May Phan 1

May Phan

Dr. Kayla Pohl

English 99

March 13th, 2018

Over Diagnosing Mental Disorder

In the 21st centuries, people are more aware of mental disorder because it becomes so

common before the tense of modern life. Therefore, the development of studying about

diagnosis and treatment for mental disorder become more necessary ever. Unfortunately, the

invention of DSM was a two-sided knife for the psychiatrist, because it causes biased diagnosis.

In addition, there is a lot of evidence shows that the doctors are over diagnosing the normal

sadness and distress as well as the patient has to take over prescription which causes the illness

worst. Therefore, the universities and mental health education should have more study about

examining mental disorders, focus more on natural cure such as activities, social interaction,

yoga instead of using only drugs.

Overdiagnosing is the irrelevant diagnosis when the disease is diagnosed exactly

although the criteria do not meet, or it is the side effect of the screening of the early disease’s

form. According to the report, the authors state, “Furthermore, false-positive cases must occur

more often than false-negative cases, where a diagnosis is not given although the diagnosis was

fulfilled” (Merten, Cwik, Margraf, and Schneider, pp. 2). As the result, the prevalence rate of

mental disorder and prescription rate of medication has increased in adolescent and children.

Although it is not clear to prove the existence of overdiagnosis, there are a lot of reasons to cause

the misdiagnosis. The literature source DSM VI and The International Classification of Disease
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(ICD) becomes the standard of mental disorder definition when the cluster of inappropriate

behaviors try to fill with the criteria. However, mental problems are different from somatic

problems which cannot base on only genetic or physiological signs. Mental disorders require the

observances of clusters of feelings and behaviors which considers the effect of environmental,

psychological and physiological factors. Moreover, “the overlapping of symptoms” of multiple

disorders may cause confusion for diagnosis to detect the criteria (Merten, Cwik, Margraf, and

Schneider, pp. 8). In addition, Bruce Levine also suggests that the reason of rising in fake mental

illness is to “escape from societal oppression” or think that it can make a politically social

change (Levine, pp. 1). Under the stress and tension of modern society and economy, people are

disappointed and desperate because they think life is supposed to be easier. Thus, people express

the fake mental illness as a way “to rebel from oppressive societal demands” (Levine, pp.1). The

wave of depression and suicide rate resulting in the mental illness epidemic. It also makes people

become more aware of mental illness.

Over diagnosing usually lead to unnecessary treatment and overtaken medical

prescription which cause the illness gets worse. Levine has been conscious about “the adverse

effects of psychiatric medications” and its “result in more and more severe diagnoses” (pp. 1).

For instance, depression is caused by lacking dopamine they have stuck the synapse of

neurotransmitters. The drugs use to treat depression and other illnesses are broad as well as the

psychiatrist cannot it is going to work for the patients. It actually takes many failed drug test on

the patient body to have the most accurate prescription. In the article Are We Over-diagnosing

Mental Illness?, Carroll, who is the scientific director of the Pacific Behavioral Research

Foundation said, “Anti-convulsants, anti-psychotic drugs, which have serious long-term side
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effects in the form of obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and some movement disorders ...

that can leave a person extremely disfigured physically” (Gray, par. 8). As can be seen,

inaccurate prescription drugs have long-term effect on the patient body and they even have to

take many medications just to get over the sadness temporarily. Depression is also how our body

responds to the stressful system. In fact, depression episode may not need the prescription but it

is the matter of mindset. Moreover, misdiagnosing includes over diagnosing and

underdiagnosing, and over diagnosing can lead to underdiagnosing easier. Many adolescents and

children do not have enough help of what they need because of lacking sources.

The mental illness education should have more studies about the diagnosis or the

universities should have more course about examining mental disorders. Diagnosis is more than

the criteria, as the psychiatrist should remember: never stop studying for the rest of their lives.

The world changes quickly, and the disorder changes as well. The psychiatrist should not be

stubborn to repeat the old pattern in the decision-making process because the disorder can

develop and explore in varied version. Moreover, there is necessary “to have more research with

study design that contrast false positive with false-negative diagnosis” (Merten, Cwik, Margraf,

and Schneider, pp. 9). In addition, there is one of the resolutions that a participant uses with her

children, “To ease the heartache of her first child's stillbirth, Kelli Montgomery chose rigorous

exercise, yoga and meditation over the antidepressants and sleeping pills that her physicians

immediately suggested” (Gray, par. 1). Although mental illness cannot be cured just by thinking

positive or living healthy, mediation helps control the wave of illness, so patient in the initial

treatment can avoid wrong taken prescription drugs in case of overdiagnosing. It also helps

patient less dependent on drugs and further adverse effects.

to detect the disorder more accurate. As Cheng supposes that, “Conflicting Interests. The

relationship between medical/psychiatric diagnostician pharmaceutical companies is pointed to

as the type of conflict of interest that contributes to ADHD overdiagnosis” (Cheng, pp. 1).

Moreover importantly, cognitive biases can be the most problematic issue that the psychiatrist

has to face. Psychiatrist is also human being, so they cannot be perfect. They would have

judgment and cognitive biases in the interview with the patient. In fact, the most important key to

psychological treatment is active listening. In other words, the psychiatrist needs to improve the

diagnosis practice by strengthening the patience and empathy. The psychiatrist also needs to

question the behavior when they are viewed as disease symptoms by observing carefully and

interpret feeling of the patient (Cheng, pp. 3). Therefore, the psychiatrist should identify the

factors which can influence the ability to overestimate prevalence in the decision-making

process. For example, the rate of boy is diagnosed with ADHD is higher than girls, so

diagnostician rather detect boys with ADHD than girls (Merten, Cwik, Margraf, and Schneider,

pp. 6). For this reason, the psychiatrist should be careful to value the symptom expression

between girls and boys, or children and adolescents. Adolescents may just simply answer the

question during the interview, but diagnosis children also need the information from their parents

and supervisor. However, the psychiatrist should strictly interview in diagnosing to avoid

overestimate prevalence.

Anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD or borderline personality

disorder (BPD) are becoming common in the modern society. As the result, mental health

education needs more quality achievement to solve the people’s needs. It may be how the people
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react the stressful life and complicated relationship, but also how the homo sapiens has not

adopted yet the new environment throughout human history. If children disorder is cured soon,

their lives would be better further; or adults need to be cured to keep going on with their lives.

Similarly, seniors who usually lack income would need supportive sources but underdiagnosis

caused it hard makes the help reach them as it is mentioned above. As can be seen, diagnosis is

the first step to start the treatment process as well as it is the foundation for the relationship

between patient and psychiatrist. If overdiagnosing can decrease people may change their minds

not to depend or abuse drugs. Then they can be free from chemical to have a better and new

lifestyle.
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Works Cited

Cheng, Joyce."Arguments About Whether Overdiagnosis of ADHD is a Significant Problem."

The National Center for Mental Health in UCLA, pp. 1-3, Accessed 28 Feb. 2018.

Gray, Katti.”Are we over-diagnosing mental illness?”Health, Mon March 18, par. 1- 27, 2013,

CNN, Accessed 20 Feb. 2018.

Levine, Bruce."Mental Illness Is Overdiagnosed." Mental Illness, 2016, pp. 1-6, Gale Opposing

Viewpoints in Context, Accessed 20 Feb. 2018.

Merten, Eva Charlotte, Jan Christopher Cwik, Jurgen Margraf and Silvia

Schneider."Overdiagnosis of mental disorders in children and adolescent (in developed

country)."Articles, 17 January 2017, pp. 1-11, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental

Health, Accessed 23 Feb. 2018.