Are We Over-diagnosing Mental Illnesses?

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Whether it’s a family member, friend, or coworker, or just someone you walk past every day, the chances that you know someone with a mental illness is pretty high. At the top of my head, I can already name several people I know who struggle with a mental disorder, one of them being my sister. However, as the youngest of my family, I really didn’t notice anything amiss. I enjoy interacting with these people. For some, the topic of mental illness is forbidden. Something that is deeply personal to them. But for others, it’s a topic they’re quite excited to discuss. It was always a learning experience whenever we settled on the topic of mental illness. I would hear about these people’s struggles, and how at times the rest of the world seemed so far away. So, when the UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting claimed mental health conditions were being over-diagnosed, these people I know were understandably outraged. And I agree with their frustration. If anything, I believe there are not enough people getting diagnosed.


Despite the recent trends pushing towards acceptance and better care, the stigma surrounding mental illnesses remains at large, causing many people to become fearful of a diagnosis. According to Evans et al., “49% of U.S. adults said they would not date someone with a mental illness, 33% agreed that people with mental illness scared them, and 39% indicated that they would view someone differently if they found out that they had a mental illness.” (2) The large percentages remain, even after the push for change. And the people questioning if they have a mental illness are aware of this. They’re aware the second they get a diagnosis; the country will look at them differently. The second that person gets a diagnosis; they’re going to be tied down to a label that some can never look past. As a result, these people retreat. They are forced to hide their symptoms and thoughts just to have a chance at the unrestricted and fulfilling life they want. And because of this belief and fear, these people never receive any diagnosis.


There is also the factor of embarrassment and self-stigmatization once someone begins to realize or question if they have a mental illness. Just coming to terms with the fact that something is not right, and they need help is a battle. For example, in my psychopathology class, we watched a video about the impacts of OCD. The man discussed how he felt ashamed of his actions and thinking. He would often experience intrusive thoughts, such as harming others or himself or sexual thoughts about strangers. Ashamed and horrified of himself, the man would lock himself at home and avoid going out in public. Along with these intrusive thoughts, he would also experience compulsions such as shutting the door a designated number of times or else people will be harmed. Resisting these urges resulted in severe stress, fear, and heightened intrusive thoughts. Even when the man could not help these thoughts and compulsions, he still believed they defined who he was during a period of his life. He did not want anyone to know about his struggles, so he distanced himself from family, friends, and the public. He found the idea of a diagnosis so daunting and humiliating that he refused to ever get one for many years.

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And even if some of those questioning people do try to get a diagnosis, a handful of obstacles lie in the way. Coombs et al. stated that “approximately one-fifth of U.S. adults with MHC still lack a usual source of care, and more than half report affordability-related barriers to accessing healthcare... the cost of healthcare in the U.S. continues to rise, un- and under insurance rates remain elevated” (2). In the context of mental illnesses, this is especially important to remember. Without a usual source of care, someone may not try to get help at all due to the unpredictability of the situation. They will have to communicate with complete strangers about personal information, and they will have to deal with the process of finding a place that accepts their insurance and seems suitable enough. People may not be able to afford this time and stress, and they will not seek help. Along with this someone’s insurance may not cover the treatment, and they cannot afford to pay out-of-pocket. Or the person chooses to avoid a diagnosis or treatment entirely in hopes of saving money for the larger worries in life. As a result, these people are forced to grapple with the symptoms of a potential illness, and they remain unidentified in the statistics. They could never even try to get a diagnosis because of high costs, insurance problems, and the amount of uncertainty in the situation.

Another reason as to why mental illness most often goes undiagnosed is due to skewed perceptions and awareness. Recently, social media has attempted to play a large role in educating and spreading awareness of mental disorders. For example, you can go on TikTok, explore the hashtag “mental illness”, and receive countless results of people discussing the criteria of mental illnesses. And while it may appear like a good thing on the surface, this activity easily leads to dangerous and misleading outcomes. Corzine et al. states that “Within online mental health communities, diagnoses can be adjudicated by the users themselves and are no longer bound by the definitions of the DSM.” (3) By no longer adhering to the DSM, these people are free to spin normal human emotions or experiences into serious causes of concern. What was once a typical case of sadness or grief is now depression according to some of these creators. And when these creators get this belief that they do have a mental illness, despite never seeking a professional, they eagerly share it with their unassuming audience. As a result, this audience is fed misinformation after misinformation. And if this misinformation aligns with what the audience’s experiences or feelings? Now they have a mental illness, too, because their trusted creator said so. Whether or not some people in that audience actually did have a mental illness is something we’ll never know because they would never try to consult with a professional. An actual and proper diagnosis would never be given because these people believe they already have enough proof.

Professionals are also not without their challenges when it comes to diagnosing a mental illness. Bradford et al. Says: “In a study of children and adolescents, 18% of anxiety disorder diagnoses were missed by clinicians compared with 1% that were false positives” (4). A high and alarming percentage for something as impactful as a mental illness. This begs the question of just how many people walked away believing their worries and concerns were unfounded, and that their time was completely wasted. Perhaps that person did doubt the professional’s words, but because of the trust, they refused to question it and left quietly. Just how many people were left alone to struggle without their proper care and necessary treatment? Just how many people left feeling ashamed and embarrassed for having even questioned if they did have a mental disorder? This demonstrates that, even when people meet with a professional, there is still a risk that they still remain undiagnosed even when they do have a mental illness.

Overall, there are many barriers and thoughts surrounding a mental illness, causing many people to become fearful and avoidant of a diagnosis. Professionals also can have a difficult time trying to correctly diagnose something, further adding to the hesitancy and confusion many face. These factors greatly limit the amount of people actually able to receive a diagnosis. Making bold claims like mental illnesses are being over-diagnosed can only serve to increase the stigma and fear surrounding receiving a diagnosis and cause the amount of unseen people to increase.

Works Cited

Evans, Luke, et al. “The Relationships between Perceived Mental Illness Prevalence, Mental Illness Stigma, and Attitudes toward Help-Seeking.” Current Psychology, vol. 43, no. 2, Jan. 2024, p. 1806. EBSCOhost,

doi-org.columbiabasin.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12144-023-04329-2.

Coombs, Nicholas C., et al. “Barriers to Healthcare Access among U.S. Adults with Mental Health Challenges: A Population-Based Study.” SSM - Population Health, vol. 15, no. 2, June 2021, pp. 1–8, doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100847.

Snowden, Lonnie R., et al. “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Status and Community Functioning among Persons with Untreated Mental Illness.” Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, vol. 10, Sept. 2022, doi.org/10.1007/s40615-022-01397-1.

Bradford, Andrea, et al. “Diagnostic Error in Mental Health: A Review.” BMJ Quality & Safety, vol. 33, no. 10, Apr. 2024, p. bmjqs–2023-016996, doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2023-016996.

Corzine, Anjuli, and Ananya Roy. “Inside the Black Mirror: Current Perspectives on the Role of Social Media in Mental Illness Self-Diagnosis.” Discover Psychology, vol. 4, no. 1, Springer Science+Business Media, Apr. 2024, doi.org/10.1007/s44202-024-00152-3.