Scrolling through Instagram, do you find yourself checking all the boxes for depression? On Monday, you are convinced you have depression and by the next week, you have no doubt in mind that you suffer from PTSD.
Self-diagnosing is defined as, “ the process of diagnosing your illness, whether physical or mental, on the basis of past experiences or information available on popular media, such as the internet or books.”
While the internet is a boon, when it comes to self-diagnosing it is nothing but a bane. With information about mental health and mental illness, available easily and everywhere you scroll, it is difficult to not identify the symptoms.
While it is okay to want to understand a particular illness, diagnosing yourself with one has potentially devastating effects. Diagnosis is a complex process, especially in terms of mental illness. A trained professional might be able to help you distinguish between a panic attack and a panic disorder, the internet may not. Self-diagnosis may not only be about identifying symptoms. Individuals might also proceed to take steps in order to treat themselves. Such action might only complicate their current situation and may not lead to a resolution.
With self-diagnosis, the individual fails to recognize the subtleties or nuances that diagnosis entails. Moreover, the role of a mental health professional is devalued. Furthermore, it may cause even more worry and anxiety, making one believe that their condition is far more serious than it is. For example, some amount of daydreaming is normal and is not always maladaptive. Reading the symptoms online may have you convinced that you are experiencing a serious condition. Feeling anxious before the day of your exam does not necessarily mean you have anxiety disorder and being unable to sleep two nights in a row is not sufficient enough to receive a diagnosis of insomnia. Moreover, everyone has access to the internet and can post as per their will, even if it is not their area of expertise. Unfortunately, there is no means of verifying whether the person is actually as much of an “expert” as they claim to be.
If you believe you are suffering from a mental health condition or are experiencing distress, it might be a good idea to get in touch with a mental health professional. A professional is qualified and trained and understands the various aspects that play a role in diagnosis. Moreover, they help provide accurate information and if required can suggest a viable treatment plan as per the needs of the client. They can help anchor the client and provide a safe space. Two-minute reads, memes and snippets are not always enough to understand the subtleties of who we are or what is going on. While the internet seems to know all sorts of things, it at times does not have all the answers.
– Urveez Kakalia and Niharika Bhatia.