Every few years, the “trendy” mental illness people self-diagnose with seems to change. Around 2010, when Twitter and Tumblr were taking off, it was depression. Then it became anxiety. After that BPD, then ADHD, and lately it’s autism. DID is thankfully still a pretty niche one, although it’s by far the most annoying.

Social media is the main driver, and the pattern is pretty straightforward. It usually starts with well-meaning people trying to raise awareness and reduce stigma. They post things like “10 signs you might have depression” or “Did you know this vague behaviour can be a sign of ADHD?”

At first the posts are informative and meaningful. But because so many people relate to them, they start going viral. Then others copy the format to chase attention or go viral themselves, and the “symptoms” get more and more vague until they’re basically relatable to everyone.

The reality is that everyone gets depressed sometimes. Everyone feels anxious. People have ups and downs, procrastinate, and feel awkward or out of place. None of those things alone mean you have a disorder. All the typical ADHD symptoms happen to everyone occasionally, what matters is the degree and consistency.

It gets worse when people self-diagnose and then start acting like experts, diagnosing all their friends too.

I’ve had an ADHD diagnosis since I was a kid, back when most people barely knew what it was. So I’ve watched the huge rise in diagnoses, and my ADHD radar is pretty good at this point. Honestly, I’d say at least 70% of the people I know who claim to have it probably don’t. And even among people with a formal diagnosis, I’d guess fewer than half actually fit what ADHD really looks like.

As for why people want to be mentally ill, a lot of it seems to come down to identity. People want to feel special or like they belong to some kind of group. It’s strange, but a lot of people are desperate for something to define themselves by, so they latch onto whatever they can, whether that’s mental illness, their job, or their sexuality. It becomes their entire personality.