I never use tumblr but I've seen some shit recently and this site is a cess pool of quirky uwu dumb asses so
Heres a comprehensive list on what harms self dx does and why its not valid:
Self dx is never and will never be valid. You are not a therapist or doctor. You can do as much online research as you want for as long as you want BUT even every credible sources online of a disorder, as if it were possible to even read them all, is not even slightly CLOSE to a fucking YEAR of professional education.
Not to mention, no matter how much info you consume on a disorder you can't realisticly learn a sufficient amount abt every over lapping disorder. And even if, some how, you read every peice of media taught in med school on every disorder that it could be, you can't get treatment w/o a diagnosis so it's meaningless.
The purpose of a dx is mainly 3 things-
- organise symptoms in medical records
- provide most effective treatment
- separate symptoms from any other disorders you have
None of those things are "validate you". And none of those things can be done with out a professional. Sure you can do minimal self help-esq treatment at home, things like coping skills and self care.
But those things don't require any specific diagnosis. If you have panic attacks, you don't need a dx to be aware what grounding techniques work for you. But with treatment you receive at a dr, diagnosis DOES matter because different disorders respond diff to various meds and therapy. DBT is great for bpd, meds not so much. Do you DO need a dx to go to more intensive treatment you'd get with a dr or therapist.
And this isn't even mentioning the fact that self dx can give you mild symptoms of something you don't have if you belive they do. Its the nocebo effect. Sure it won't give you the disorder, but it can negatively effect you and enable or create bad behaviours and feelings.
It also hurts the communities of ppl with that dx when you incorrectly dx too, because whether or not you mean to, you represent that community once you tell them about it. If you display bad behaviour that isn't characteristic of it? People will associate that with the disorder. If you do something people with that dx are generally unable to do? People will start to expect that of ppl who really have it.
Ofc like, its bad People generalise those with disorders based on one persons actions and that needs to be fixed too, thats a major issue too, and that needs to be fixed too. However its not realistic for you to expect the world to bend to you needing validation for something you likely don't even have.
self diagnosis is at best, unhelpful. At worst harmful to the individual, the community, and the representation of the disorder.
I understand not everyone can see a doctor and I am 100% in favor of free health care. But lack of resources dosnt make you suddenly a doctor, it dosent make you deserving of inserting yourself into a community you most likely don't belong in.
