Have you ever felt a cold coming on after a long week and instead of going to a doctor you self diagnose yourself with the flu? Or do you have a friend that has all the signs of being depressed
but refuses going to a psychologist? In the article "The Dangers of Self Diagnosis", it talks about the ups and downs of people being self diagnosed vs diagnosed by a doctor and their fear of being labeled by others.
Have you ever not went to a doctor for something and what happened? Do you think self diagnoses is a dangerous thing? Have you ever self diagnosed yourself and if so what happened?
Reading this article, I thought of a line of dominoes, and how knocking down the one at the beginning of the line causes every other domino to fall as well, one after the other. When we self-diagnose ourselves or someone else, whether we know them or not, we are automatically setting the situation up to spiral into a whirlwind of unfortunate events. Usually I can tell when I have a cold based on the general symptoms, so for things like that I won't visit the doctor's. Normally, however, I don't get sick in general or develop any reasons to warrant a visit to the doctor, so nothing has ever happened. I think self-diagnosis can be a dangerous thing, especially if you're not aware of what exactly is is you're diagnosing yourself with. It can give you excuses to behave in an unacceptable way, but on the other hand, it can also give you more patience when interacting with someone. Regardless, however, I believe that because there is a lot of uncertainty in diagnosing yourself or someone else, and despite its benefits, many things can still go wrong. Therefore, you should leave the diagnosing to a professional.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that self diagnosis can be a dangerous thing. In middle my best friend was the Queen of self diagnosis. She would go on WebMD everyday and type in some new issue that she had just discovered and call me with a laundry list of things wrong with her and the medications she now would now need to take and the whole nine yards. Although we knew that she wasn't "crazy" and that she wouldn't really take this self diagnosis issue to the next level it was still worrisome. It almost got to the point where she would diagnose herself with a problem and then actually let it hinder her daily activities like being excuse from P.E etc. She eventually got over that phase of her life but it was still pretty scary to see that people actually feel as though they can diagnose themselves without any training whatsoever. Of course, we all as experience young adults should be able to tell when we have a runny nose, a sore throat or a seasonal cold and we should be able to deal and care for small issues like those on our own without needing a true diagnosis, but we should also be responsible enough to know and understand that most of us are not trained and therefore at the first sign of something unusual should seek help from professionals. Ignorance is not an excuse so saying "I didn't know that it was serious" won't help in the long run. Like Regan said, "you should leave the diagnosing to a professional"
ReplyDeleteI agree that self-diagnosis can create some real problems. If you convince yourself that you've got a true medical issue without ever seeing a professional, you can affect how you view yourself and take on activities. I think it has become such an issue because many people like to have a definite answer to what's going on in their lives. They don't like when things are undecided or inconclusive. People can't always rely on themselves for such situations, however. Only a doctor has the ability to confirm or deny a diagnosis and subsequently treat you for it. Like Regan and Amber, I can tell when I have a cold and things of the like. However, I am also able to tell when I need to draw the line on relying on myself. I know when it's appropriate to see a doctor; when I can't depend on myself if I think there's something wrong. I think another issue that comes into play when dealing with self-diagnosis is mistrust of doctors. I know many people don't particularly enjoy visiting a doctor. They would rather not admit that they need professional help, so they convince themselves they can handle all of their problems single-handedly. That's when things can get out of control and when irreversible damage can be done.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think self-diagnosis can be dangerous, I have definitely done this myself. Recently I had an infection but was scared to ask my mom to take me to the doctor since I had gone to the doctor two days before for something else. So instead I determined what I had and took over the counter medicine for it. Although I was right with the diagnosis, I did not realize how serious it was and that I needed antibiotics to cure it so it got worse-this is what I think the biggest danger of self-diagnosis is. If people say they have certain illnesses, it's not the end of the world because the only way to get medication is to visit a doctor. The issue is if the illness is more serious than you're making it out to be and by not treating it, it'll only get worse and eventually lead to something else. Luckily for me, nothing further happened because I visited a doctor but if I had continued to self diagnose I could have ended up with a kidney infection. Based on this personal experience I would definitely agree with Regan and Amber and have only a doctor diagnose you.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that self diagnoses is a dangerous thing. We all wonder what is going on with our bodies, and self diagnoses gives the illusion that we are in control, often leading to a recovery. I have not personally self diagnosed myself however, I work as a dance teacher and another teacher and I believe that one student has ADD. We self diagnosed her after a few classes since she can't focus on what's going around her and doesn't seem to pay attention at all. Although the article said that this would lead to me always viewing this one little girl in a negative light, I actual view her in a more positive way. I always give her extra attention, and try to keep her interest in whatever we do which resulted in a smoother class.
ReplyDeleteThough some may disagree with self diagnosing, I believe that in some situations it can work beneficially if you make sure it doesn't change your outlook negatively.
