[ SECRET POST #3570 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3570 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 34 secrets from Secret Submission Post #510.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Re: "Self-dx" on Tumblr... (Please hear this out.)

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah. It's complicated. I think that some people probably self-diagnose correctly, some people self-diagnose incorrectly (and in a lot of cases this is probably more a question of, like, identifying yourself as someone with depression when you actually have bipolar, or something like that), and some people are trying to actively perform mental illness for whatever reason.

There are a few different things that I kind of try to keep in mind here.

First, I think that all diagnosis is imprecise on some level, and self-diagnosis, especially sincere self-diagnosis, isn't intrinsically incorrect. It's definitely less precise and more prone to errors, and should be taken by everyone, including the person involved, with a little bit of uncertainty. It should be understood as rougher and more general and less definite. But it can also be really helpful to start someone on their way towards self-understanding, and it can improve their lives to start getting a handle on what's going on in there head, and I would hate to ever dismiss people who are doing that. Especially since there are really legitimate reasons why accessing the mental health system can be difficult, especially in the United States. And ultimately, even diagnosis by mental health professionals can be incorrect and is an approximation. So I don't think it's wrong in itself.

Second, I think in general, the people who are trying to perform mental illness - which is probably the most "problematic" variety of self-diagnosis - are more to be pitied than despised. I think that's probably in itself indicative of some kind of pain or dysfunction. I'm not saying it's right by any means, and I think it should stop, but I don't think it's usually vicious or evil, either. People have some kind of profound issue with their self-conception, or some kind of deep need for external validation - I think those are the people who are really doing what you're talking about.

So are there times when you're more skeptical of someone's claim to mental illness? Yeah, absolutely. But I try to keep in mind that it's really not something that you can know for sure, and I think there are very few times when it's really my business to try to call someone out on it anyway, so I mostly keep my counsel to myself, I guess.

That's just how I think about it.