The 7 Worst Pieces of Mental Health Advice You’ll Find on Social Media

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Verywell / Julie Bang

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Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern.

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Friday Fix: Episode 242 

You’ve probably heard that social media is bad for your mental health. It’s no surprise that mindless scrolling wastes time, and viewing photoshopped images of people who look perfect and appear to have perfect lives can also affect how you feel.

But those aren’t the only reasons social media can harm your psychological well-being.

The truth is, there’s a lot of bad mental health advice floating around.

Many people seek positive affirmations, mental health tips, and online strategies for building mental strength.

Unfortunately, many social media tips on improving mental health aren’t accurate, and some strategies can be downright damaging.

Many slogans, mantras, and tips just aren’t correct. But if they sound catchy, get paired with some cool music, or appear on an amazing video, those bad mental health advice pieces can go viral. 

Whether we’re talking about Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, the more likes, comments, and shares a piece of content has, the more likely people are to believe it’s true. But just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s accurate.

So in this episode of The Verywell Mind Podcast, I clarify some common misconceptions about mental health, relationships, emotions, and human behavior that frequently get shared on social media. 

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By Amy Morin, LCSW, Editor-in-Chief
Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.