Viral Prescriptions: A Cross-Sectional Study of ADHD Medication Portrayals on TikTok
Background: Amidst a marked increase in the demand for prescription stimulants, particularly among young people, the role of social media in influencing health behaviours has come under scrutiny. TikTok, known for its substantial young user base, hosts a plethora of ADHD-related content. This study investigates the portrayal of prescription stimulants on TikTok and examines the potential impact of these portrayals on the viewers' perceptions and behaviours, particularly in the context of ADHD diagnosis and treatment seeking.
Methods: Utilizing hashtag-based keywords, we collected 1000 TikTok videos related to ADHD medications from the platform's inception to July 2023. The videos underwent a content and thematic cross-sectional analysis, where two researchers independently coded for various parameters including views, likes, user demographics, and thematic content.
Results: The final dataset, after the exclusion of duplicates and unrelated material, consisted of a sample of 528 video videos. Collectively, these videos accumulated over 170 million views, predominantly featuring white females within the 22-30 age range. The analysis identified several themes: Positive Medication Effects, Negative Medication Effects, Behavioural Impacts, Public Perceptions and Misconceptions, and Systemic Challenges. The content largely portrayed prescription stimulants positively, which may be influencing the demand for these medications. The theme of Systemic Challenges, particularly highlighted under the hashtag #adderallshortage, provided insight into the struggles faced by individuals due to medication shortages.
Conclusions: TikTok's content largely depicts prescription stimulants in a positive light, which appears to be contributing to their increased demand among young users. The findings suggest that while TikTok can serve as a platform for ADHD awareness, it also has the potential to shape public perceptions and behaviours in ways that may influence medication demand and use. This underscores the need for balanced representation and factual information regarding ADHD and its treatment on social media platforms.
TikTok's content predominantly portrays prescription stimulants positively, possibly driving their higher demand among young users. Significantly, our study contributes to the discourse by focusing on an underrepresented sample in ADHD research—white females—as opposed to the historical focus on white males. It reveals the barriers these individuals face in accessing adequate treatment, particularly in light of the stimulant shortage, emphasizing the need for equitable representation and accurate information on ADHD and its treatments on social media platforms.
