Autism and ADHD, boom in self-diagnosis on TikTok: why viral videos can be deceiving

There are those who watch videos and convince themselves that they recognize themselves in some behavior. From there the step is short and the (hasty) conclusion seems to be only one: “Maybe I’m autistic”, “Maybe I have ADHD”.

It happens on social media, more and more often on TikTok, where one content after another from influencers and self-styled professionals focuses on autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, fueling a phenomenon that is now, alas, super widespread and extremely delicate: self-diagnosis.

The result? When it comes to health, and in particular mental health, social media proves to be a more than slippery terrain.

What is happening

Autism is a complex condition, which affects the way a person communicates, socializes and relates to the world. Yet online it is often reduced to a list of recognizable traits: sensory sensitivities, social difficulties, repetitive behaviors. In recent years, diagnoses have increased significantly, also thanks to more inclusive criteria and greater awareness.

If it is true that, on the one hand, social media have played a role, effectively broadening the representation of neurodiversity and allowing many people to recognize themselves for the first time, on the other hand there is a clear risk: confusing common experiences with clinical signals.

Yes, social media can help you feel less alone, but they are not diagnostic tools. And we should keep this in mind: for a diagnosis you need a real doctor and a complete picture, from personal history to behavior to context.

ADHD: More than half of videos are misleading

The problem isn’t just about autism. ADHD has also come under the scrutiny of scholars. Research published in PLOS One analyzed the most popular content on TikTok dedicated to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, showing an alarming fact: over half of the videos contain scientifically incorrect information.

On average, each video proposed three alleged “symptoms”, but only 48.7% were in line with the criteria of the DSM-5, the main diagnostic manual. The rest often dealt with common behaviors, part of normal human experience, which were instead presented as signs of a disorder. And the risk, therefore, is evident: the more this content is consumed, the lower the ability to distinguish between information and simplification becomes.

This phenomenon was undoubtedly also driven by the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, which accentuated isolation and loneliness, especially among the youngest. Online, many have searched for answers, identities, explanations. And not just teenagers: adults today are also wondering about their own (possible, eventual) neurodivergence.

The risk of the “scroll diagnosis”

Autism, ADHD and anxiety share several traits: difficulty concentrating, complex social relationships, sensitivity to stimuli. Not surprisingly, these conditions often overlap. But it is precisely this similarity that makes an accurate clinical evaluation necessary. It is not enough to have some characteristics to be included in a diagnosis and above all you cannot rely on a trend.

Many behaviors, such as leg shaking, being easily distracted, or having strong sensory preferences, are common even in people without disorders. The problem is not the presence of these contents, but the way in which they are interpreted. Social media works for simplification, immediacy, identification. And most of the time they cause trouble.

Diagnosing these disorders means putting together multiple elements and over a very long period of time: development, current behavior, testimonies from those who know the person.

The solution? Maybe don’t stop informing yourself, but do it better. Increase reliable content, give space to professionals, develop critical sense. Because recognizing yourself in a video can be a starting point, but a medical diagnosis is something else.