Why ‘Have You Been Diagnosed?’ Can Be a Hurtful Question

“Have you been clinically diagnosed?”

If someone doesn’t seem to have the symptoms you expect, or they’re talking about mental illness without mentioning a doctor or a therapist, you might be tempted to ask them if they’ve been diagnosed.

Unfortunately, when Marina Watanabe made a video about depression, someone asked her this question – but fortunately for us, she’s breaking down what this question gets wrong.

Find out how asking someone if they’ve been diagnosed can contribute to shaming, belittling, and refusing to take mental illnesses seriously. Marina shares some of the many valid reasons people might not have a diagnosis, and why it’s not up to you to decide if their symptoms seem “serious” enough.

We hope this video will help more people understand what not to say to someone with a mental illness.

With Love,
The Editors at Everyday Feminism



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Marina Watanabe is a Contributing Vlogger for Everyday Feminism and a vlogger, blogger, overenthusiastic tweeter, college student, and creator of embarrassing literary tees. Check out her Tumblr, or follow her on Twitter @marinashutup!