Mar 5, 2025

Identifying Red Flags in Wellness Content on Social Media

More than ever students are turning to social media to seek out mental health and wellness content. Social media is flooded with creators sharing helpful tips and tricks claiming that they can help boost one’s mental health. Unfortunately, this demand can result in unqualified content creators spreading product placement and potentially harmful content masked as legitimate health and wellness advice.

Here are some red flags for identifying potentially dangerous mental health and wellness content on social media:

Not All “Experts” are Experts

The easiest way to properly identify whether a piece of mental health and wellness content is legitimate is to verify whether or not the person or brand posting is properly certified. There are multiple ways to verify this information. Credentialed creators can identify their certifications, education, training, and years of experience either in their content, in their bio, or on their website if applicable.

It’s important to note that certain social media metrics such as the number of followers or whether or not they have a blue checkmark in their profile are not indicative of whether or not a creator is certified to be handing out mental health and wellness advice.

Sensational Claims and “Too Good to Be True” Promises

When it comes to mental health and wellness, always be skeptical of certain buzz words like “guarantee” or “promise” as many of these claims are designed to attract you as a consumer and do not have your unique health and wellness in mind. Posts that include links to other products or pages are also a good indication as to whether or not a post is commercial in nature.

No Scientific Evidence or Citations Offered

Oftentimes content creators in the mental health and wellness space will share their personal experience as a method to justify the product or practice they are pushing. While their experience may be true to them, it may not be the same for you.

Be on the lookout for creators or brands that cite credible sources of information in their pitch. This can include published research from a legitimate source, input from a certified professional, recommending a medical consultation, and more. Creators who claim “It worked for me!” or “Trust me! You’re gonna love this!” are more than likely trying to get you to either buy something or increase their audience base.

Urgent, Emotional, or Extremely Passionate Pitches

Creating urgency is a common sales tactic used to accelerate a consumer’s decision making when it pertains to whether or not they should purchase a product or service. Phrases like “Limited Time Offer”, “Buy Now” or “Space is Limited” are designed to make you, the consumer, believe you need to act quickly in order to purchase said product.

Offering Secrets or Special Info to Only a Select Few

Picture this: a creator posts a video explaining how their social anxiety prevented them from making friends at a new school. Now, they are thriving like never before with their new, lifelong friends. But what changed? They’ll tell you but only after you go to their website and sign up for their self-help class for only $100.

A common social media practice is for creators to present a relatable mental health issue, suggest that they have an answer or solution, then direct you to follow a link to learn the answer. This is clearly designed to drive engagement on the creator’s end and most certified mental health and wellness professionals would be more transparent in their messaging.

How Uwill Can Help

Social media can be a dangerous medium for those looking for mental health and wellness support. With Uwill, students can speak with a licensed therapist of their choosing. Booking an appointment takes less than five minutes and same day appointments are available, including nights and weekends.

Uwill also offers on-demand wellness programming from certified, trauma sensitive wellness instructors to help complement therapy. Wellness programming covers a wide variety of topics from yoga and meditation to self-care and stress relief.

If you are looking for help:

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Contributions By:

David Lipsius is a mindful leadership coach and wellness educator with over 30 years of experience in yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practice. He is the former President and CEO of Yoga Alliance and Yoga Alliance Foundation and the former CEO of Kripalu Center of Yoga & Health, the largest yoga retreat center in North America. David honors the ancient spiritual practices of yoga and Ayurveda by acknowledging their roots in India and by deeply appreciating the teachers who have offered him a rich and powerful initiation into the yogic arts. David is also an Emmy nominated director and the Executive Producer of the documentary film Agniyogana, a meditative inquiry into the lost art of classical Hatha Yoga. He believes that true happiness is possible for every human being.