Six years ago, I reached a milestone in my mental health journey when I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression. I found that receiving my diagnosis from a professional has put me in a place of privilege.
The path to diagnosis is not easy, and many experiencing symptoms of a mental health disorder struggle to find a support system or acquire the professional care they need. Instead, people turn to their own research, resulting in self-diagnosis. I believe self-diagnosis should be a tool for resolution rather than a sometimes ineffective way to address your mental health.
In some cases, I believe self-diagnosis can be effective when used for the right purposes. Getting tested for a mental disorder can be expensive and time-consuming. The reality of American healthcare is that not everyone has the luxury of being properly treated. Discovering a diagnosis on your own can be a tool for becoming more aware of your symptoms and allow you to feel confident enough talking to a doctor. In my eyes, engaging in self-diagnosis, in this way, can be effective.
While I am a supporter of making progress toward resolving mental health symptoms, I am not an advocate for self-diagnosing with minimal information. This can blur the lines between advocating for your own mental health and deflecting. Unfortunately, as discourse on a plethora of mental health disorders grows, I see more of this than actual self-advocacy. The biggest perpetrators typically can be found on social media platforms like TikTok, specially those creating misinterpreted videos about OCD. While OCD can affect everyone differently, there are clear stereotypes formed about the disorder, and people tend to throw the diagnosis around carelessly, continuing to spread harmful rhetoric about OCD.
The biggest and most common misinterpretation of OCD is that it’s an “obsessive cleaning disorder.” While cleaning can tie into the disorder, it’s not a main part of it. However, self-diagnosis is routinely wielded by people simply because they consider themselves “clean freaks.” By totally rewriting the reality of this symptom, people are preventing positive awareness of the disorder.
I have encountered people who don’t know the characteristics of OCD because social media and other forms of entertainment have completely transformed people’s perception of the disorder. While stereotypes in media might seem minor, there have been times I’ve felt invalidated because I’ve seen my disorder presented as a “little quirk,” and I’m sure I’m not alone.
I also believe many people use self-diagnosis to cover up their mental health struggles without taking proper steps to address their needs. I’ve seen people use self-diagnosis to solely normalize their condition rather than obtain help, which can ultimately, be incredibly harmful. In the past, I myself have occasionally refused treatment. However, in the long run, it’s important to seek treatment if you are able instead of willingly allowing your disorder to impact yourself and those around you.
I believe improper use of self-diagnosis happens far too often, with media and online discourse playing a major role in its normalization. Self-diagnosing for self-advocacy is beneficial, but only when you plan to use the process to help improve your symptoms and explore your mental health needs. You shouldn’t be using self-diagnosis to seek a label; you should be using it as a tool for a resolution to mental health challenges.
