Scroll through TikTok or YouTube, and you’ll quickly encounter videos offering mental health tips. Sometimes helpful, often oversimplified. A 2023 study on mental health misinformation in video-sharing platforms finds that while young people frequently turn online for support, theese platforms are full of misinformation.

Even if the advice is accurate, that does not mean that it applies to you. One person’s difficulty focusing might be labeled ADHD in a 60-second clip, while the real cause could be anxiety, PTSD, or poor sleep. Seeing a quick strategy that “worked for someone else” may lead you down the wrong path.

This is why the value of a trained therapist isn’t in delivering ready-made answers, it’s in asking the right questions. A skilled therapist knows to inquire: Is the root of your focus difficulty related to: physical fatigue, over-stimulation, under-stimulation, anxious rumination, emotional dysregulation, or is the task just too complicated? The distinction makes all the difference. A tool that helps in one scenario can backfire in another.

That's also why a tailored approach, which is one that recognizes nuance and examines context, saves you time, money, and frustration from trial-and-error solutions.

Social media isn’t the enemy. It can reduce stigma, offer validation, and point toward helpful ideas. But it’s only the beginning. If you’re navigating psychological distress and feeling unsure whether your experience fits what you’re watching online, speaking with an expert who knows what to ask may offer clarity and real progress.

If that resonates, reach out. Our work will be structured not around quick hacks, but around questions that build insight and practical tools that lead to lasting change. Visit Rick-Smith.com to explore how clarity starts with curiosity, not just answers.