#anti self-diagnosis

[the-siberian-wolf]

Self-diagnosis isn't valid

I'd also like to make something clear about neurodivergent online spaces: self-diagnosing doesn't exist. You can't self-diagnose, you lack the medical and psychological knowledge to properly evaluate yourself. Not even medics are allowed to self-diagnosed themselves.

Yes, I'm aware of all the arguments in favour, but they're meaningless. I recognize not everyone can afford it, but that's not excuse to go around saying you have autism, ADHD, bipolar...etc.

If anything, you may say 'I suspect I have x thing', and even then it shouldn't be taken as an affirmation.

I'm talking about all online communities, not only tiktok. They all have that hurtful conception of 'self-diagnosis'. And no, it isn't valid.

Suspecting and self-diagnosing are two different things. And as I already said, a random person can't diagnose themselves, no matter how many online quizzes they did, how many articles they've read, how many people they relate to (sometimes, to other 'self-diagnosers, which only makes it worse, creating an echo chamber of self-validation) or whatever.

[sapphia]

autism screening quizzes will be like “do you take things too literally” and then ask fifty of the worst-worded questions ever dreamt up by man

[actuallyverynormalbtw]

i dont like to talk about self-diagnosis because i dont enjoy people making assumptions about me, my illnesses, and my diagnostic status. but i will say:

i have self diagnosed and gone on to be medically validated with an official diagnosis. multiple times actually. i was never wrong about my self-diagnoses.

however, i have been misdiagnosed by professionals FIVE TIMES. and let me tell you, a professional diagnosis being wrong is far more harmful than a self-diagnosis being wrong.

if your self diagnosis is wrong, maybe you used the wrong language or put yourself in a box or now feel invalid and whatnot. but if your professional diagnosis is wrong, it can lead to abuse, medical trauma, panic attacks, issues with medication, even suicide.

i was misdiagnosed with BPD when i was 15 by a psychologist that i spoke to for hardly even 10 minutes. this diagnosis was based on my parent's description of my reactions to abuse, and the diagnosis was used to validate and excuse their abuse.

i was misdiagnosed with MDD when i was 12 and put through several different types of anti-depressants. we never found anything that worked, because it was actually ADHD and dissociation, but i did end up with panic attacks and insomnia all throughout middle/highschool!

when i self-diagnosed with autism however, it saved my life. it took me out of active suicidality because i was able to finally able to accept myself after years of feeling like i am just "being a person wrong". i had the knowledge to accomodate for myself and the language to advocate for myself. this was life changing. even if i was wrong, which i wasnt, i dont see how it couldve caused any harm.

my opinions on self-diagnoses arent black and white, and im not entirely settled on them either, but i do think this is important to understand. doctors and psychologists are not all knowing. we live in a time where we can access thousands of dollars worth of university level education on the internet, even the same exact resources medical students use. plenty of people are capable of interpreting themselves and that information to come to a conclusion about what they are experiencing and what might help.

sure, self-diagnosis might be biased. but a professional is most likely going to be just as biased, and possibly less aware of it. its just silly to use bias as a primary argument when it is an inescapable feature of human psychology. there is a reason ADHD is underdiagnosed in women. there is a reason anxiety disorders are underdiagnosed in men.

an incorrect self-diagnosis wont take away resources or your space in your comminities. but professional misdiagnosis can cause real damage.

(i am not trying to fear-monger about professional diagnosis, moreso responding to the fear-mongering surrounding self-diagnosis)

[thescreamcorner]

Stop. Fearmongering. Mental Health Diagnosis.

In the majority of cases:

You cannot be forced into inpatient just for receiving a diagnosis.

You cannot be forced into any type of treatment just for receiving a diagnosis.

You cannot be deemed legally incompetent just for receiving a diagnosis.

You won't lose legal rights just for receiving a diagnosis.

You can't be denied life saving medical care just for receiving a diagnosis.

Diagnosis is time consuming and stressful, but its not a fucking death sentence. Its a gateway to proper treatment, and it's insanely dangerous to spread misinformation about health care to justify anti recovery sentiments.

Pushing people away from evaluations they need has the potential to KILL THEM.

Dont put that blood on your hands.

[theinfernalcollective]

"We're self diagnosed because-"

No. If you are not a trained psychologist or psychiatrist you should not be diagnosing yourself. (Psych's and psychologists can't even diagnose themselves) Yes, I understand money can be an issue and that some cannot afford to see a specialist to be diagnosed. But that comes to the point where you shouldn't be saying "oh I have DID" or "I have OSDD" when in reality you might actually not and shouldn't go around saying such.

"Oh but you can self diagnose a cold! That's how you know!"

Yep. You can self-dx a cold. You cannot however self-dx a complex dissociative disorder. (The difference is one is physical and something you get countless times throughout your life.)

- Vayu

[chaoticautie]

Me: I’m autistic

Person: Are you diagnosed?

Me: Well it’s been confirmed by more than one professional, my old diagnosis was written on paper for my IEP but it’s outdated now (Asp*rger’s), I’ve scored very high on almost every autism test out there, and a lot of my teachers, friends, and some of my family members have suspected it

Person: Okay, but are you diagnosed NOW?

