TIME
The classic vision of therapy revolved around a person on a couch, supine, tapping into their deepest and darkest hopes and fears. A modern-day remix might look like this: a person still on a couch, but at home, scrolling through a constantly refreshing selection of mental-health content on social-media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Though it may feel therapeutic, experts advise proceeding with caution. As an increasing number of psychologists step into the role of mental-health influencer, opening the door to fame and financial incentives, their posts—on attachment styles or unresolved trauma or whatever else might be the disorder du jour—are reaching millions of people.

There are certainly benefits: “We’re coming out of a time when mental health was very highly stigmatized, and it kept people from seeking treatment,” says Evelyn Hunter, a counseling psychologist in Auburn, Ala. “Social media has removed that in some ways, and normalized the fact that sometimes we struggle.”

It can be difficult, however, to suss out which so-called experts are credible and whether their information is trustworthy—which can lead to misinformation and harmful misunderstandings. “The way information is so rapidly spread on social media can make it difficult to figure out what’s accurate, what’s professional, and what’s expertise-driven,” Hunter says. She stresses that mental-health professionals who are active on social media should demonstrate three qualities: competence, good-faith interpretation of evidence, and integrity.

With that in mind, if your algorithm is feeding you mental-health content, keep an eye out for these red flags. MORE