Reddit is not clinical. It’s not moderated by therapists, addiction medicine specialists, or safeguarding professionals. And most importantly, it doesn’t know you.
I’ve spent nearly eight years working in the addiction treatment space – writing, creating, learning and helping clinics communicate better with the people they serve. While I’ve never personally had a substance issue that needed treatment, I have ADHD, and I’ve dealt with enough compulsive behaviours to understand how easy it is to fall into a cycle that feels impossible to break.
One thing I’ve seen increasingly over the last few years, especially among younger people and neurodivergent communities, is a growing reliance on Reddit for addiction advice. I get it. Reddit feels real, unfiltered and raw. It’s where people speak the truth others are too scared to say out loud – but I’ve also seen the harm it causes. Not because people are bad but because the platform is built to reward emotion over evidence and upvotes over nuance.
So if you’re scrolling r/addiction, r/stopdrinking, or similar subs looking for guidance, please keep reading. This isn’t a takedown of Reddit; it’s a conversation about where it fits and where it fails in the world of recovery.
Reddit Can Be a Lifeline, But It’s Not a Treatment Plan
Let me be clear: I’ve read incredible threads on Reddit. Moments of compassion, honesty, and mutual support that would rival any therapy room. There’s power in peer communities, and sometimes hearing “me too” from a stranger at 2am can feel life-saving (2am is when my brain is most active).
But here’s where it gets tricky.
Reddit is not clinical. It’s not moderated by therapists, addiction medicine specialists, or safeguarding professionals. And most importantly, it doesn’t know you. It doesn’t know your mental health history, your trauma background, your medication interactions, or how many units you’ve been drinking per day. Reddit doesn’t know whether you’re in withdrawal or burnout. It can’t tell if your drinking is masking PTSD, or if your “just one more night” will lead to seizures.
Yet advice is thrown around like truth, often from people with no qualifications, just a strong opinion and a few thousand karma points.
The Misinformation Loop: When the Reddit Echo Chambers Take Over
One of the most common patterns I see on Reddit is what I call the echo loop. It looks like this:
- Someone posts a vulnerable question: “Should I detox cold turkey?”
- A few commenters reply, “I did it and was fine.”
- Others add, “Rehabs just want your money anyway.”
- The post gets upvoted. The risky advice gets reinforced.
And just like that, the really bad advice becomes the top answer.
This isn’t a Reddit-specific problem; it’s a platform design problem. On Reddit, the content that rises is content that feels right, not content that is right. That means emotional stories get more traction than evidence-based responses. Posts with nuance like “it depends on your medical history, speak to a GP” – get buried.
In addiction, that’s dangerous.
Reddit Doesn’t Screen for Trauma, ADHD or Mental Health Risks
One of the most harmful myths I see is the idea that addiction is just about willpower. That you can “see it through” if you want it badly enough. But having worked with hundreds of people in recovery, I know this is dangerously simplistic.
Many people who struggle with alcohol or drug use have co-occurring conditions:
- ADHD
- Complex PTSD
- Depression and anxiety
- Autism spectrum traits
- Grief, neglect, abuse, or childhood trauma
When Reddit users offer advice without understanding these layers, they unintentionally cause harm. Telling someone to “just quit” without acknowledging their nervous system dysregulation is like telling a drowning person to “just swim”.
Trauma needs context. ADHD needs a flexible structure. Autism needs sensitivity. Addiction needs care and understanding – not upvotes.
Real Lives, Real Consequences
In my line of work, I’ve heard stories I’ll never forget. But some of the “advice” I have personally witnessed on Reddit is terrifying
Like the teenager who posted on r/opiates asking how to taper using someone else’s leftover meds.
Or the woman who was told that 12 Step was “a cult”.
Or perhaps the worst advice I have ever seen on Reddit: “You only need to worry about withdrawal symptoms if you’re drinking tons of spirits every day”.
These are not fringe cases. This is what happens when the loudest voice wins, and context is left out of the equation.
Not to mention that Reddit advice can be country-specific. Doctors in the US may charge “huge sums of money” for detox medication, but that isn’t the case here in the UK.
The Bias Against Professional Help
One thing that surprises many people is how much anti-treatment, anti-medical rhetoric exists on Reddit. This isn’t just specific to addiction or recovery, but I see it everywhere, from diet recommendations to herbal remedies.
- “Rehab is just a money-making scam”
- “Therapists make money by keeping you stuck”
- “AA brainwashes you”.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Criticism of the addiction treatment industry, or any industry, is perfectly valid. I’ve worked in this space long enough to know that recovery is a difficult journey for many people. There are bad actors, overpriced services, and outdated methods. But the solution isn’t throwing the whole system out. It’s improving it, expanding access, and increasing transparency.
