{"id":637,"date":"2020-10-31T01:20:04","date_gmt":"2020-10-31T05:20:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.randywithers.com\/?p=637---8f3d0554-1d28-467f-b228-731d2d680f24"},"modified":"2021-12-16T00:09:27","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T05:09:27","slug":"the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Reasons Why You Should Never Use the Internet for Mental Health Self-Diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#What_Is_Mental_Health_Self-Diagnosis\" title=\"What Is Mental Health Self-Diagnosis?\">What Is Mental Health Self-Diagnosis?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#1_The_internet_is_full_of_false_information\" title=\"1. The internet is full of false information.\">1. The internet is full of false information.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#2_Cyberchondria_is_a_real_thing\" title=\"2. Cyberchondria is a real thing.\">2. Cyberchondria is a real thing.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#3_Diagnosing_a_mental_health_problem_is_not_about_ticking_off_a_%E2%80%9Cchecklist%E2%80%9D_of_symptoms\" title=\"3. Diagnosing a mental health problem is not about ticking off a \u201cchecklist\u201d of symptoms.\">3. Diagnosing a mental health problem is not about ticking off a \u201cchecklist\u201d of symptoms.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#4_Google_didnt_go_to_graduate_school\" title=\"4. Google didn\u2019t go to graduate school.\">4. Google didn\u2019t go to graduate school.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#5_A_Mental_health_assessment_should_be_both_objective_and_comprehensive\" title=\"5. A Mental health assessment should be both objective and comprehensive.\">5. A Mental health assessment should be both objective and comprehensive.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#6_Mental_Health_Misdiagnoses_happen_all_the_time_%E2%80%94_even_from_trained_medical_professionals\" title=\"6. Mental Health Misdiagnoses happen all the time &#8212; even from trained medical professionals.\">6. Mental Health Misdiagnoses happen all the time &#8212; even from trained medical professionals.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#7_Mental_disorders_exist_on_a_spectrum\" title=\"7. Mental disorders exist on a spectrum.\">7. Mental disorders exist on a spectrum.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#8_Each_person_requires_a_different_treatment_plan_which_may_need_to_be_adjusted_or_completely_changed_over_time\" title=\"8. Each person requires a different treatment plan which may need to be adjusted or completely changed over time.\">8. Each person requires a different treatment plan which may need to be adjusted or completely changed over time.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#9_An_Accurate_Mental_Health_Diagnosis_is_Essential_for_Effective_Treatment\" title=\"9. An Accurate Mental Health Diagnosis is Essential for Effective Treatment\">9. An Accurate Mental Health Diagnosis is Essential for Effective Treatment<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/the-problem-with-mental-health-self-diagnosis\/#References\" title=\"References\">References<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>Have you ever Googled mental health symptoms in a self-diagnosis attempt?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If so, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through the course of just one year, digital health.net reports that over 100 million mental health-related Google searches took place in the UK alone, with anxiety and depression being two of the top searches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the internet is a great place to get basic information, you need to be careful about your research, especially when it comes to your <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/mental-health\/\" title=\"mental health\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a video <a aria-label=\"PsychCentral  (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"ek-link ek-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.psychcentral.com\" target=\"_blank\">PsychCentral <\/a>published about self-diagnosis of mental illness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"Ask the Therapists about Self Diagnosis\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/73uEk0FjAj4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>Ask the therapist about self-diagnosis. Courtesy, YouTube.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_Mental_Health_Self-Diagnosis\"><\/span>What Is Mental Health Self-Diagnosis?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With matters related to mental health, it&#8217;s important to use the right terminology. So let&#8217;s define what we mean by &#8220;mental health self-diagnosis.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mental health self-diagnosis is when a person applies diagnostic labels to a collection of symptoms that they notice about themselves. Often, people do this after researching health-related blogs in an attempt to understand what is going on. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every recognized mental disorder has a list of criteria and symptoms associated with it. People find the disorders that most closely align with their symptoms and assume, often incorrectly, that the diagnosis is accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is totally understandable behavior. But let&#8217;s talk about why it&#8217;s a bad idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are 9 reasons why you shouldn\u2019t use the internet for mental health self-diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_The_internet_is_full_of_false_information\"><\/span>1. The internet is full of false information.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The internet is open to everyone in the world to write about anything they want, more or less; pseudo-experts abound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you use forums like r\/mental health on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Reddit<\/a>, let\u2019s say, you\u2019re bound to come across people who are offering opinions, not professional advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Reddit probably isn\u2019t the first place that trained doctors and therapists are choosing to spend their time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s great to share stories about personal experiences when you need support, but relying on these types of venues for self-diagnosis could really cost you in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Cyberchondria_is_a_real_thing\"><\/span>2. Cyberchondria is a real thing.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Internet searches can exacerbate anxiety and even lead to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/ca\/blog\/fulfillment-any-age\/201609\/5-ways-tell-if-you-have-cyberchondria\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"rank-math-link\">cyberchondria<\/a>, a condition that is essentially the most extreme version of online symptom checking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already suffer from anxiety, this may push you even further down that spiral when you should instead be doing everything you can to manage your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/how-to-start-a-mental-health-blog\/\">mental health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Diagnosing_a_mental_health_problem_is_not_about_ticking_off_a_%E2%80%9Cchecklist%E2%80%9D_of_symptoms\"><\/span>3. Diagnosing a mental health problem is not about ticking off a \u201cchecklist\u201d of symptoms.