Any thoughts on Self-Diagnosing?

[Pinkamena Diane Pie]

Autistic people are just arrogant and use pedantic words and think they're smarter then doctors and shit. You have to be a special type of retarded to diagnose yourself retarded when even professionals don't think you are.

What if the professionals are just guessing themselves because they refuse to check based on age?

Again, I heard from my doc that a patient of his was screwed up with years after being forced on prednisone. The doctor was correct, he had Crohn`s disease. However, the original doctor refused to give him medication and a colonoscopy to prove it because he was 12 and the doctor was in an adult facility. (Many doctors here for that specialized area are given children because of the shortage of pediatric GI)

 

[bradsternum]

Generally, no. Not because you're not a professional. Professionals get it wrong all the fucking time. But web access has enabled an entire population of hypochondriacs to confirm their impending deaths.

(I'm one of those morons. Swear to Christ I thought my appendix was exploding four times last year.)

 

[sugoi-chan]

Early on, in the first few years of the AIDS epidemics, patients often knew a lot more than their doctors and often had to educate them (shitlords!) during the course of an exam. The reason for this was that the medical establishment was pretty slow in response to AIDS and that it was a disease that was affecting a very vocal, very activist minority. So there were ways for people at risk to learn about the disease - in explicitly medical terms too.

This only lasted a few years. By 88-89, the medical establishment had caught up. AIDS was in the public consciousness and doctors were being educated in this disease. It was really no longer necessary for patients to have to self-diagnose and inform their doctors. This was a pretty specific series of events that led to this: an epidemic that primarily affected a small minority notable for self-help activism, an underfunded CDC, and a group of medical research institutions that were not coordinated in studying this epidemic. Because of this confluence of factors, self-diagnosis was vital. It's not going to be the same for the alphabet soup of conditions that tumblrinas like to wear like badges of honor that have been studied and understood for decades.

That said, diagnosis is still tricky and there are lots of medical professionals who confess to not being great at it. Especially when patients are notoriously bad at describing symptoms.

 

[Dr.Research]

I'm speaking only for mental/neurological disorders.
IMHO: 2% potentially helpful, 98% potentially harmful.

While it's great how much there is out there when it comes to understanding and putting a name on things, I think it should ultimately left to professionals. Yes, no one knows your body/mind like you do, there's more to diagnosis than 'I read a list of depression symptoms and I think I'm depressed'.

"But wait!" - I hear you cry, "I can't afford to see a professional!" or "I live with my family/am underage/live in the middle of nowhere/can't get to appointments and THAT'S why I self-diagnose!"
I can't offer a fix to all those problems, but here's some advice. I can say that a lot of psychologists (at least the ones who don't take insurance) sometimes are willing to talk about their fees and agree on a lower rate. It also helps if you can take up a time slot that's sometimes hard for a shrink to schedule (such as early mornings). These are especially applicable to college kids since psychologists know you're broke and can possibly arrange your schedule to fit that 9am session. Plus a lot of clientele is by recommendation and word of mouth so a psychologist building a rappot is a great thing. And even if Dr. $ can't treat you, maybe they can refer you to Dr. ₵ .

Back on track, I don't put much stock into self-diagnosis, especially 'hot' ones like autism. I understand not everyone can get properly diagnosed, but I also think if it's a big enough issue, you'll do something about it.
I tend to also notice that self-diagnosis often goes hand-in-hand with a lack of trying and self-pity. Like, 'oh, I'm self-diagnosed with anxiety disorder and I can't make phone calls so I can't function and this world is so mean and unaccommodating'.

I just don't think it's a healthy practice and shouldn't really be encouraged.

 

[Pinkamena Diane Pie]

I'm speaking only for mental/neurological disorders.
IMHO: 2% potentially helpful, 98% potentially harmful.

While it's great how much there is out there when it comes to understanding and putting a name on things, I think it should ultimately left to professionals. Yes, no one knows your body/mind like you do, there's more to diagnosis than 'I read a list of depression symptoms and I think I'm depressed'.

