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Social media and ADHD: implications for clinical assessment and treatment

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 August 2023

Y. Hartnett Open the ORCID record for Y. Hartnett [Opens in a new window]  and
E. Cummings
Y. Hartnett*
Affiliation:
Cluain Mhuire Community Mental Health Service, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
E. Cummings
Affiliation:
Cluain Mhuire Community Mental Health Service, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
*
Corresponding author: Y. Hartnett; Email: hartnety@tcd.ie
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Abstract

The interaction between social media use and mental health is complicated. The mental health information shared on these platforms is frequently of poor quality but has the potential to exert powerful influence on users. Social media trend peaks in some mental disorders have led to increases in illness behaviour through social contagion. There has been a marked upsurge in online interest in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) over the last number of years, which has been particularly noticeable since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The exponential increase in online ADHD interest has the potential to contribute to overloading mental health services with referrals. Mental health professionals and organisations need to consider strategies to ensure that quality health information is disseminated to younger audiences.

Keywords

Psychiatryattention deficit hyperactivity disorderonline health informationsocial media

Information

Type
Perspective Piece
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , March 2024 , pp. 132 - 136
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of College of Psychiatrists of Ireland

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