Pop-psychology, stripped down into soundbites and chemical buzzwords, is turning complex human emotions into quick explanations and in many cases, encouraging people to self-diagnose before they’ve had the chance to understand themselves. This isn’t mental health literacy. It is emotional oversimplification dressed as empowerment. Why not every feeling is a diagnosis, and not every emotional low needs a label. Scroll through Instagram or TikTok for five minutes and you’ll likely hear phrases like:
- “This is your dopamine dropping.”
- “If you feel this way, you probably have ADHD, OCD or Anhedonia.”
- “Low motivation? That’s your cortisol.”
- “You’re not attached, you’re trauma bonded.”
- “This behaviour means you’re avoidant.”
As a mental health advocate, I am glad that we are having open conversations around mental health that seems like progress. But something quieter, more concerning is happening underneath which could be an alarming concern.
As a mental health blogger, podcast host, and someone who works closely with women navigating burnout, migration stress, single parenthood, and identity shifts, I have seen first-hand how easily people begin questioning their mental health through social media content alone. I have found people wondering whether a difficult season needed a label or simply understanding that needed rest, and support. This article does not replace professional mental health assessment or diagnosis. It is written to encourage readers for critical thinking, emotional literacy, and informed help-seeking before you believe everything you see on around you.
When mental health awareness becomes reductionism
I started Sanity Daily in 2019 with one clear objective to spread mental health awareness. The conversations like these have has helped reduce stigma and encouraged help-seeking that were once taboo. That matters but awareness becomes harmful when it collapses context, nuance, and lived experience into neat, clickable labels.
Human emotions are not algorithms. They are shaped by culture, upbringing, relationships, physiology, sociology, environment, hormones, underlying health conditions, life stages, grief to name a few. Although, we can relate to other’s stories but we have not lived their version to exactly feel the emotions they felt and how they coped, it is like how one paracetamol won’t work for every cure.
Yet pop-psychology often treats emotions as if they can be explained by a single brain chemical or attachment style. Terms like dopamine, cortisol, stress hormone are used to blatantly like everyone truly understand how these chemical are working in our bodies. In reality, feelings are not diagnoses they are signals.
Oversimplifying emotions does not make mental health more accessible. It makes it shallower. It teaches people to seek answers outside themselves before listening inward and replace reflection with labels. And perhaps most dangerously, it teaches people to distrust their own emotional intelligence.
The Rise of “Instagram Therapists” and TikTok Mental Health Gurus
You can maybe think I am doing the same thing, but I never called myself a guru, coach or a therapist. Rather I stopped and minimised posting videos which felt prescriptive,I was talking through my lived experience and certifications and experiences I have accumulated over the years. Still it did not feel enough to go on social media and present myself as a coach, who am I to coach you? I preferred to be a de-influencer – reminding you of basics, taking you back to your core values and to be kind to yourself. Many content creators mean well and are even qualified but still social media rewards algorithm and unfortunately it is about what is trending, what is new and what is relatable gets posted.
A 30-second reel cannot hold the weight of trauma, grief, or chronic mental health conditions. Yet it often tries to. Clinical terms like trauma bonding, dissociation, attachment styles, dopamine regulation, and neuro-divergence are now used casually without assessment, history, or context.
This creates two risks:
- Pathologising normal human distress
- Trivialising serious mental health conditions. And, both are harmful.
How self-diagnosis is harmful?
Many people aren’t self-diagnosing because they want attention or labels. They’re doing it because they want relief. When you’re overwhelmed, exhausted, or struggling, a label can feel like validation, explanation and hope.According to the NHS, self-assessment tools and online content can be a useful starting point but diagnosis should always involve qualified professionals, especially when symptoms persist or worsen (NHS, 2023).
Sometimes the problem isn’t inside the person it’s around them. But a self-diagnosis can also narrow self-understanding, delay professional support and create confirmation bias. For example:
- A burnt-out single parent doesn’t necessarily have depression.
- A woman navigating racism, migration stress, or loneliness isn’t automatically traumatised.
- A person grieving doesn’t need a disorder to justify pain.
When feelings become performative
5 years ago, people would hide their pain, now they find their pain and turn it into content because it gives a validation and and a sense of belonging through likes and engagement. Another unintended consequence of pop-psychology culture is emotional performance.
Pain and healing is often messy and non-linear but when it goes online, emotions are often aestheticised and monetised, real healing is rarely content-friendly and it often doesn’t trend. That cause another stress on content creators as their reels or content won’t gain momentum or go viral as it was not meant to please algorithm.
Your feelings aren’t chemical hacks, they are human experiences
Mental health isn’t about fixing yourself into productivity. It’s about understanding yourself into compassion. Not everything needs a name and solution immediately, some things need patience, reflection, context, rest, and support.
Pop-psychology may offer fast answers but real emotional wellbeing grows slowly through reflection, connection, support and care. And sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is say:
“I don’t need to diagnose this feeling, I just need to listen to my body.”
FAQs
What is pop-psychology?
Pop-psychology refers to simplified psychological ideas presented in an easily digestible, mainstream format often through social media, self-help books, podcasts, or online content. While it can help introduce psychological concepts to a wider audience, pop-psychology often removes context, nuance, and scientific limitations, which can lead to misunderstanding or misuse of mental health terms.
Is self-diagnosing mental health conditions harmful?
Self-reflection can be helpful, but diagnosing without professional input may lead to misinterpretation, increased anxiety, or delayed support.
Why do influencers simplify mental health so much?
Social media algorithms reward clarity and speed, not nuance which often leads to oversimplification.
How can I engage with mental health content online more safely?
Approach content with curiosity rather than certainty. Look for creators who cite credible sources, acknowledge limitations, and encourage professional support rather than offering definitive labels or “quick fixes.”
When should I seek professional mental health support?
If emotional distress is persistent, overwhelming, or interferes with daily functioning, seeking support from a qualified mental health professional is recommended. Online content should complement not replace professional care.
References:
- British Psychological Society (BPS). (2022). Understanding psychological diagnosis.
- NHS UK – Mental health self-assessment guidance
