Anthony David | 16 November 2024

Self-diagnosis is a relatively new phenomenon in neuropsychiatry. It has become more prominent in recent years with the growth of the ‘neurodiversity’ movement. This is exemplified by the autism spectrum but several other conditions. Self-diagnosis challenges the authority of medicine but especially psychiatry, where diagnosis has a less secure basis. In this talk I will discuss the potential benefits and costs of diagnosis and self-diagnosis to the individuals concerned and the wider community. Some themes will be touched upon including the continuum concept of mental disorders; the appropriation of the ‘neuro’ prefix; the status of lived experience; and the search for ‘objectivity’ in diagnosis.

Anthony David is Professor of Mental Health and Director of UCL Institute of Mental Health