Diagnosed by WEBmd

Diagnosed by Web-MD Diagnosed by Web-MD

Some people are able to have the privilege to be diagnosed by professionals and fully get the support they need. But others go through self-diagnosis in order to say what is going on with them. Through that, it is a question of whether it’s valid or toxic to others. Is it okay to self-diagnosis depending on the situation?

By Brianna Bowers

Mental illnesses have become recognized as a very important part of an individual’s health, especially because mental conditions come in various forms and are different for everyone.

Many individuals are given the opportunity to make an appointment to see a medical with one or multiple illnesses.However, there are many others who are unable to receive a diagnosis from a medical professional in fear of discrimination or a lack of access. So, they turn to self-diagnosing as a last resort to explain the symptoms of each condition they may be experiencing.

This has become a controversial topic, especially because of social media. The online self-diagnosing community can be seen as toxic because some people simply selfdiagnose based on small details which others use to invalidate those actually diagnosed.

It has become easy to self-diagnose, as there are many outlets of information regarding each condition online. Anne Johnson, a senior education major, self-diagnose, one of which can be through info-graphs spread through social media. “The aesthetically pleasing info graphs, if you so habitual and normal,” says Johnson.

One other way people self-diagnose is with Web-MD or other medical diagnosis websites.

What is wrong with using these sites to diagnose is that there are so many symptoms for each individual illness/disease that correlate. This makes it important to seek actual medical attention so you can be treated correctly because each illness has a different treatment style.

An alternative is to see a counselor or therapist, so they are able to point you in the right direction.

There are also times where you may have a actually have the illness itself. For example,

with OCD, you may have the tendency for it by having a fear of being dirty or fear that you did not turn off the curling iron, but that does not mean you actually have it.

This causes some hostility as those with diagnosing as invalid and potentially over exaggerating symptoms. “The thing that should be changed is not us opening up to self-diagnosis,” Johnson said. “It’s the health care system in of itself that needs to be changed to allow people who self-diagnose to get the help that they need. [Access to] professional help is what’s most important.”

Although self-diagnosis can be thought of as controversial and toxic, there are many especially those where it’s their only option.

Sarah Perez, a sophomore political science major, mentions that it is not her business to or self-diagnosed, and that “people know themselves best.”

correcting and self-soothing ways to deal with anxiety or depression [or other illnesses],” Perez said.

The observations that can be made through self-diagnosis can truly be a helpful experience, especially if it is not extreme depending on the mental health condition. through their own research and self-soothing ways. The main point is that self-diagnosing yourself can be valid in certain circumstances, especially when it’s meant to help you learn diagnosis.

In other circumstances, it can be considered harmful if there is an over exaggeration of the illness, especially seen on social media where people will self-diagnose based on what other

In which case, Perez brings up accommodations meant for those who have documented proof of diagnosis which could potentially be taken advantage of.

“I don’t think people with self-diagnosis should have the same access to resources, understand why that has to be documented,” said Perez.

The validity of the self-diagnosis depends on the individual. Some people can use it to better self-soothe without seeking medical treatment.

It can also be used as a way for people to observe themselves before bringing the situation up to a medical professional.

Self-diagnosing is a phenomenon that is valid in situations such as fear of discrimination prominent in the medical community or a lack of resources. There is aid in being able to work and better help yourself through personal observation.