Wild Card

Self Diagnosis 

The internet has brought us many benefits to make our lives easier. Today, you can have your groceries brought straight to your door and video chat with your colleagues instead of going to work. Though there are many instances where the internet has allowed us to stay home, there is one place we must go in person to get the best results, the doctor. Some people avoid the doctor, whether to save money, fear, or stubbornness. Many times, this leads us to try to diagnose ourselves. Often, people worldwide are convinced they are dying from the common cold or have an incurable disease. Recently, instead of finding these things out online, social media users will diagnose others. Sometimes, these diagnoses can ring true, but they must be confirmed by a doctor.

Self-diagnosis is a dangerous trend on social media. Though there are some admirable qualities to educating others on disease and mental health, many convince themselves that they may have these diseases and don't. Also, misinformation regarding illness is spread online. Furthermore, they may self-diagnose themselves with the wrong condition, leaving the real culprit of their pain undiagnosed for a long time or becoming untreatable.  

According to the Highland Springs Specialty Clinic, self-diagnosis can become life-threatening:

"A brain tumor can cause changes in personality, as well as depression or psychosis - or if you self-diagnosis a panic disorder, you may miss the diagnosis of heart or thyroid issues. Another example is if you are experiencing common symptoms like a headache, your search results for potential causes can range from a brain tumor to simple dehydration. Self diagnosis is bad and is a dangerous practice, it you are experience worrying symptoms contact a doctor instead of being misled by the internet."

Although Google has acted as a "stand in doctor" for years, there is a new place people are looking for answers, not always intentionally. TikTok has many doctors that share symptoms and stories to help share awareness for illness; however, there are also people who 'advertise' illnesses to convince people they may have them. Sometimes, young social media users can develop symptoms after being confident of having a disease, even when they don't. 

Some symptoms are people's everyday habits that do not pertain to the disease. For example, the following TikTok lists symptoms such as fidgeting, indecision, energy bursts, or mood swings. Though these can be ADHD symptoms, this does not mean you have ADHD. Instead of trusting posts online, people must go see a doctor to get an official diagnosis.  

@alex_david44 Just couple of the traits I have with ADHD :) #alex_david44 #relatable #bekindtoeveryone #adhdtiktok #fyp ♬ Monsters, Inc - Gustav Lundgren & Unit

According to Everyday Health, there are ways to fact-check self-diagnosis TikToks: 

• "Can this person provide evidence for the claims they're making?"
• "Are their thoughts, ideas, or opinions based on more than one person's experience?"
• "Does the information they share stack up with other reliable and high-quality sources?"
• "Is this creator being paid by anyone who might influence their content?"

Of course, if the symptoms match some of your own, go see a doctor rather than trust your instincts or believe what you watch online. 

It is important to remember that there are doctors online that advocate for those with illnesses and are simply educating others. For example, Dr. Julie Smith is a Psychologist that uses TikTok to inform others how to deal with mental health. In the following video, she discusses what anxiety can make you think. Many may view this as a self-diagnosis post, but it isn't. She simply informs those that anxiety can affect your self-esteem and mental health. If someone sees this video and thinks they are anxious, they should see a professional and confirm their suspicions. 

@drjuliesmith

♬ Anti-Hero - Taylor Swift

Also, there are many TikTok influencers that claim to be doctors and will advocate for false treatment or illnesses. People should never take someone at their word when it comes to health.

Another danger that self-diagnosis leads to is self-medication. If those who self-diagnose don't see a professional, they will often take treatment into their own hands. Self-medication can include alcohol, opiates, marijuana, stimulates, and even food. There are several reasons wrong with self-medicating, one being adverse reactions to the medication. Also, self-medicating can worsen the condition one is trying to treat. Other negative reactions to self-medication include: 

• Incorrect self-diagnosis
• Delays in seeking appropriate medical advice and proper treatment
• Dangerous drug interaction
• Masking of severe diseases
• Risk of dependence and abuse

Once someone begins to self-medicate, they will face the battle of overcoming their disorder and fighting the results of addiction or a bad reaction to the medication. 

This trend may benefit you and help you discover some underlying health conditions, and that's great! However, it is only beneficial if a doctor gives you the diagnosis. Throughout this paper, I have mentioned the importance of seeing a doctor yourself multiple times, but this is because it is essential to your health. Self-diagnosis is dangerous, and people should be wary online. Also, knowing you may have an illness is only the first step to recovery and must not be taken into your own hands. If you believe you may have a mental health condition or disease, get a proper diagnosis and begin treatment safely.