We're awash with mental health advice. Meanwhile, a generation is getting sadder
There's a woman who says her mother is a narcissist. Who wouldn't respect her boundaries. Who ruined her wedding.
There's an influencer who says he's traumatised by the onslaught of abuse from his followers. It's triggering, he says. Because of his lived experience.
There's a 22-year-old sharing the three signs that mean you definitely have ADHD. A mum recalling the moment she received her autism diagnosis. A guy whose voice booms over inspirational music as he proclaims the power of doing 'the work'.
I don't know what 'the work' is, who assigned it, who assesses it, or what happens when you complete it, but apparently everyone is doing it. It's become the cultural shorthand for figuring yourself out.
For a long time, doing 'the work' probably included enlisting the help of a psychologist or some other trained professional who might help you identify your thoughts and behaviours, and how they might impact the people around you. Now, it's as simple as listening to self-improvement podcasts, reading the latest book from Mel Robbins or Gabor Mate, or, as I am right now, consuming social media content about mental health.
The problem, of course, is that the majority of this social media content is wrong.
Last month, a Guardian UK investigation found that of the top 100 videos posted under the #mentalhealthtips hashtag on TikTok, 52 contained misinformation, and many others were vague or unhelpful.
When psychologists, psychiatrists and academic experts were consulted on the messages and advice put forward by creators, they expressed grave concerns. They argued the videos may create confusion about complex conditions, could pathologise everyday experiences and emotions, and might leave people feeling like failures when unsubstantiated 'tips' don't work.
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The Australian
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Spike in adverse event reports for ADHD medication Vyvanse
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Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Sky News AU
Spike in adverse event reports for ADHD medication Vyvanse
Authorities are investigating a spike in incidents involving one of Australia's most widely used ADHD medications. Adverse event reports linked to medication Vyvanse have spiked massively this year, and the manufacturer says no changes in the chemical production have been made. 'The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently investigating a potential safety signal associated with Vyvanse, including independent testing of the medicine through the TGA Laboratories,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. 'The investigation is the result of a recent increase in adverse event notifications relating to concerns about the quality, safety, and reduced effectiveness of the drug.' 'There are no compliance signals currently under investigation for the facilities used in the manufacture of this product.' A 'signal' is detection of a pattern which requires further investigation. While not formally a pattern in the TGA's eyes, reports of adverse events such as anxiety, ineffectiveness and insomnia have increased massively this year. There have also been 88 reports of issues with the medicines label, which was flagged by the TGA earlier this year for minor typos; however, one of the typos added an extra 'S' to the word capsule; 'Each capsules contains 60mg lisdexamfetamine dimesilate'. The TGA maintains the Database of Adverse Event Notifications, where people report issues with medications. There have been 320 adverse events linked to Vyvanse in the first half of this year, compared to nine reports in the second half of 2024. Inclusion in the database does not confirm the incident is caused by the medication. Reports of ineffective Vyvanse have hit 150 so far this year, along with 88 reports of anxiety, and 73 reports that the therapeutic response has decreased. Prescriptions of Vyvanse have been steadily increasing for the past few years. More than 958,000 scripts were written by public system health workers in 2022, rising to 1.4 million in 2023, and then 1.8m last year, government data shows. In a statement, supplier Takeda Pharmaceuticals Australia said a change of manufacturing facility in 2024 did not alter the chemical composition of the medicine. 'There have been no changes to the formulation,' a Takeda spokesperson told the ABC. Vyvanse was produced with strict quality controls, in line with Australia's Therapeutics Goods Act, the spokesperson said. The labelling typo did not affect the quality of the medication, they said. Originally published as Spike in ADHD medication adverse event reports
Perth Now
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Spike in ADHD medication reports
Authorities are investigating a spike in incidents involving one of Australia's most widely used ADHD medications. Adverse event reports linked to medication Vyvanse have spiked massively this year, and the manufacturer says no changes in the chemical production have been made. 'The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is currently investigating a potential safety signal associated with Vyvanse, including independent testing of the medicine through the TGA Laboratories,' a spokesperson told NewsWire. 'The investigation is the result of a recent increase in adverse event notifications relating to concerns about the quality, safety, and reduced effectiveness of the drug.' The TGA issued an alert about a typo on the Vyvanse label earlier this year. TGA Credit: Supplied 'There are no compliance signals currently under investigation for the facilities used in the manufacture of this product.' A 'signal' is detection of a pattern which requires further investigation. While not formally a pattern in the TGA's eyes, reports of adverse events such as anxiety, ineffectiveness and insomnia have increased massively this year. There have also been 88 reports of issues with the medicines label, which was flagged by the TGA earlier this year for minor typos; however, one of the typos added an extra 'S' to the word capsule; 'Each capsules contains 60mg lisdexamfetamine dimesilate'. The Banyans Healthcare Founder Ruth Limkin discusses the 'staggering increase' in self-diagnosed ADHD. ADHD rates are on the rise in Australia, with the number of prescriptions for ADHD medication seeing a sharp increase. 'One of the things we've noticed at The Banyans, we've seen a 500 per cent increase in people contacting us looking for treatment who have self-reported ADHD,' Ms Limkin told Sky News Australia. 'Which is a staggering increase.' The TGA maintains the Database of Adverse Event Notifications, where people report issues with medications. There have been 320 adverse events linked to Vyvanse in the first half of this year, compared to nine reports in the second half of 2024. Inclusion in the database does not confirm the incident is caused by the medication. Reports of ineffective Vyvanse have hit 150 so far this year, along with 88 reports of anxiety, and 73 reports that the therapeutic response has decreased. Last year, 1.8m Vyvanse prescriptions were written in Australia, excluding Department of Veterans' Affairs patients, over-the-counter drugs, private prescriptions and public inpatient prescriptions. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia Prescriptions of Vyvanse have been steadily increasing for the past few years. More than 958,000 scripts were written by public system health workers in 2022, rising to 1.4 million in 2023, and then 1.8m last year, government data shows. In a statement, supplier Takeda Pharmaceuticals Australia said a change of manufacturing facility in 2024 did not alter the chemical composition of the medicine. 'There have been no changes to the formulation,' a Takeda spokesperson told the ABC. Vyvanse was produced with strict quality controls, in line with Australia's Therapeutics Goods Act, the spokesperson said. The labelling typo did not affect the quality of the medication, they said.