"But wait!" - I hear you cry, "I can't afford to see a professional!" or "I live with my family/am underage/live in the middle of nowhere/can't get to appointments and THAT'S why I self-diagnose!"
I can't offer a fix to all those problems, but here's some advice. I can say that a lot of psychologists (at least the ones who don't take insurance) sometimes are willing to talk about their fees and agree on a lower rate. It also helps if you can take up a time slot that's sometimes hard for a shrink to schedule (such as early mornings). These are especially applicable to college kids since psychologists know you're broke and can possibly arrange your schedule to fit that 9am session. Plus a lot of clientele is by recommendation and word of mouth so a psychologist building a rappot is a great thing. And even if Dr. $ can't treat you, maybe they can refer you to Dr. ₵ .

Back on track, I don't put much stock into self-diagnosis, especially 'hot' ones like autism. I understand not everyone can get properly diagnosed, but I also think if it's a big enough issue, you'll do something about it.
I tend to also notice that self-diagnosis often goes hand-in-hand with a lack of trying and self-pity. Like, 'oh, I'm self-diagnosed with anxiety disorder and I can't make phone calls so I can't function and this world is so mean and unaccommodating'.

I just don't think it's a healthy practice and shouldn't really be encouraged.

Strangely, there ARE programs that would help them if they needed it. Here, it's CMU (Case Management Unit) While not free, it provides everything that's needed for...anything. For mental health, there is no excuse when it comes to that. (Unless your diagnosed already and they refuse to treat it. But that's entirely different)

My sister got her bipolar medication from there until she had access to medicaid. No excuse for that unless you are out of range in terms of qualification.

 

[Dr.Research]

Strangely, there ARE programs that would help them if they needed it. Here, it's CMU (Case Management Unit) While not free, it provides everything that's needed for...anything. For mental health, there is no excuse when it comes to that. (Unless your diagnosed already and they refuse to treat it. But that's entirely different)

My sister got her bipolar medication from there until she had access to medicaid. No excuse for that unless you are out of range in terms of qualification.

My university has full therapeutic services for free (granted, it's meant to be short term, but that usually what people need).
I just know those little tips from what my clinical professor told me.

Like I said, if it's a real issue that you want help with, you'll find a way. Yea, you can't collect pity points on the Internet and whine about how everything is triggering and the world isn't understanding enough, but at least you'll be getting better (which, from my experience, self-diagnose-ers don't want since it makes them less speshul).

 

[Bugaboo]

If you think you have something it's best to ask an actual doctor you trust who has years of experience and went through medical school rather than asking the internet.
But honestly, unless you're super fucked up and you're also an adult finding out if you have autism is fairly useless because you probably won't be able to get services to help you out because it seems to get help in adulthood you have to be really autistic like to the point you can't function in society or take care of yourself.
As for things like schizophrenia, depression, severe anxiety and other things you should talk to a doctor about because you actually can get help for those things in adulthood.
Protip Tumblristas: You don't have schizophrenia because you're probably like 13-18 and if you had it at that age you'd fucking know (and it almost never happens) Also you don't have DID and you don't have multiple personalities
Anyway, it can be useful to do if you are going to consult a doctor to be properly diagnosed so you can get services and help and not use it as a retarded label because mental illnesses and developmental disabilities are not fun and cool

 

[Dr.Research]

If you think you have something it's best to ask an actual doctor you trust who has years of experience and went through medical school rather than asking the internet.
But honestly, unless you're super fucked up and you're also an adult finding out if you have autism is fairly useless because you probably won't be able to get services to help you out because it seems to get help in adulthood you have to be really autistic like to the point you can't function in society or take care of yourself.
As for things like schizophrenia, depression, severe anxiety and other things you should talk to a doctor about because you actually can get help for those things in adulthood.
Protip Tumblristas: You don't have schizophrenia because you're probably like 13-18 and if you had it at that age you'd fucking know (and it almost never happens) Also you don't have DID and you don't have multiple personalities
Anyway, it can be useful to do if you are going to consult a doctor to be properly diagnosed so you can get services and help and not use it as a retarded label because mental illnesses and developmental disabilities are not fun and cool

Someone on tumblr posted a great perspective on how a lot of the "mentally ill" community there has such problems with people with actual, diagnosed problems getting better and seeking help. Suddenly when you try to help yourself and be able to function you're some horrible person. And if you try and offer legitimate help or link actual fucking therapeutic exercises it's written off as "neurotypical" and you're insensitive (I've seen that for myself).

