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Why do people make diagnoses based on nothing?

It's something that I've been noticing a lot in this section, people diagnosing people with depression, ADD and ADHD, anti-social personality disorder, aspergers, autism, bulimia, anorexia, social anxiety, the list is endless! Often it's based on little more information than a paragraph on what the person says. I'm wondering what about people makes them feel that saying "Oh, you have ADHD" without anything else is helpful.

Public Comments

1. because they're stupid.
2. I agree. One truly cannot know if they have a disorder until they check with a psychiatrist or doctor who can legally diagnose them. It confuses me as well.
3. People's responses can depend on the sincerity or seriousness of the question. Yahoo Answers is typically one way, where we don't engage in dialogue. We respond to a question based on the information already given in it. So if you needed to have x out of x symptoms to make a diagnosis and someone tells you a few things you can't always press them for more information. As a result the answer may not be accurate. I do see your point, and in cases that aren't flippant a suggestion should be made and the person referred onto a professional.
4. i dont know the answer to your question but i totally agree. its ridiculous, and the sad part is the people being told these outragous conclusions believe it, its not healthy.
5. Generally I think its a good thing - I think its better to have these discussions about mental health than shy away from it... but as you've said it's not particularly helpful when its one sentence. On the other hand - there is such a high volume of "yes you have - insert diagnoses here" and yet its very rare that someone says, you're having a bad day, you're in a bad mood and it will pass. We have become so attached to the idea that if you feel sad for a period of time then it is a bad thing. I admit its not a great thing to feel unhappy, or angry - but it doesn't necessarily mean its depression or any other personality disorder. Laughter, love, and optimism are not considered the opposite of depression because they are recognised as every day emotions... sadness and irritability and so on - are also emotions.
6. I suppose because they're lay people and just want to give the question a precise answer.... they have to start somewhere. Best Wishes. Mars Mission.
7. I think maybe its just that people believe or we can say that they just try on what other people say that to try other diagnosis even-though they are not sure and hoping it will work. Because most of them want to treat those syndrome that you have mentioned. And also some provide wrong diagnosis that other believes in.