Why You Shouldn’t Take Mental Health Advice from Social Media — or Even This Blog! (And What to Do Instead)
Instagram carousels. TikTok therapists. One-minute Reels with catchy advice.
Mental health content is everywhere now.
And while it can be validating, entertaining, and even eye-opening—
It can also be wildly misleading.
Overgeneralizations Aren’t Trauma-Informed
I’m sure you’ve seen it —
“If someone doesn’t make you feel safe, it’s a trauma bond.”
“If you feel drained after a conversation, they’re toxic.”
“If someone says no to your boundary, cut them off immediately.”
Advice like this might sound empowering—but it doesn’t leave room for complexity.
Real mental health healing is nuanced. Relationships are messy. Emotions are layered.
And nervous system responses aren’t black and white.
For example: someone with a history of emotional neglect might feel unsafe with someone who is actually very emotionally available. Their nervous system might register calm as unfamiliar or even threatening.
So is the person they’re dating "unsafe"? Or is their body responding to a new kind of connection?
This is the kind of nuance that social media often misses.
The Problem with Pop Psychology
A lot of social media advice is rooted in:
Simplified versions of complex psychological terms
Personal experience that’s shared as universal truth
Well-meaning creators trying to cast a wide audience, not offer clinical guidance specifically tailored to you.
This becomes especially confusing for women with rejection sensitivity, ADHD symptoms, or emotional intensity, because their nervous systems are already on high alert.
What they need is support, not more reasons to mistrust themselves.
When we oversimplify mental health, we unintentionally shame people for being human:
You’re not toxic for feeling anxious after setting a boundary.
You’re not codependent because you care deeply.
You’re not disordered for having emotional needs.
What to Look for Instead
If you’re scrolling through content and wondering what to take seriously, here are a few signs of grounded, helpful mental health support:
It encourages curiosity, not fear
It uses language that leaves space for nuance
It offers tools, not just labels
It emphasizes self-connection over outsourcing your decisions
And if you need more than content? That’s where therapy can help.
My Approach as a Holistic Therapist
I work with women who are creative, intuitive, energetically sensitive, and tired of feeling like they don’t fit the mold.
Together, we slow things down so you can:
Understand your unique nervous system responses
Reconnect with your own inner guidance
Build self-trust that isn’t based on algorithms
Using a mix of somatic therapy, EMDR, EFT tapping, Safe and Sound Protocol, I help you come back to your body and heal the root of the pattern – so you don’t need to rely on one-size-fits-all advice ever again.
Ready to come back to your own truth?
I offer online holistic therapy for women across California, including San Diego, Monterey, Carmel Valley, San Luis Obispo, and beyond.
Click here to learn more about how we can work together.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical or therapeutic advice. Reading this post does not establish a therapist-client relationship. If you are seeking clinical support, please visit somaticspiritualtherapist.com for more information about therapy services available to California residents.
