By Mia Eng
With the rise of social media, more awareness has been brought to the world of mental illness. The availability of resources that help people recognize symptoms of mental abnormalities has encouraged many to get psychological tests. However, the lines become blurry when we enter the realm of self-diagnosis and the romanticization of mental illness.
The Issue With Self-Diagnosing
Unfortunately, mental health is not taken as serious as physical health. Some believe they do not need to have formal procedures done to achieve a diagnosis for certain mental disorders, and this can have many negative effects that include, but are not limited to
- Oversimplification of mental illnesses
- Spread of misinformation
- Misdiagnosis
- Missing critical mental or physical symptoms (i.e., brain tumor, hormone issues)
- Excessive worry
If you catch yourself self-diagnosing a mental disorder, ask yourself these questions: “Would I diagnose my own physical disorders?” “Would I diagnose my own physical disorders of this severity?” and “Does this constitute a true diagnosis?” Even if you answered yes to any of these questions, it is still highly recommended to seek the opinion of a mental health professional to ensure that you receive the proper treatment and evaluation.
The Internet and Romanticizing Mental Illness
The Internet is a wonderful source of entertainment and information. Yet, it can quickly turn into a dangerous place when discussing mental illness. Social media users may glamorize mental disorders, causing them to look trendy, fascinating, desirable, and a unique trait. Incorrect portrayals and overexaggerated conversations regarding mental illness online can cushion the perceived severity of these issues. Especially with the recent revival of past fashion trends, eating disorders have become more common and normalized.
The truth is, we have to be mindful when referring to sensitive subjects like this, and we must be careful when we throw around terms like “depression”, “OCD”, “anxiety”, or “personality disorder”. These and other disorders are the harsh reality of many individuals struggling with their mental well-being, and we shouldn’t downplay their experiences by overgeneralizing their symptoms to fit our lives.
When we self-diagnose, and primarily when we misdiagnose, it sends a message: “I have what you have, but I’m not like you”, “I don’t understand why you don’t function the way I do. We both have the same illness” or “I only have the ‘nice’ parts of our disorder. Not the rest that you have.”
It decreases empathy and worsens an already existing stigma about mental health. Self-diagnosis places a barrier between those who have severe mental disorders and those who may have some, but not necessarily a sufficient amount, of the symptoms that overlap with a particular disorder. Stereotyping individuals in the more severe—rather, the genuine population with mental illness—could become more common as more people place themselves into the mental illness category.
Of course, there are times when someone suspects they have a particular disorder when they actually have it. In times like these, it is imperative to find a mental health professional to give a formal assessment to analyze your experiences, symptoms, and the necessary treatment options to provide.
Steps to Finding Mental Health Care
If you want to begin your journey to finding the help you need, that is amazing! The first step in receiving care is realizing that you need it. To further explore your options, here are some steps and options to find care.
- If you need support on your journey, reach out to a person you trust. Getting help for mental illness is scary in a world of stigma and you deserve a support system that will help you along the way.
- Get a referral to a mental health professional from your primary care provider or Mental Health America office.
- Look for providers that your insurance company covers, or for non-profit mental health organizations such as the Norooz Clinic Foundation.
- Find a psychologist or therapist that you want to get in touch with and let them take it from there. Your treatment plan should be unique to you and what you want to get out of therapy.
If you feel like you are in a psychological or emotional emergency, do not hesitate to call 988. You deserve to receive proper care and to feel accepted, worthy, and authentically you.
References
Finding help: When to get it and where to go. Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.mhanational.org/finding-help-when-get-it-and-where-go
Ghauri, M. (2022, May 26). Top 5 reasons why you shouldn’t self-diagnose – sapna pain management blog. Spine and Pain Clinics of North America. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.sapnamed.com/blog/5-reasons-why-you-shouldn-t-self-diagnose/
NAMI. (n.d.). How to Seek Help. NAMI. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Kids-Teens-and-Young-Adults/Young-Adults/How-to-Seek-Help
Reyes, J. (n.d.). Gen-z romanticizes mental illness, it’s not good. The Wolfpack. Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://cphswolfpack.com/opinion/gen-z-romanticizes-mental-illness-and-its-not-good/
Thatcher, D. T. T. D. (2022, July 26). Dangers of self diagnoses. Highland Springs. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
What it means to romanticize mental illness – the meadowglade. The Meadowglade – Mental Health & Eating Disorder Treatment for Adults. (2022, April 27). Retrieved February 24, 2023, from https://themeadowglade.com/what-it-means-to-romanticize-mental-illness/
