People Are Misdiagnosing Themselves with Autism from TikTok Misinformation
Misinformation on social media platforms like TikTok is leading a growing number of people to inaccurately diagnose themselves with autism spectrum disorder. Mihajlo Ckovric/Stocksy United
Healthline
• Social media platforms like TikTok are encouraging self-diagnosis and misinformation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Experts share the dangers of self-diagnosing mental health conditions.
• Reliable online resources offer a reputable alternative to misinformation.
In the era of TikTok, self-diagnosis of mental health and developmental conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is on the rise among young people.
Some posts include people sharing reasons they believe their self-diagnosis is valid, while others contain mental health professionals stressing the importance of getting diagnosed by a provider.
“Self-diagnosis has always been a risky pursuit. Social media has only increased the potential dangers of self-diagnosis,” Joseph O’Brien, LCSW, manager of the Behavioral Wellness Center at Inspira Health, told Healthline.
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