Originally published on Psychology Today
When therapy becomes content, nuance goes out the window
Your feed is full of it: pastel carousels about trauma and wellness influencers promising emotional breakthroughs if you buy their journal, supplement stack, or energy drink.
It looks like mental health content is having a moment—and in some ways, that’s great. We should be talking about therapy, emotional regulation, and boundaries more openly. But there’s a problem: when mental health becomes content, expertise often gets replaced by performance.
Source: Laura Chouette/Unsplash/Used with permission
When the Algorithm Sets the Treatment Plan
Creators (even well-meaning ones) are rewarded for what gets likes, not what promotes lasting change. That means the posts that get shared are often:
- Oversimplified (because nuance doesn’t perform)
- Emotionally triggering (because outrage = engagement)
- Marketable (because many posts exist to funnel you into a product or affiliate link)
It’s not that all advice online is bad—but we’re consuming content curated to go viral, not for accuracy.
The Disappearing Line Between Influencer and Therapist
More and more, it’s hard to tell who’s actually qualified to be giving advice. Some creators use therapy language without ever having studied it. Others post hot takes on trauma while selling gut detox kits in the next slide. As you’re scrolling on social media, please remember that a good aesthetic doesn’t make someone an expert just because someone sounds like a therapist doesn’t mean they are one.
article continues after advertisement
We don’t tolerate fake doctors selling bad medical advice. Why are we so casual about psychological misinformation?
Affiliate Code ≠ Mental Health Plan
Many creators position themselves as mental wellness authorities while quietly earning money from every product they recommend—journals, mushroom coffee, crystals, nervous system gummies, you name it.
It’s not inherently unethical to monetize content. If a piece of content helps you feel seen, that’s wonderful. But we need to stay clear-eyed about what’s being sold and why.
Before you take advice from someone online—especially someone trying to sell you something—ask yourself:
Are they offering information or selling an image?
Is this advice based on evidence—or engagement?
Would a trained therapist recommend this—or would they cringe?
Mental health is too important to be driven by likes and affiliate codes.