Unfortunately, many Reddit threads skip that part. They move from personal frustration to broad generalisations. And for someone in a fragile state, scared, ashamed and confused – that can be enough to push them away from getting real help.
I Loved Reddit Until It Made Me Anxious
This part is personal. As someone with ADHD, Reddit felt like a perfect fit: fast, unpredictable, full of novelty. But that constant flood of opinions? The never-ending scroll of “this worked for me” vs “you’re doing it wrong” became overwhelming.
I started noticing how often I’d leave Reddit feeling more anxious than when I logged on. Instead of clarity, I had information fatigue. Instead of guidance, I had ten contradicting opinions and no idea which one to trust.
For someone seeking support with something as serious as addiction, that overwhelm can become paralysis. And paralysis, in recovery, is incredibly risky.
How to Spot Harmful Advice on Reddit
Not all Reddit advice is dangerous – but the lines get blurry when you’re desperate for clarity. In the early stages of change, you’re vulnerable, your nervous system is overloaded and your inner critic is screaming. And Reddit? Reddit is loud.
Here are some red flags I’ve learned to spot both as someone with ADHD and as someone working in addiction recovery spaces:
1. Absolute Statements
Advice that starts with “You should always…” or “never trust…” lacks nuance. Recovery is deeply individual. What works for one person may harm another. Be wary of any advice that feels binary or overly confident.
Of course, context is important here. If the recommendation is “you should always speak to a medical professional before attempting a benzodiazepine detox”, that is really good advice.
2. Anecdotes Masquerading as Evidence
Someone saying, “I quit after 10 years cold turkey, and I’m fine,” isn’t data. It’s a personal story. Powerful, yes – but not a blueprint. Especially when you’re dealing with medical risk, trauma, or co-occurring conditions.
3. Anti-Treatment Sentiment
Criticism of systems is healthy. But if someone dismisses all rehab, therapy, medication, or support groups based on one experience—or none—that’s not guidance. That’s projection.
4. Dismissive or Shaming Comments
Recovery requires self-compassion. Any post or comment that shames you for struggling, mocks your attempts, or suggests you’re “not trying hard enough” is toxic, whether it has 2 upvotes or 2,000.
5. Algorithmic Echoes
Posts with thousands of upvotes might feel more trustworthy. But Reddit rewards what’s popular, not what’s safe. Don’t confuse karma with credibility.
Safer Alternatives to Reddit for Addiction Support
Let’s be honest: Google can feel overwhelming. And Reddit is familiar, accessible, even comforting. But there are better places to find help.
Here’s where I signpost people instead:
1. NHS and Local Free Services (UK)
These are free, confidential, and connected to wider health support systems.
2. Residential Rehab
For people with high-risk alcohol or drug use, trauma history, or repeated relapses, residential rehab can be an important stepping stone in the recovery journey. I have been fortunate to work with some of the best in the UK and Abbington House is no exception.
3. Peer Support With Clinical Anchoring
- AA and NA
- SMART Recovery
Regardless of where you are in your journey, meetings should always be a key component of recovery. I recommend that you take a look at this study if you have any doubts.
4. Therapy
Trauma-aware therapy has helped me in many ways over the years. Look for someone experienced in:
- Addiction and compulsive behaviours
- ADHD or autism (if applicable)
- Complex trauma (C-PTSD)
- Emotional regulation and nervous system work.
What to Do If You’ve Already Been Misled by Reddit Advice
If you’ve followed Reddit advice that made things worse, I want you to hear this loud and clear:
It’s not your fault.
Here’s how to reset:
1. Get a Real Person Involved
Whether it’s a GP, therapist, our team here at Abbington House, or loved ones – bring someone offline into your process. Algorithms don’t know your history.
2. Review What You Need
- Do you need medical detox?
- Do you need trauma support?
- Do you need clarity, structure, or just a place to feel safe?
If you are unsure about some of these questions, our team here at Abbington can help you make an informed decision.
3. Give Yourself Grace
You don’t need to prove anything. Recovery isn’t a race, and it certainly isn’t a Reddit karma game. It’s a deeply human, deeply nonlinear process.
Why I Wrote This
I didn’t write this to bash Reddit. I’ll never shame anyone for seeking help anywhere they feel safe enough to ask for it.
But as someone who has spent years working in this industry, I know that a one-size-fits-all approach to recovery doesn’t work. There are no absolutes or certainties.
Because the truth is:
- Recovery is hard enough without misinformation
- You deserve real support
- Help should empower you, not confuse, shame, or mislead you
- You’re allowed to be curious, cautious and critical all at the same time.
