Has social media made us more aware of mental health—or has it made us too quick to diagnose ourselves and everyone around us?

In this thought-provoking episode of The Women Are Plotting, Etienne Rose Olivier, Heidi Willis, and Jane Gari explore the growing trend of armchair diagnosing, self-diagnosis, and the explosion of mental health content on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. They discuss the fine line between recognizing legitimate symptoms and assigning labels without professional evaluation, along with the risks of misinformation, confirmation bias, and using diagnoses as excuses instead of tools for growth.

The hosts share personal experiences with ADHD, OCD, therapy, autism spectrum traits, and the challenges of navigating relationships with neurodivergent friends, family members, and partners. They also examine how social media has helped some people seek life-changing treatment while simultaneously spreading misleading information that can trivialize serious mental health conditions.

Filled with humor, compassion, and honest conversation, this episode encourages listeners to approach mental health with curiosity instead of certainty, seek professional guidance when needed, and remember that a diagnosis should be the beginning of healing—not the end of personal responsibility.

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