A bit off topic but someone posted a thing about neurotypicals and people with autism. Apparently people with autism created fire and all neurotypical people invented was eye contact and manners.
Basic manners like please and thank you being too constrictive and too hard for autists to comprehend, as you know.

 

[Pinkamena Diane Pie]

My university has full therapeutic services for free (granted, it's meant to be short term, but that usually what people need).
I just know those little tips from what my clinical professor told me.

Like I said, if it's a real issue that you want help with, you'll find a way. Yea, you can't collect pity points on the Internet and whine about how everything is triggering and the world isn't understanding enough, but at least you'll be getting better (which, from my experience, self-diagnose-ers don't want since it makes them less speshul).

Strangely, I never really seen a person try faking a physical disability. It's always mental. The One time I have, it was for money and (not to be ENTIRELY rude) with what she ate and her size, I really didn't believe she had Crohn`s. (Though, she admitted she was lying)

Though, I really don't think people can get away with hiding noticeable changes. Self diagnosing works better for physical ailments than mental. Especially if the symptoms are for a long period of time. (When I did it, I was already tested for everything possible without needing major checks)

I mean, if it's something serious, you should be on your way to checking. (Why are you bleeding for months but in a place not normally? It's hard to truly say your crazy for linking two and two together)

 

[Dr.Research]

Strangely, I never really seen a person try faking a physical disability. It's always mental. The One time I have, it was for money and (not to be ENTIRELY rude) with what she ate and her size, I really didn't believe she had Crohn`s. (Though, she admitted she was lying)

Though, I really don't think people can get away with hiding noticeable changes. Self diagnosing works better for physical ailments than mental. Especially if the symptoms are for a long period of time. (When I did it, I was already tested for everything possible without needing major checks)

I mean, if it's something serious, you should be on your way to checking. (Why are you bleeding for months but in a place not normally? It's hard to truly say your crazy for linking two and two together)

Mental illness is easier to fake and I think after a while, people are to believe it. I also think some people get a kick from (rightly) not being believed but finding people who will gladly shower them with positive reinforcement and tell them how brave they are that they showered.
If I had to guess, if everyone who self-diagnosed went to a qualified professional, I'd bet most, or at least a majority, of the cases would either be fake or highly exaggerated. Or hell, even the self-diagnose-r just diagnosed the wrong ailment.

 

[Pinkamena Diane Pie]

Someone on tumblr posted a great perspective on how a lot of the "mentally ill" community there has such problems with people with actual, diagnosed problems getting better and seeking help. Suddenly when you try to help yourself and be able to function you're some horrible person. And if you try and offer legitimate help or link actual fucking therapeutic exercises it's written off as "neurotypical" and you're insensitive (I've seen that for myself).

A bit off topic but someone posted a thing about neurotypicals and people with autism. Apparently people with autism created fire and all neurotypical people invented was eye contact and manners.
Basic manners like please and thank you being too constrictive and too hard for autists to comprehend, as you know.

That's why I am torn. For mental health, it's shit. But it can be useful when you are doing everything to get a physical diseases checked so while you figure out, the pain lessen. (Though, it's advised if done, when you have had a fair number of tests. After 7 tests ranging from embarrassing to imaging, I got the idea that they were just trying to find hope that it wasn't it because family history didn't have it. But I wasn't sick prior and I didn't have whatever my intolerance was. Those being the only options and it seemed fairly certain at that point those weren't the ones causing issue)

Mental illness is easier to fake and I think after a while, people are to believe it. I also think some people get a kick from (rightly) not being believed but finding people who will gladly shower them with positive reinforcement and tell them how brave they are that they showered.
If I had to guess, if everyone who self-diagnosed went to a qualified professional, I'd bet most, or at least a majority, of the cases would either be fake or highly exaggerated. Or hell, even the self-diagnose-r just diagnosed the wrong ailment.