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Say, for instance, you know you are borderline diabetic and have been experiencing some mild symptoms which might warrant a trip to the doctor, but you\u2019re not sure whether it\u2019s necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taking a look at an online symptom checker on a reputable site like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/diabetes\/symptoms-causes\/syc-20371444\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Mayo Clinic<\/a> may help you make a decision about the type and urgency of treatment required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But using such <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/resources\/mental-health-websites\/\">websites for a self-diagnosis of mental health<\/a> problems is bound to leave so many factors out of the picture, and even lead to errors in treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take something like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Look at the graphic below and you\u2019ll see some of the diagnostic criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ocf.berkeley.edu\/~jfkihlstrom\/IntroductionWeb\/pppt_supplement.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/ptsd-e1572656384673.jpg\" alt=\"PTSD criteria - why self-diagnosis is a problem\n\" class=\"wp-image-3285 lazyload\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s some complicated stuf! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While I encourage everyone to take their mental health just as seriously as any physical illness, there\u2019s so much more to our physiology than can be explained with a list of symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Google_didnt_go_to_graduate_school\"><\/span>4. Google didn\u2019t go to graduate school.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The internet is a tool and sometimes a great one for research but it\u2019s not a person who spent years in graduate school and logged hundreds of hours of work experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nope &#8212; it doesn\u2019t have a license, it doesn\u2019t answer to ethics boards or understand context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can give you general information, but it won\u2019t be able to have the detailed conversations needed in order to understand what you are going through, let alone how this relates to what your brain and body are doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_A_Mental_health_assessment_should_be_both_objective_and_comprehensive\"><\/span>5. A Mental health assessment should be both objective and comprehensive.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We all struggle with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/a-therapists-guide-to-cognitive-distortions\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">cognitive distortions<\/a> even during the best of times. During a mental health crisis, our thoughts are bound to be even more skewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need someone who can be objective in their assessment and diagnosis. This is something that doctors and psychotherapists spend years in training for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good healthcare professional will do a comprehensive analysis of your situation, taking into account contributing factors and co-occurring disorders &#8212; for instance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/myths-about-addiction\/\" title=\"Substance abuse\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">Substance abuse<\/a><\/li><li>Physical abuse<\/li><li>Childhood trauma<\/li><li>Situational stress<\/li><li>Family and relationship dynamics<\/li><li>Physical illnesses<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The last person that can do this well is you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_Mental_Health_Misdiagnoses_happen_all_the_time_%E2%80%94_even_from_trained_medical_professionals\"><\/span>6. Mental Health Misdiagnoses happen all the time &#8212; even from trained medical professionals.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Patients have told me that they received the wrong diagnosis in the past, and have even been prescribed medication for illnesses they don\u2019t have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doctors today are busy, and quality health care is not accessible to everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ER doctors, interns and trauma surgeons, for instance, who treat a person in the ER may not be properly trained to do a proper mental health assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Something that looks like a \u201cmood swing\u201d to one person could just be that, or it could be related to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Bipolar disorder<\/li><li>Borderline <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/borderline-personality-disorder\/\" title=\"personality disorder\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">personality disorder<\/a><\/li><li>Major depression<\/li><li>Anxiety disorders<\/li><li>PTSD<\/li><li>Hormone fluctuations<\/li><li>Drug dependency<\/li><li>Insomnia<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you trust your doctor or therapist? Do they respect you and take the time to <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/questions-you-want-to-ask-your-therapist\/\" title=\"ask questions\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">ask questions<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If not, it\u2019s time to find someone you do trust and who believes you when you give them information about your health instead of turning to self-diagnosis which will be ineffective, at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Mental_disorders_exist_on_a_spectrum\"><\/span>7. Mental disorders exist on a spectrum.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Every mental disorder is a part of a spectrum and manifests differently in each person<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/hard-lessons-about-fighting-depression\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Depression<\/a>, for instance, may be mild, moderate, severe, or situational. It is more than just a \u201cbad mood,\u201d and everyone handles it differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some are anxious and stay busy, others will hide in bed for days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Context is also important &#8212; for instance, having daily <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/what-causes-panic-attacks\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">anxiety and panic<\/a> is not the same as having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/ways-to-manage-ptsd-symptoms-at-home\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">PTSD <\/a>from serious trauma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To add to this, often people diagnosed with a mental illness have one or more co-occurring disorders such as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/substance-abuse\/\">substance abuse<\/a> disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Each_person_requires_a_different_treatment_plan_which_may_need_to_be_adjusted_or_completely_changed_over_time\"><\/span>8. Each person requires a different treatment plan which may need to be adjusted or completely changed over time.