The internet and technology can make life easier, but they can be harmful, too. Most seniors know the adage “buyer beware,” but many were taught to trust experts such as doctors and haven’t developed the habit of questioning social media. Dr. Tom Milam, chief medical officer of Iris Telehealth, cautions readers of the potential harms of online mental health advice.
1. Vulnerability
What makes people vulnerable to acting on bad online mental health advice?
Our 2026 Scrolling for Support survey found that 36% of respondents have encountered mental health advice on social media that seemed misleading or potentially harmful. Yet despite that firsthand exposure, 37% still believe most of what they find is accurate. When you combine that with the emotional weight of searching for help with anxiety, depression, or cognitive concerns, the conditions are set for bad advice to land hard and go unquestioned. For a population that already faces elevated suicide risk – adults 85 and older have the highest suicide rate of any age group – that’s not a minor concern.
2. Judging the source of online mental health advice
For someone who turns to social media for mental health information, what are the most reliable signals that a source is trustworthy? What information should they ignore or question?
Start with credentials. According to the same survey, 42% of respondents cite professional credentials as the most influential factor in trusting mental health content. That instinct is absolutely right. If a post is making clinical claims, the person behind it should have clinical training. So, look for licensed clinicians like psychiatrists, psychologists, and licensed therapists. A verified account and an institutional affiliation are reliable signals as well.
What should people ignore? Meaningless details include follower counts, emotional testimonials, and confident-sounding advice that doesn’t cite a source. Relatability is valuable in mental health conversations, but it’s not the same as expertise. Someone sharing their personal recovery story can be very meaningful. Just don’t let it substitute for professional guidance.
Also be skeptical of online “professionals” whose advice promotes a product or service – their motivation is likely profit rather than the reader’s well-being.
3. Signs for adult children and caregivers to look for
What warning signs should an adult child or caregiver watch for that might indicate a parent is getting mental health guidance from unreliable online sources rather than a professional?
The clearest sign is a change in how they talk about their mental health. If a parent starts using unfamiliar terminology, referencing specific online communities or dismissing professional advice in favor of something they “read online,” those are clear warning signs.
Also watch for behavioral changes, such as stopping a medication, abandoning a treatment plan, or avoiding a follow-up appointment without a clinical reason. Those decisions should always come from a provider conversation, not a post.
The subtler warning sign is isolation. Online mental health communities can feel supportive, and sometimes they are. But if a parent seems to be substituting that connection for actual care, or becoming resistant to outside perspectives, it’s time to have a direct conversation with them.
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4. Approaching concerns about potentially harmful mental health advice
When a parent starts leaning on online advice instead of professional care, how can adult children approach that conversation, especially if the parent doesn’t see a problem?
Lead with curiosity, not confrontation. Asking a parent what they’ve been reading and why it resonates with them is a much more productive starting point than telling them they’re wrong. People are more willing to reconsider information when they don’t feel attacked for trusting it.
From there, the goal is to introduce a professional voice without replacing the conversation. Suggesting that a parent bring what they’ve found online to their next appointment – rather than act on it independently – keeps them in the driver’s seat while getting a clinician involved.
The hardest cases are when a parent has already made a clinical decision based on what they read, like stopping a medication. That’s when the conversation needs to move quickly and calmly toward getting a provider on the phone.
Many make the mistake of prioritizing winning an argument over getting their parent the help they need. Those aren’t the same goal, and conflating them is usually what makes these conversations go sideways.
5. Hesitant to seek help
According to your research, senior adults are far less likely than younger generations to act on mental health content they see online. Is that a good thing, or does it mean older adults are also less likely to reach out for help when they actually need it?
Both are true. The same skepticism that protects a Boomer from acting on bad advice may also be keeping them from acting on good information (or reaching out for help at all). The majority of Boomers in our survey (75%) reported never taking action after encountering mental health content online, compared to just 17% of Gen Z.
Boomers grew up in an era when mental health wasn’t discussed openly, and many still carry that conditioning. Inaction online can reflect the same hesitation that keeps someone from calling a doctor or telling a family member they’re struggling. So while lower engagement with online content isn’t inherently dangerous, it becomes a concern when it’s part of a broader pattern of not seeking help at all.
Dr. Tom Milam serves as chief medical officer of Iris Telehealth and president of Iris Medical Group, guiding their team of providers in telemedicine and industry best practices. He received his undergraduate degree from WVU in Anthropology, where he graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to earn his Master of Divinity Degree from Yale, where he was a Yale’s Associate Scholar, followed by receiving his Doctorate of Medicine (MD) from the University of Virginia. His residency training in psychiatry took place at Duke and UVA. Dr. Milam has practiced in North Carolina, Virginia, and New Zealand and is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute in Roanoke, VA.