^^
It's hard to exaggerate facts though when it can be seen. (Again, they seriously thought I lied about being in massive pain. Turns out I had severe anemia and 5 day stay. Oddly, I was acting because I didn't think the pain was that bad when sitting. Though I wish it was the same for laying down. )

 

[Overcast]

If by self diagnosing, you mean recognizing something is wrong and seeking a professional for help, then I'm fine with it.

I do think people giving themselves labels or claiming they are "so and so" for attention and to feel like a special snowflake are ridiculous.

 

[DuskEngine]

If you feel frightened and out of control all the time, you have anxiety. You are qualified to make that determination about yourself.

You are not qualified to weigh in on whether it's generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, situational anxiety, or some other disorder with anxious features.

 

[女鬼]

(I'm one of those morons. Swear to Christ I thought my appendix was exploding four times last year.)

Believe me, when your appendix ruptures, you will know it.
Mostly because you'll be in too much pain to google the symptoms.

Self-diagnosis is shit.
If you don't have years' worth of medical knowledge delivered by an accredited institution (i.e. not WebMD), you aren't qualified to make a diagnosis. End story.

 

[Hyperion]

As much as I put stock in the opinions of professionals I've also heard some really dumb shit come out of their mouths. "You are angry at your mother because she kicked you out of the house because you wouldn't drop out of high school? You must hate women."

Actually something that was said to me by a professional. Because I decided to stay in High School and try to graduate (I did) instead of dropping out.

 

[Yawning Bulbasaur]

Believe me, when your appendix ruptures, you will know it.
Mostly because you'll be in too much pain to google the symptoms.

Self-diagnosis is shit.
If you don't have years' worth of medical knowledge delivered by an accredited institution (i.e. not WebMD), you aren't qualified to make a diagnosis. End story.

When I had appendicitis at 17, I thought at first that I was having a bowel obstruction or a muscle spasm

 

[Pinkamena Diane Pie]

As much as I put stock in the opinions of professionals I've also heard some really dumb shit come out of their mouths. "You are angry at your mother because she kicked you out of the house because you wouldn't drop out of high school? You must hate women."

Actually something that was said to me by a professional. Because I decided to stay in High School and try to graduate (I did) instead of dropping out.

"Are you sure you want to go through unnecessary procedures?" -Told by a doctor that I was lying.

Kinda hard to misconstrue excessive pain and bleeding. Turns out I had UC. Totally lying.

 

[女鬼]

When I had appendicitis at 17, I thought at first that I was having a bowel obstruction or a muscle spasm

Appendicitis is one thing- an inflammation of the appendix.
Your appendix actually rupturing is another: it is a complication of appendicitis and leads to peritonitis, which is a far more serious condition.


A clarification regarding what I said previously- doctors are absolutely not infaillible and can misdiagnose you. I'm sure we all have stories about that.
But one should still leave diagnoses to medical professionals.

Being able to tell something is wrong with you is one thing, but actual diagnosis has to be based on medical knowledge.

 

[autisticdragonkin]

I once self diagnosed myself with crohn's disease and it turned out I had mild constipation
I once self diagnosed myself with tuberculosis and it turned out I had tonsilitis
I once self diagnosed myself with leukemia and it turned out I had sleep deprication
I once self diagnosed myself with non hodgkin's lymphoma and it turned out I had a bug bite

 

[lemongrab]

There is exactly one time I'm okay with self-diagnosing, and that's when there's a clear physical issue that one doctor misses and/or refuses to fix, and you get it checked out by another doctor for a second opinion. It helps when you say "I know Dr. X didn't think this, but I disagree with the diagnosis and here's why, and I think my symptoms are closer to Z condition."

I had a torn ligament, and the Dr. X in my case opened me up to try to find it, but "couldn't see it," after 2 MRIs and pain consistent with a torn ligament. Another doctor opened me up 6 months later, and the joint needed to be completely worked on, as I was near losing complete use of it.