Me: …No?

Person: Then you’re not autistic.

[rx-aqoiz]

there is no point to 'self diagnose' yourself with anything if you have no incentive to seek medical assistance or atleast do any other forms of self help and inner healing. at that point you're simply looking for a label to identify yourself with as if it's a personality trait, and not an actual disability. it's trashy at best, anti recovery at worst.

[ontheoutside-lookingin]

Clinical misdiagnosis is more common than self misdiagnosis. Just for the record, in case anyone is still skeptical of self diagnosis :) it’s not up for debate btw

[edible-emerald]

"I have autism."

"Are you diagnosed?"

"Not yet."

"You're not autistic."

??? Like do I just stop having the disorder until I'm diagnosed???

[chronicsymptomsyndrome]

Never expected this many notes and all the tags are breaking my heart so I want to say something—

I’m so sorry if you were not taken seriously in your youth. I’m so sorry if you were denied the care and treatment you needed.

Please give yourself so much credit for surviving that.

I hope you heal from it all. I hope you get your needs met.

[pleaseletmeexist]

[daddyd0nt]

Self investigation is valid. Self Diagnosis is not.

[sysboxes]

[Text: This system is self diagnosed because they have been ignored by healthcare professionals]

Like/Reblog if you save or use!

[thescreamcorner]

Sometimes it's really really concerning how much anti-psychiatry and anti-recovery rhetoric exists-- and for once I'm not just talking about endos, but even within the OSDDID internetsphere, especially in actively pro self dx circles. It's not to say that you can't or shouldn't work on things away from a healthcare team, but with chronic and intensely debilitating disorders it is rare, if not impossible to fully be "fine" without help.

Like. If you're experiencing dissociative amnesia or memory/identity issues in general (even when caused by things as innocuously treated online like ADHD if it's at a debilitating level), you NEED someone who isn't affected by those things in order to have a sense of grounding and heal. And it's vital for that to be someone who has a baseline understanding of how dissociative disorders work.

My caseworker calls are sometimes the only thing giving me any sense of the passage of time, and she remembers things during calls that I completely forget or dissociate through. Not even my partner can consistently provide this because of her time blindness, vs the professional who reaches out, doesn't have a disorder affecting her memory, and takes notes during our calls.

My therapy visits, as infrequent as they've been lately, are some of the only reason why we've made progress toward one of our alters no longer making contact with our abusers when she fronts, and that fight isn't over yet. My partner can't stop her from doing it-- she'll wait until they're asleep. They also don't have the resources or bandwidth to address with her why doing this is bad, and if they intervene incorrectly it increases the chance that one day I wake up in another state.

I get from firsthand experience that healthcare, especially in the US, is notoriously inaccessible, and in some places the facilities available are full of inexperienced, incompassionate tools who don't care about their patients. But instead of using that as an excuse to stop trying, instead of pushing others into not seeking care and not trusting doctors, that needs to get channeled into finding and providing resources.

Many states have government funded healthcare available for those below the poverty line. Many facilities offer payment scaling plans even without insurance. A fair amount of insurance companies that "don't cover this" will make exceptions if you go through other channels and get professional referrals. It's not easy, it's not always free, and it's not fast. For those underage, it may be awhile before you can legally access it.

But for the love of all that is sacred on this burning planet, do NOT discourage trauma survivors from trying to get psychiatric help over the potential of a bad experience or a bad doctor. You are not helping people heal and learn to love themselves. You are creating paranoia and enforcing a regressive mentality that can prevent someone from reaching out before its too late.

[corinescorner]

Why is Researched Self Diagnosis Valid?

Access: Many people face financial, geographical, and/or systemic barriers to seeing a specialist or obtaining a professional diagnosis. Self-research are the best bet who face the lack of access.

Bias and Misdiagnosis: Healthcare systems and providers can show biases against minorities (racism, sexism, ableism, etc) or lack of knowledge about specific symptoms or conditions, leading to misdiagnoses.

Researching one's symptoms empowers the person, especially when talking to a healthcare professional. They can advocate for themselves a lot better, which can lead to even better outcomes. Recognizing patterns or issues early on, before a medical comfirmation, can prompt earlier lifestyle changes or management.

A person's lived experience can't be fully captured in a short, clinical interactions. Those with chronic or neurodivergent conditions can recognize patterns in their symptoms way before a professional would. Self-research can help validate these experiences.

Researched self-diagnosis is a valid and necessary thing for many, many individuals who need to navigate the barriers within the healthcare systems. It lets people become empowered to take control over their health, advocate for their needs, and recognize things that might go unnoticed in a professional setting.

While professional diagnosis remains important, self-diagnosis--when approached thoughtfully and informed--can help bridge the gaps in access, bias, and systemic issues.

[ocpder]

If you're diagnosed or not, telling undiagnosed people that they are not disabled unless they receive diagnosis, you are being ableist. A disability does not become real once it's written on a piece of paper, disabled people are disabled regardless of if they are diagnosed or not.