Between rot and recovery: Mental health online and self-diagnosis
By Lamara Jaber, March 23 2025—
Mental health awareness is more widespread today than ever before, but this increased visibility comes with a concerning trend: the pathologizing of everyday emotions. For young adults, technology and social media have transformed how we perceive ourselves and interact with the world. During COVID-19, many found positive aspects online, such as building communities and seeking support when in-person connections were limited.
However, discussions around mental health online have become a double-edged sword. While some find support and healthy connections, others experience isolation through comparison and misdiagnosis. Complex mental health issues cannot be adequately captured in quick clips or humorous takes. Yet, specific online communities frame these conversations around casual slang such as “menty b,” potentially trivializing severe conditions.
This trivialization extends to concerning behaviours as well. Trends like ‘bed rotting‘—spending excessive time in bed scrolling through social media—have been reframed as legitimate forms of self-care rather than potential warning signs. TikTok has been called “the therapist’s couch of Gen Z,” blurring the boundaries between entertainment and professional therapy.
The overinterpretation of clinical symptoms can be devastating for those seeking to understand their challenges through online narratives. Self-labelling can be especially harmful without professional guidance. Getting a diagnosis should not feel like receiving a death sentence, but conversely, feeling sad doesn’t necessarily mean you should stay bedridden for weeks while documenting your “bed rot era” on social media.
There are legitimate concerns regarding the glorification of mental health issues operating under the guise of acceptance. This creates a complex situation that can be both helpful and toxic—providing needed visibility while leaving people caught between empathy and critical discernment. The line between empathy and discernment has become increasingly blurred.
Being aware of our feelings is crucial for understanding ourselves. However, watching an 8-minute video of someone discussing experiences similar to yours does not mean you meet the criteria for a clinical diagnosis. While mental health conversations are beneficial, obsessively searching through “mental health” reels to figure out “what’s wrong with me” can lead down a dangerous path that undermines well-being.
Social media has built communities that help de-stigmatize mental health struggles, but the flip side involves misinformation and oversimplification. We’ve moved from never discussing our emotional issues to viewing them as sticky labels that define our entire identity. Research confirms this: a 2022 UBC study found that of 100 videos concerning ADHD, more than half (52 per cent) were misleading, 27 per cent were based solely on personal experience and only 21 per cent were classified as useful.
The weaponization of “therapy speak” has enabled viewers to establish boundaries that function more as a theatrical defence than genuine protection. Psychologist Naomi Torres-Mackie argues that overusing therapeutic language “can derail nuanced, important conversations and create this idea of an assumed meaning.” This language is often divorced from its clinical context.
Certain self-care trends promoted online have harmed relationships and our connection to the world. Videos that radicalize selfishness seem to excuse cutting people from our lives without communication. In the name of “positive vibes only,” many are told to avoid those who are struggling—advice that contradicts building meaningful relationships and emotional resilience.
To be clear, talking about mental health to combat stigmatization is vital and has helped millions. The problem arises when these conversations are approached with excessive conviction based on limited information. Words have power, and approaching mental health with an arsenal of reels rather than professional guidance may create isolation and stunted emotional growth—terms like ‘triggered‘ or ‘boundaries‘ risk becoming empty buzzwords without real-life significance.
We can combat the negative effects of ‘online mental health help’ by limiting doom-scrolling, practicing mindfulness, seeking professional help when needed and finding meaningful connections in real life. Mental health awareness is valuable, but it must be balanced with critical thinking and a recognition that true healing often requires more than what a social media algorithm can provide.
This article is a part of our Opinions section and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Gauntlet editorial board