Safe Scrolling: Consuming Safe Mental Health & Wellness Content on Social Media

Mental health and wellness resources have never been more in-demand than they are today, particularly amongst students. Many of those looking for support often turn to social media to find accessible, relatable information that can help them with what they are going through. Just because social media provides readily available information, is it safe?

“Your wellness is deeply personal and entirely unique to you.” says David Lipsius, Director, Wellness at Uwill “What works for another person online may be dangerous for you, and what works for you may be life-threatening for me. Safety only emerges if you carefully research the information offered and understand the potential risks and rewards before determining if the information is worth incorporating into your life.”

While not all mental health and wellness content on social media is dangerous, it is important to learn how to identify what is and what is not legitimate.

Common Misconceptions
Social media feeds are constantly evolving in order to drive engagement from its users that feature new trends or products that are designed to reach as many people as possible. For individuals looking for mental health and wellness support, it is important to remember that what works for one person, especially one with thousands of followers, may not work for someone else.

“When a person is struggling with mental health challenges it is easy to grasp onto another person’s story of failure or success and find it relatable.” says Amaura Kemmerer, LICSW and Director, Clinical Affairs at Uwill “While social media can be useful, it is important to remember not to take one person’s experience or ‘quick fixes’ over professional assessment and treatment.”

Another common misconception is that someone with a large following must know what they are talking about. While many influencers have backgrounds and training that may qualify them to speak intelligently on a particular subject matter, it is important to remember the size of their following is not indicative of whether or not they are qualified to be providing safe and productive clinical advice. Other profile features, such as a blue checkmark on Instagram or X, are also not a sign of credible accounts as these “validators” can be purchased.

Identifying Unsafe Content
Not all “experts” are experts. The easiest way to properly identify if a piece of mental health and wellness content is legitimate is to verify whether or not the person posting is a credentialed professional.

“Mental health is a popular topic right now and many people post about their experiences and what worked for them.” says Kemmerer “While their individual experiences might be valid, it does not mean their advice is evidence-based or something an individual should trust as a sound approach to their own mental health.”

Another trend to be weary of is mental health and wellness content masked as product placement. Imagine your favorite travel influencer interrupting their video to tell you about their amazing green juice powder or an Instagram yoga instructor tagging a trendy fashion brand in one of their posts and telling you how much their pants are helping them boost their self-esteem. While their pitch may get you to stop scrolling and listen even for a moment, their ability to create attention-grabbing content does not qualify them to offer professional training. 

“Always remember that algorithms favor influencers and creators who drive engagement

and sell product.” says Lipsius “This has incentivized many non-wellness influencers to enter the wellness space and prioritize likes, follows and subscribes over social responsibility.”

What to Look For
When verifying the qualifications of a social media mental health and wellness creator, always check:

1. They have received licensure, certification, and/or extensive education from a reputable governing body

2. They transparently define their expertise by offering a supplemental business website that details education, training, and years of experience

3. A deeper web search to ensure your source of information is reputable and free from controversy

Reputable mental health organizations include the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the JED Foundation among others.

It is also important to remember that even if a piece of content is coming from a credible source, pay attention to how it makes you feel. 

“If it makes you feel anxious or unsettled, it may not be healthy or accurate content.” says Kemmerer “Good mental health content should leave a person feeling empowered, supported and reflective.“

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:

Amaura Kemmerer, LICSW, serves as Director, Clinical Affairs for Uwill where she leads Uwill’s engagement efforts, providing consultation and support to campuses to maximize student interaction with the platform. She joined Uwill from the Christie Campus Health acquisition where she served as the Executive Vice President of Client Engagement. Previously, she spent fifteen years at Northeastern University overseeing college student wellness and prevention education. Her expertise in the landscape of mental health on college campuses brings valuable insight to

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.

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