Hypochondria: noun, abnormal anxiety about one's health, especially with an unwarranted fear that one has a serious disease.
Not everyone who attempts to self diagnose has hypochondria; saying so would be quite the exaggeration. However, it is normal for us to want to be in good health. Trying to diagnose yourself is a dangerous game, though. Going so far as to say “I have _________ disease/illness” usually doesn’t end well. This is especially true with self diagnosing mental illness.
When I say self diagnosis, I mean assigning a disorder or illness. By no means am I trying to discourage people from researching their symptoms. If you feel a certain way, making sure you generally understand it before you go and see a professional about it is a very responsible thing to do. However, symptoms can sometimes be misleading.
Everyone experiences symptoms, whether that be anxiety, sadness, anger, lack of focus, and more, but those symptoms don’t automatically mean that you have a mental illness, or the illness that you think you have. Running a fever doesn’t mean that you have the flu. The same can be said for mental health. Experiencing anxiety sometimes doesn’t mean that you have an anxiety disorder. Being angry doesn’t mean that you have a personality disorder. Being sad doesn’t mean that you have depression.
The mind is a very powerful thing. It helps us think, and feel, analyze, and so much more. However, it does fall prey to the power of suggestion, which brings us back to the hypochondria reference in the beginning. Sometimes, when researching your symptoms, we can spiral and diagnose ourselves with something that we don’t have. When we cling to a false diagnosis, we can perpetuate the symptoms of that the illness entails that we weren’t previously experiencing. That is why, even if you think you have diagnosed yourself properly, you should always try and get a professional diagnosis. They are more informed on these issues. Not only will they be able to give you a proper diagnosis, they will also be able to lead you in many different directions for getting the help that you need.
*Disclaimer* I am in no way diagnosing everyone with hypochondria or dismissing the severity of the disorder. Please see a health professional for all diagnoses.