why algorithms, designed to keep us watching, liking, and scrolling, mesh so well with the ADHD brain. Recent research from PLOS ONE shows how “#ADHD” content on TikTok, for example, can be a wild mix: some real expertise, but a lot of stories and symptoms that just feel right, even if they aren’t clinically accurate. The Harvard team looking at TikTok noticed that the more users saw ADHD-related content, the more they started seeing themselves in the diagnosis - and sometimes even started wondering if they should get checked. It’s not just about making information accessible; it’s about how quickly an algorithm, with no background in mental health, can shape the way we think about ourselves. Maybe these platforms aren’t causing ADHD, but they sure know how to speak its language and perhaps even nudge our attention further off-center.
Given the potential pitfalls associated with scrolling, I would like to offer my personal and professional resources for reliable research, education, and reference. Feel free to share this article on your platforms of choice to better inform you, or others in the journey towards clarity with ADHD:
Centers for Disease Control - Free Materials on ADHD | Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) | CDC
CHADD - Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
APA, American Psychiatric Association - Psychiatry.org - What is ADHD?
The prolific Dr. Russell Barkley, PhD - Dr. Russell A. Barkley - Dedicated to Education and Research on ADHD
Blog post. ADHD Awareness Month. 2025. ADHD and Social Media - more of a personal than a professional review of mental health diagnosis and symptoms. Cynthia Djengue, LISW, LCSW, Psychotherapist, Coach. www.cynthiadjengue.com
