The Consequences of Overdiagnosing Mental Issues

At PCH, we’re continually working to destigmatize mental issues, connect past trauma to present problems, and emphasize the importance of holistic treatment. A lot of the work we do in these areas involves undoing the damage caused by overdiagnosed—or misdiagnosed—mental “disorders.” While we recognize that diagnostic labels are necessary to a degree, we’re also witnesses to the damage overusing them can do to an individual’s psyche and the negative connotations disseminated throughout our society around these commonly misunderstood terms.

But what’s really the problem with overdiagnosing mental issues? After all, wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry? Here’s why that isn’t the case when approaching the diagnosis of a mental issue.

These Labels Never Really Go Away

The mental issues we focus on treating—namely OCD, anxiety, depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, and PTSD—are all considered lifetime diagnoses. In other words, when an individual is diagnosed as having one of these issues, there is no “cure” for them. While someone can learn to better manage symptoms and patterns, they ultimately have to deal with these challenges for the rest of their lives.

Misdiagnosing a lifetime diagnosis can be extremely dangerous for an individual whose suffering and challenges are in reality tied to another mental issue altogether. In today’s medical community, these diagnostic labels ultimately drive treatment programs. When someone ends up in a program for an issue they don’t actually have, they rarely make progress and may even regress if they grow disillusioned with treatment altogether.

At the same time, because these issues are lifetime diagnoses, it’s difficult to get someone to see themselves as anything other than what they’ve already been told they are. Part of this is the language our society uses to describe these issues. People are told, “You’re bipolar,” “You’re schizophrenic,” or “You’re depressed,” as though this statement is the defining feature of their identity. In reality, every person is much more than that, no matter the diagnosis.

Getting someone who has been repeatedly told they’re bipolar for years to acknowledge that they’re not actually bipolar can be as challenging—if not more so—as getting someone to reach out for help in the first place. But by then, much of the damage will have already been done. (To read more on this, here’s why emotional dysregulation is frequently misdiagnosed as bipolar.)

Overdiagnosis Can Lead to Mismedication

Not only are treatment programs designed around and driven by diagnostic labels—medication regimens are as well. Overdiagnosing mental issues frequently leads to mismedication. When that happens, an individual who’s taking medication for an issue they don’t have can get worse. These medications may come with adverse side effects and may exacerbate symptoms in individuals who are misdiagnosed. Ultimately, mismedication due to overdiagnosis can do more harm than no medication at all.

Overdiagnosis Feeds Social Stigmas

Overdiagnosing mental issues also fuels social stigmas around their inherent challenges and the experiences of people struggling with them. Have you ever heard someone claim that they’re “a little OCD” because they like things in a particular order? Having an eye for detail or preferring that something be a certain way is in no way an indication of obsessive-compulsive disorder, yet social misperception often leads people to trivialize the reality of living with OCD.

When an individual is misdiagnosed (often based on symptoms alone), symptoms like these become the focus of the issue rather than the challenges and the person dealing with them. In turn, mainstream society focuses on lists of symptoms instead of the ways mental issues affect normal people in their everyday lives, and these people are viewed as different, less than, or outsiders.

Overdiagnosis Can Cause Someone To Refuse Help

Because overdiagnosis feeds social stigma and causes people to view mental issues as little more than a list of symptoms that need to be “fixed,” it also causes people to turn away from or ignore their need for help altogether. While the goal should never be to “cure” these issues, it is vital that people have hope that they can get better by appropriately managing symptoms and working toward holistic well-being.

When Are Diagnostic Labels Beneficial?

When correctly diagnosed, diagnostic labels can absolutely be beneficial to individuals and medical professionals. They provide a standardized reference point to talk about the inherent challenges and shared perspectives that come with mental issues. At the same time, these labels can help individuals put words to what they’re experiencing. It’s when these diagnostic labels overshadow the individual that they do more harm than good. 

Our Approach to Overdiagnosis

When we say, “We want to know what happened to you, not what’s wrong with you,” what we’re really trying to say is that we view everyone who comes through our doors as more than a diagnosis. We’ve witnessed the harm overdiagnosis can do firsthand, and we’re committed to solving the problems it creates. One way we achieve that is by first confirming an accurate diagnosis for everyone who walks through our doors, even if they’ve been previously diagnosed. The fact that we have to do this is a testament to how common overdiagnosis has become in the medical community and how we’re working to solve it.

If you suspect you or someone you care about may have been misdiagnosed with a mental issue in the past, reach out to the PCH team today.