The Epidemic of Misinformation on Social Media and its Impact on Mental Health
In today’s digital age, social media has become one of the first places people turn to for mental health advice. While this accessibility can empower individuals and spark important conversations, it also opens the door to misinformation: content that is false, misleading, or oversimplified. Sometimes this involves disinformation (information that is deliberately deceptive), but more often it takes the form of ambiguous information, where personal experience is presented as fact [1].
Social media can raise awareness, but it also has the power to distort mental health narratives, shaping how people understand others and themselves. In this blog, we look at how misinformation spreads so quickly online, how it can shape mental health narratives, the different forms it can take, and what can be done to address it.
The Rapid Spread of Misinformation
Why is social media so powerful in spreading misinformation? The answer lies in its structure.
Unlike traditional media, mainstream online platforms thrive on speed, repetition, and engagement-driven algorithms that amplify information whether it’s accurate or not. This system fuels what researchers call the “echo chamber effect,” where people are repeatedly exposed to content that aligns with pre-existing beliefs, thus making false claims feel increasingly credible. Combine the ease of one-click sharing and it’s no wonder misinformation spreads rapidly across networks [2].
In one study [3], researchers assessed content presented in the top 100 TikTok videos on ADHD (the total views for the videos was approximately 280 million). Roughly 27% of the videos included ambiguous information and nearly half contained little to no scientific evidence. This goes beyond confusion. It can creates changes in collective attitudes by delaying proper treatment, while also escalating concerns towards a public health crisis [2].
Different Types of Social Media Misinformation
Misinformation has many branches and names, which can also add to confusion among both researchers and the general public. It’s important to decipher the differences when exploring social media content [4]…
Fake News: False information in the format of news articles, often used as propaganda.
Urban Legends: Fictional stories spread as entertainment but presented as truth.
Rumors: Unverified claims that may be true or false.
Trolling: Content intended to provoke conflict and increase division.
Hate Speech: Abusive misinformation targeting specific groups with prejudice or threats.
How Misinformation Changes Mental Health Narratives
Misinformation on social media has become an epidemic that can shape the way people think and talk about mental health – with serious negative consequences on health and well-being. For instance, blind belief towards social media content has been linked to lower health literacy and a decreased trust in healthcare systems [1]. Not only does this blur the lines between professional advice and anecdotal sharing, but it also perpetuates stigma.
Research shows that TikTok often sensationalizes or minimizes psychiatric conditions, spreading myths such as “mental illness is just a mindset.” These misleading narratives can reinforce harmful stereotypes, and among vulnerable individuals, it can exacerbate feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression [5]. One systematic review found that the spread of fake news on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic induced symptoms of fear, confusion, and panic, leading to increased psychological distress across diverse populations [6]. These findings highlight how misinformation actively destabilizes emotional well-being and deepens mental health burdens across society.
Potential Solutions and Strategies
Addressing misinformation on social media requires strategies that target both the content and the networks through which they spread [4].
Content Detection: Focus directly on the substance of social media posts. This involves taking time to pause and critically examine the content being said. Checking for emotionally charged language, too-good-to-be-true claims, or the absence of credible sources are all examples of content analysis in action.
Context Detection: Instead of just analyzing the words, look at when and where posts are made. For instance, observing suspicious posting patterns, like dozens of identical posts appearing suddenly or content being shared by accounts with little to no history.
Systems Detection: Reflect on and examine how misinformation spreads. Although we may not have access to the specific tools to examine network patterns, we can still ask critical questions on how the content connects our communities: “Who else is sharing this, and why?” If something is only circulating within one group and is not verified by reliable outlets, it may be a sign of that echo chamber that we mentioned above.
Early Detection: In research, this involves building algorithms to capture misinformation before it goes viral. Although this exceeds the capacity of the individual, we can all learn to be cautious when reading new viral claims. Early misinformation often spreads without verification, so waiting for trusted health organizations, fact-checkers, or news outlets to weigh-in is an important practical step.
Finally, utilize reliable, fact-checking tools and/or services, including www.mediasmarts.ca, www.scienceupfirst.com, or consider booking an evidence-based wellness education talk or workshop with us. All of our Speakers have accomplished at least a Master’s degree in their field and have been formally trained in their area of wellness expertise, so you can have peace of mind that all wellness content and advise is credible and grounded in rigorous evidence, helping you and your team navigate mental health information with confidence.
WellIntel is committed to providing high-quality wellness education through engaging, creative, and relatable sessions that empower individuals with the research-backed knowledge and strategies they need to manage and promote their well-being. After all, knowledge is power. Check out our range of mental health and wellness topics or book a meeting with us to learn how we can help protect and promote employee well-being in your workplace.
Written by:
Ethan Warchol (BSc.), WellIntel Volunteer
References:
[1] Starvaggi, I., Dierckman, C., & Lorenzo-Luaces, L. (2024). Mental health misinformation on social media: Review and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 56, 101738.
[2] Muhammed T, S., & Mathew, S. K. (2022). The disaster of misinformation: a review of research in social media. International journal of data science and analytics, 13(4), 271-285.
[3] Yeung, A., Ng, E., & Abi-Jaoude, E. (2022). TikTok and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a cross-sectional study of social media content quality. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 67(12), 899-906.
[4] Wu, L., Morstatter, F., Carley, K. M., & Liu, H. (2019). Misinformation in social media: definition, manipulation, and detection. ACM SIGKDD explorations newsletter, 21(2), 80-90.
[5] Hudon, A., Perry, K., Plate, A. S., Doucet, A., Ducharme, L., Djona, O., ... & Evoy, G. (2025). Navigating the Maze of Social Media Disinformation on Psychiatric Illness and Charting Paths to Reliable Information for Mental Health Professionals: Observational Study of TikTok Videos. Journal of medical Internet research, 27, e64225.
[6] Rocha, Y. M., De Moura, G. A., Desidério, G. A., De Oliveira, C. H., Lourenço, F. D., & de Figueiredo Nicolete, L. D. (2023). The impact of fake news on social media and its influence on health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Journal of Public Health, 31(7), 1007-1016.