I think that self diagnosing yourself can be act as a good thing but it can also be dangerous as stated above by my classmates. I feel that when you self diagnose yourself it shows that you have interest in your body and want to help it from getting infected, diseased, etc. By doing this you are also taking care of your body, even though, some symptoms may be not diagnosed correctly, you are still taking an action to evaluate what has been going on with your body. Personally, I have never went to a doctor for something other than my personal check ups. Usually when I am sick, I just take the disgusting tasting medicine that my mother gives me in order to get better. Just recently though, I self diagnosed my self with a disease discerning a certain bruise that kept appearing on my arm. After reading numerous WebMD accounts and looking at images I have found an image and statements of symptoms that mirror mine, I figured I had this disease and after presenting my mom and dad the information and my case they have decided to take my to a doctor to get it checked out as soon as possible. When things like this occur I feel that self diagnosing may be good thing because it shows that you are on top of things that are occurring in your body. But self diagnosing can become dangerous when you start diagnosing yourself with thousands of disorders and diseases because you can somewhat relate to the symptoms and when you say you have this or that disorder it makes you feel relieved that you found what is wrong with you.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I think the danger of self-diagnosing really depends on the situation. Like others have stated, most people know when they have a common cold or allergies; they don't necessarily need to visit a doctor to confirm that, especially when the cold or other mild sickness can go away after a few days of rest. However, this can quickly become dangerous if someone always relies on themselves for diagnosing. One may think they have a certain illness just by what they may have read online, when in reality it could be something else entirely. This can lead to that person worrying unnecessarily if they think it's something more serious than it actually is, or going untreated if they think it's something less than it is. Either way, the effects can definitely be harmful. Personally, I don't get sick often and rarely have to visit the doctor, yet I definitely think I would go to the doctor if I had something more serious than the common cold. I do think that some people may not want to go to the doctor's to get diagnosed for many reasons, whether they had a previous bad experience or are worried about the outcome. However, it's more important to get professional medical help if something seems really off than just completing a google search and hoping that it's accurate.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that self diagnosing yourself is a bad thing to an extent. If you feel as though you have signs and symptoms of a disease or illness you may want to do some research and you may find that you do fit the criteria. Now that is not to say that if you fit the criteria you have that diagnoses but that could be a way to go to the doctor and explain what you think it may be and why. I have never not gone to a doctor when I think something is wrong. I understand why people would not want to go though. Some people may not want to go on medications or in more serious situations be classified. Last year I self diagnosed myself with asthma because in cross country races I was not being able to finish or I would and then collapse with extreme weezing. I went to the doctor and it was diagnosed that I did have exercised induced asthma. Nothing bad come from that, some people may say that it is not good how many inhalers and medications I take for it. However, I look at it as a good thing because I am now able to compete at a high intensity level without going through asthma attacks.
ReplyDeleteI am a big believer in self-diagnosis. Now, I am not saying this is a good thing, I just do it. I know the dangers of self-diagnosis though. I personally believe that I broke my tail-bone when I was in eighth grade but I never went to the doctor for it. This was not for lack of pain, because it did in fact hurt, but after talking to my mom about it, there was nothing a doctor could do. If I did in fact have a broken tail-bone I would have gotten a doughnut pillow to sit on, but they wouldn't have been able to do much else. In situations like this, although with my injury it might have been better to go to a doctor just to be safe, it is not always necessary to go to a doctor. I agree with Deanna, that you can self-diagnose and then go to a doctor and that would be helpful.
ReplyDeleteI constantly self-diagnose myself. I am an extremely dramatic person so it seems that everyday i have something else wrong with me. One day i will come home complaining that my back in broken and the next day i will complain about having pneumonia. I always want to see a doctor for anything because I just want to be safe. And when my mom refuses me to take me to the doctor since i have a different ailment every other day, i tend to diagnose myself. I think that this can be harmful in that sometimes i fee like i actually make myself sick by telling myself that i'm sick. Self- diagnosis can also save you some time and can be a good thing. One time i felt like there was something in my eye and i thought i had pink-eye. I kept flushing my eye out with water but i still felt like something was in it. So i went to the doctor and waited for 45 minutes to be told by the doctor that there was actually something in my eye that he removed with a q-tip. I think in these situations, you don't need to see a doctor and i could have self-diagnosed myself correctly had i been realistic and would have saved a lot of time.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone in general that, depending on the situation, self-diagnosing can be a dangerous thing. However, most of the time it's not. Stef pointed out we usually self-diagnose just to feel like we have control. I self-diagnose myself for little things, though I've never had a big issue that needs medical attention: if I was depressed or bipolar, I'd eventually have to see medical help because I wouldn't know how to handle it alone. A cold however, can easily be dealt with at home--most of the medicine doctors give out, will in fact be an over the counter thing. I also don't really like going to the doctor's office, so I never rush to see a doctor if something is wrong, I wait a day or two to see if my body can handle it without medicine. Doctors can figure things out quicker than we can though, so going to the doctors can save time and energy, as in Mary Grace's case.
