THE INTERNET. What a wild yet magical place.

Have you ever been scrolling and realized “uhh… That post about *specific mental illness* feels a little too specific?

You are not alone. As a therapist who works with adolescents and young adults, I see this ALL OF THE TIME. Shoot, sometimes I even double take at these posts.

And I am here to tell you, it is possible that you have _____! It is also possible you do not. So what the heck do you do if the internet diagnoses you? Here is what you do.

Take a Deep Breath.

The internet is full of info - some reliable and some not. If you are relating to the specific symptoms described in a post online, just note what you are relating to with little judgement or assumptions.

Save the post. Turn the phone off. And take a big freaking breath. Because wow - that is a lot to process.

Ask “Do I trust the source?”

There are A LOT of craetors putting out mental health content... which is really cool, in my opinion. I love the movement to normalize. HOWEVER, when there are a lot of voices, the path for proper diagnosis can become confusing.

Focus on content from doctors, licensed therapists, and other professionals.

Some great questions to ask yourself are:

• Does this person have a degree in this field?

• Does this person have credible research?

• Does this person work in the field with first hand knowledge?

I do support the amazing content of MH influencers that do not fit the above criteria when:

• They have a proper diagnosis and are actively caring for their mental health.

• They focus on their own experience.

• They advocate for professional opinions (aka they do not diagnose folks online).

Remember: symptoms are only symptoms.

I get it. The posts are SO FREAKING VALIDATING. But just becuase you have some of the symptoms of a specific disorder does not mean you would meet all of the criteria. As a human, we will all experience "symptoms" of our brains being VERY human.

As a therapist, when someone brings up curiosity about a specific diagnosis, we crack open the DSM-V. This is a large book that tells mental health professionals exactly what factors are at play to constitute a proper diagnosis. The tricky part is, we can experience some of the symptoms of, for example, Depression, without fitting the criteria for a diagnosis to be necessary. Loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite, mood disturbances… All of these things are things we might see on a really shitty Tuesday.

HOWEVER - if these symptoms impact you in a way that you are like “Dude. I cannot function” then a treatment may be helpful. Diagnosis is only a small part of treatment AND you do not have to receive a formal diagnosis to begin a treatment plan with a therapist or other mental health professional.

Explore the path to proper diagnosis.

There are so many reasons folks may pursue diagnosis. Some of these reasons are:

• Curiosity about how they are functioning and if it is “normal”.

• They notice the symptoms impair a part (or parts) of their life significantly. (examples: missing work, strained relationships, difficulty completing hygiene, etc.)

• Validation is nice. Some folks literally just want confirmation.

These are really common reasons and thought processes that folks come to therapy for! It is only human to wonder. If you are curious about exploring some of the symptoms you relate to online, I recommend seeing a Psychiatrist, Psychologist, or licensed therapist. From there, you can explore what it would look like to not only identify symptoms, but to live a life where you feel that you have some control and understanding of them!

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Haleigh Culverhouse LCSW

Welcome!

My name is Haleigh, and I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Lake Jackson, Texas. My private practice is a safe and inclusive place for all. Whether you need to process an issue significantly impacting your life or explore more of your personality and who you are - you belong here.