In society it has become common for students to self-diagnose themselves or their friends with different mental disorders or diseases. Self-diagnosing is when someone identifies or claims that they have a medical condition without a doctor’s official declaration.

It is okay to be self-aware and concerned if a person truly believes that they have a medical condition they are suffering from. In cases of self-diagnosis, however, it can be offensive to those who are suffering from the disease, and dangerous to the ones that are diagnosing themselves.

Senior Eric Topolewski comments, “It bothers me when people say they suffer from something and they really don’t… because they don’t know the real struggle of the people that actually are suffering from diseases and they are belittling them.”

Not only is self-diagnosing potentially offensive, it can be dangerous as well. Doctors say that it is not healthy to self-diagnose because you might be wrong. If a student self-diagnoses themselves, they might incorrectly diagnose them self  with a mental disease. It is always best to see a doctor and get a professional’s opinion on whether or not something is wrong with someone.

Junior Dy’aviah Bradley says, “It is probably really dangerous to self-diagnose without getting a second opinion. I remember I was watching CNN and they were saying if you believe something is wrong with you for a long period of time, it stresses out your brain out and then you can possibly [convince yourself that you have the disease].”

Teenagers often say the phrase, “I’m so OCD.” Chances are the student means no harm by the phrase, but in truth it can do a lot of damage to someone who is actually suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).

Junior Jessica Moss says, “I have suffered from clinical depression for three years now. When I hear students say ‘I have depression’ and they don’t really mean it, it irritates me because they don’t understand the weight of those words. For me personally, the weight of those words are heavy because in my mind they are saying it in a negative way and it can remind me that there is something wrong with me.”

For students that feel as though they are suffering from a mental disorder, it is suggested that they make a list of their symptoms and see a doctor.