ReplyDeleteMy Uncle had excruciating stomach pains 2 years ago but blamed it on food poisoning. Once the pains subsided he decided his self diagnoses must have been accurate but never went to the doctor. When the pains returned a few weeks later he was forced to see a doctor and was diagnosed with cancer. This is definitely a case were self diagnoses was dangerous because it delayed him getting the help her needed.It is dangerous to do things this way because it causes unnecessary stress in your life. It is just better to go to a doctor and get a real diagnosis rather then worrying yourself with a self report of what you think you have.I have tried to diagnose myself by using the internet. I read the symptoms tell myself i have a form of every symptom and worry myself that i have a fatal disease.
ReplyDeleteI agree that how dangerous self-diagnosing is depends on the situation. I think that the worst case scenario is when the real diagnosis is something harmful or serious and is not dealt with because the person decides by self-diagnosis that it is really something less serious. I think that when the opposite is true - when people self-diagnose with something more serious than it really is - it is not necessarily dangerous, but rather just annoying to the people around them. I know that my grandma often diagnoses herself with things much more serious than the real problem, and it aggravates all of her children because she refuses to listen to her doctors and take care of the real issue. I do occasionally self-diagnose myself - I think everyone probably does sometimes - and although I am usually able to keep in mind that self-diagnoses are often wrong and that if something really is serious it should be left in the hand of the professionals who were trained to deal with it, I will often skip going to the doctor for what I think is a simple cold or flu in order to avoid the hassle.
ReplyDeleteI have, like many people, put off going to the doctor because I thought I knew what was wrong with me, or someone else thought they knew. This happened this past week when I was suffering from head aches and nausea. My mom told me I was dehydrated, my dad said that I had a stomach virus, and I simply thought I was dying. After going to the doctor yesterday i found out it was post-concussion syndrome, where I get the side effects from a concussion after the concussion had already happened. It is dangerous to self diagnose because we as average people are not certified doctors and could be medicating ourselves for a problem we may not even have.
ReplyDeleteThe only time I have not seen a doctor was for severe throat pain I was experiencing during finals last year. The only reason I put off seeing the doctor was because I did not want her to tell me not to go to school. Some may think that not going to school would be blessing, but if I was marked absent then I could not go to the State Meet of Champions for outdoor track. What ended up happening was I eventually went to the doctor who continued to misdiagnose me thinking the symptoms I was experiencing were those of Mono; but only after she thought I had Step and Laryngitis. What the actual cause of my extreme pain was an abscess in my throat that was not noticed until I passed out twice getting blood tested for Mono, after I had been brought to the ER. In this example, I do not think that self-diagnosing is a dangerous thing to do because, in my frustration, I was doing a lot of online research on my symptoms and came to the conclusion that I had either an abscess or Tonsillitis. I do believe that in some cases an person may be correct in their self-diagnosis but it is one thing to think you have a certain condition but another to go ahead and treat yourself. I think that this is where the 'dangerous' idea can come into the equation when people will treat themselves in response to a disease or disorder that they *think* they have; it is always best to get a professional's opinion. Since I had to go to the ER, I have had 3 cases of severe Tonsillitis and need to have my tonsils and adenoids removed :) Self-diagnosing is not the way to go, but it is a positive thing to talk to your doctor with a good sense of what is going wrong in your body.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get sick with a cough my mom is able to easily diagnose me what what is probably wrong with me. But the reason why she is able to do that is because of past diagnoses from the doctor. So yes doctors should be the ones who diagnose you not your parents or yourself. From talking about the different psychological conditions I said that my sister is bipolar. Now my sister is probably just over dramatic but coming up with that idea is not healthy in a sense. A disorder like that should be diagnosed by a doctor not someones sister. I also tried to diagnose myself to be anemic because I bruise very easily. Now I am not anemic because that is only one symptom out of many more. Self diagnosing is dangerous but you cant run from it.
ReplyDeleteUsually when I don't go to a doctor for something, the symptoms for whatever I have usually persist for a long time, whether it is a cold, cough, or even a stomach ache. I do think that self diagnosis is a dangerous thing. Although we have many medicines that are readily available and that can be helpful, sometimes we may be harming ourselves by trying to self cure ourselves. Self-diagnosis leaves room for us to miss something that a doctor could pick up on. Usually when I have diagnosed myself, I have not fully cured myself. Sometimes a throat ache has actually been strep throat and instead of missing 2 days of school, its caused me to miss up to week. Self-diagnosis usually causes the illness to persist longer than it would if I was diagnosed by a doctor.
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