It’s no shock that much of society is stressed in today’s, well, highly stressful world. However, according to recent research, a majority of doctors believe these normal reactions to external stressors are now being wrongly diagnosed as different mental health issues.
With social media shedding more light on different mental health disorders, more people feel comfortable seeking professional help for their distressing symptoms, while others take to self-diagnosis. Exposures to different mental illnesses can help people feel less understood and more encouraged to seek treatment. However, it can also lead to misdiagnosis or overdiagnosis.
Take England, for instance. Recent research found that nearly one-fifth of adults are taking antidepressants, according to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
People Are Being Misdiagnosed and Over-Prescribed Medication for Experiencing Normal Life Stress
The survey, conducted as part of a report by the CSJ, showed that 84 percent of doctors believe individuals’ normal reactions to stress are being wrongly labeled as medical problems. This, in turn, has led to over-prescribed medications. In fact, 83 percent of doctors reported feeling as though antidepressants were being wrongly prescribed, with other options being a better option.
“In a desire to support and enable individuals to have positive mental health, there is a danger that the pendulum has swung too far and that the boundaries between distress and disorder have become blurred,” the study reports. “This is not compassionate. It risks those who are unwell missing out on the treatment they deserve, and it risks burdening others with unhelpful labels and prescriptions that can hold them back without addressing the root cause of their very real needs.”
However, the study noted that diagnosing mental health conditions is a bit more subjective than diagnosing physical health conditions—especially when it comes to lower-level disorders like depression or anxiety disorders.
So, are more people receiving the necessary help for their mental health, and are they being over-diagnosed for having human reactions to real-life stressors? The answer likely lies somewhere in the middle.
The post We’re All Over-Medicated. Your Anxiety Disorder Is Probably Just Stress. appeared first on VICE.
