With the rising prevalence of mental disorders has come an increase in self-diagnosis of mental disorders. The increased availability of the internet has allowed the average person to access tools such as the DSM and disorder screening tools (RAADS-R, PHQ-9) that were previously unavailable to the public. With these tools, the average person is able to arrive at a working diagnosis for their suspected issue without a professional's input.

Self-Diagnosis: How does it occur?

- Self-Diagnosis: Cost of Care
- Self-Diagnosis: Appointment Availability

Self-Diagnosis: Why does it occur?

Kroenke, K. (n.d.). PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). MDCalc. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/1725/phq9-patient-health-questionnaire9

‌RAADS-R. (2020, April 4). Embrace-Autism.com; Embrace Autism. https://embrace-autism.com/raads-r/

Rowan, K., McAlpine, D. D., & Blewett, L. A. (2013). Access And Cost Barriers To Mental Health Care, By Insurance Status, 1999–2010. Health Affairs, 32(10), 1723–1730. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0133

Weiner, S. (2022, August 9). A growing psychiatrist shortage and an enormous demand for mental health services. AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news/growing-psychiatrist-shortage-enormous-demand-mental-health-services

Self-Diagnosis: References

- Self-Diagnosis: How does it occur?
- Self-Diagnosis: Why does it occur?
- Self-Diagnosis: References

Grinnell College

Various health and life outcomes of mental disorders/mental illnesses. 

Mental Disorders/Mental Illnesses Outcomes

Regier, D. A., Kuhl, E. A., & Kupfer, D. J. (2013). The DSM‐5: Classification and criteria changes. World psychiatry, 12(2), 92-98.
https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20050

The DSM-5: Classification and criteria changes

Suicidal ideation, thoughts and attempts.

Suicidality

A small but growing literature has examined the health of transgender and gender diverse people, and data suggest that transgender and gender diverse people are at substantially elevated risk for various negative health outcomes compared to cisgender people (i.e., individuals whose sex assigned at birth matches their gender identity).

Differences in Mental Health Problems, Substance Use, Violence, and Related Psychosocial Factors in Youth and Young Adults Between Gender Minorities and Gender Conforming Populations

It is well known that sexual minority youth have more negative mental health outcomes than heterosexual youth. However, data suggests that there are important variations in mental health outcomes between certain minority identities as well.

Differences in Mental Health Outcomes within Sexual Minority Youth

Individuals with a disability experience many types of ableism in their daily lives: one type being microaggressions. Disabled adults who experience microaggressions regularly have lower mental health quality, increased negative affect, and higher somatic symptoms. These microaggressions sustain stereotypes and discrimination against marginalized groups. 

Ableist Microaggressions and the Mental Health of Disabled Adults

More and more students with disabilities are going to college. While this is an overall positive occurrence, research shows that individuals with a disability have overall lower mental health than their nondisabled peers. Students who receive professional and social support have better mental health and less academic issues. 

Mental Health and Professional Help-Seeking Among College Students with Disabilities

About ⅓ of people living on disability status are doing so as a result of a mental health disability. Living on disability is costly as well as encourages those with mental illness to become passive about their health and discourages hope of feeling better. Evidence - based treatments, while effective, are rarely discussed or researched. Policy is so important, but many do not view mental health and disability as areas that need policy improvement. Policy and treatment working in tandem can make or break the experience of having a disability. 

Mental Health Disability: An International Perspective 

While people who hold vulnerable identities are more likely to experience hardship, the highest levels of distress are felt by people whose identities intersect with other marginalized identities such as class, race, gender, and disability status. Not many people realize that this vulnerability extends to natural disasters primarily as a result of poverty, structural disadvantage, and social exclusion. 

The Effects of Disaster on the Mental Health of Individuals with Disabilities

Quality of life as a measure of overall well-being is a popular variable used in psychosocial research. Rarely, however, has it been used when assessing coping, specifically coping with chronic illness and/or a disability. Even less studied is the relationship between community level interventions and personal coping. 

Quality of Life and Coping With Chronic Illness and Disability: A Temporal Perspective

Mental Disorders and Self Diagnosis

Reference for A “Scar” of a Mental Disorder

A “scar” of a mental disorder is a term used to describe the lasting effect on the individual’s characteristic approach of feeling, thinking, and interacting with other people due to previously experiencing an acute psychological disorder like major depression disorder or psychosis. This lasting effect can be exhibited by an ongoing subthreshold manifestation of the psychological disorder, such as schizophrenia’s residual phase looking like the traits of schizotypal personality disorder. It can also be exhibited by the formation of new personality traits because of the experience or existence of the psychological disorder, such as developing the traits of dependent personality disorder due to previously experiencing psychotic episodes or recurring panic attacks.

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