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a patient once who was worried she had bipolar disorder because she was acting \u201cpsycho\u201d (her words).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She had been misdiagnosed by an ER doctor as bipolar, but it turns out it was really the meth she was addicted to that was making her act and feel this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, she really needed to prioritize treating her addiction first and foremost, and once that was treated, she was mentally stable and able to function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Treatment plans typically involve a combination of medication and <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/therapy\/\" title=\"therapy\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">therapy<\/a>, as well as lifestyle adjustments and they vary widely between individuals because there are so many possible causal factors at play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Self-diagnosis will not be able to take all of these things into account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_An_Accurate_Mental_Health_Diagnosis_is_Essential_for_Effective_Treatment\"><\/span>9. An Accurate Mental Health Diagnosis is Essential for Effective Treatment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are worried about problems related to your mental health or you\u2019re worried about a loved one, you need to consult a registered professional, preferably in-person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019d do the same for your car if it was acting up; surely you have a similar amount of respect for your brain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Always remember that people are more than the sum of their symptoms, and mental illness is serious and complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re struggling with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/mental-health\/\">mental health<\/a>, you\u2019re not alone. There are a lot of <a class=\"rank-math-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/mental-health-products-and-services\/\">resources<\/a> such as <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow rel=&quot;sponsored&quot;\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"BetterHelp Therapist Search\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/recommends\/betterhelp-therapist-search\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">BetterHelp <\/a>and <a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow rel=&quot;sponsored&quot;\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"TalkSpace\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/recommends\/talkspace\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">TalkSpace <\/a>that you can access to get help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are looking for a life coach to help you reach your goals, learn more about my <a aria-label=\"coaching services here. (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/coaching\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"rank-math-link\">coaching services here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"References\"><\/span>References<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a aria-label=\"The Dangers Of Online Self-Diagnosis (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.henryford.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/the-dangers-of-online-self-diagnosis#:~:text=%E2%80%9CDon&#039;t%20use%20the%20Internet,Vance.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">The Dangers Of Online Self-Diagnosis<\/a><\/li><li><a aria-label=\"Self-diagnosis on Internet not always good practice (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2015\/07\/self-diagnosis-on-internet-not-good-practice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Self-diagnosis on Internet not always good practice<\/a><\/li><li><a aria-label=\"Why You Should Never, Ever Self-Diagnosis Using Google (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.phillymag.com\/be-well-philly\/2013\/04\/26\/never-ever-self-diagnosis-google\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Why You Should Never, Ever Self-Diagnosis Using Google<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis.jpg\" alt=\"9 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Use The Internet For Self-Diagnosis\" class=\"wp-image-32219 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis.jpg\" alt=\"9 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Use The Internet For Self-Diagnosis\" class=\"wp-image-32219 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis-83x125.jpg 83w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis-150x225.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Should-NEVER-Use-The-Internet-For-Self-Diagnosis-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>9 Reasons Why You Should NEVER Use The Internet For Mental Health Self-Diagnosis<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-uagb-section uagb-section__wrap uagb-section__background-color uagb-block-540ad93d\"><div class=\"uagb-section__overlay\"><\/div><div class=\"uagb-section__inner-wrap\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-call-to-action uagb-block-73105e3b wp-block-button\"><div class=\"uagb-cta__wrap\"><h5 class=\"uagb-cta__title\">Private Practice  with No Overhead and No Shortage of Clients.<br><\/h5><p class=\"uagb-cta__desc\">Join\u00a0the more than 34,000 full and part-time therapists who are earning more with BetterHelp! Supplement your income, or build your own practice from scratch. Bonuses &amp; Incentives for High Performers! <strong>Sponsored Advertisement<\/strong><\/p><\/div><div class=\"uagb-cta__buttons\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hasofferstracking.betterhelp.com\/aff_c?offer_id=20&amp;aff_id=1614\" class=\"uagb-cta__button-link-wrapper wp-block-button__link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Join BetterHelp<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It is easy to Google mental disorders and read lists of symptoms. But clinical diagnosis is more than a collection of symptoms, and self-diagnosis should be avoided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":31032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[25,905,27,28,904],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"modified_by":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",800,450,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis-150x84.jpg",150,84,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis-400x225.jpg",400,225,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",800,450,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",800,450,false],"tiny":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",60,34,false],"thumbnail-medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-square":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-portrait":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/9-Reasons-Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-the-Internet-for-Self-Diagnosis.jpg",720,405,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"It is easy to Google mental disorders and read lists of symptoms. But clinical diagnosis is more than a collection of symptoms, and self-diagnosis should be avoided.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=637"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/637\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=637"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=637"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=637"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}