A few years ago, words like anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, complex PTSD, bipolar disorder etc were rarely heard in everyday conversations. Today, they seem to be everywhere—on social media, in clinics, in classrooms, even in casual chats.
It almost feels sudden.
So, the question which arises are-
Why is suddenly everyone mentally ill nowadays?”
“Was this even a problem before?”
“Are doctors over diagnosing?”
Were These Disorders Not Present Earlier?
Mental health conditions are not new. What’s new is our ability to recognize them. For decades, people have suffered silently-
- A person with depression was called “lazy”
- Someone with anxiety was told to “stop overthinking”
- A person with schizophrenia was often labelled “mad” and isolated
There was no language, no awareness, and no acceptance.
According to global estimates from the World Health Organization, mental disorders have long contributed significantly to the global burden of disease but were vastly underreported and undertreated (Patel et al., 2018).
So no—these illnesses didn’t suddenly appear. We simply started noticing them.
If we talk in general about earlier and today, what exactly has changed over the years?? Let’s dive in:
- Social media & Comparison
Studies have significantly showed that the increased social media use is associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression, particularly among young adults (Twenge et al., 2018).
- Chronic Stress
Modern lifestyles are linked with persistent stress exposure, which is a major risk factor for mental disorders (Cohen et al., 2007).
- Loneliness
Despite digital connectivity, loneliness has increased and is strongly associated with depression and poor mental health outcomes (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015).
- Trauma Recognition
Improved understanding of trauma has led to better identification of conditions like PTSD—but also challenges in distinguishing normal distress from pathology (McLaughlin et al., 2015).
Then Why Does It Feel Like Overdiagnosis Today? Are Doctors Missing Something?
Yes, awareness has improved—but at the same time, there’s also a risk of oversimplification. Today, Mood swings may quickly be labelled as bipolar disorder, Emotional distress after trauma may be termed complex PTSD, Normal stress is sometimes confused with clinical anxiety
Modern diagnostic systems like DSM-5 have broadened criteria to improve detection—but this has also raised concerns about medicalization of normal human experiences because the human mind is not a simple equation (Frances, 2013; Wakefield, 2015). Mental health exists on a continuum, not in strict categories.
Healthcare systems today face real challenges:
- Limited consultation time
- Increased patient load
- Variable training in mental health
Research suggests both underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis can coexist, depending on context and setting (Hickie et al., 2013). This reflects not incompetence, but the complex nature of mental health diagnosis.
“The Bigger Problem: Denial and Neglect” Why Can’t We Normalize Mental Health Medications?
Stigma remains one of the biggest barriers. Even today, when someone says “I’m not okay”; they are often met with:
- “It’s all in your head”
- “You’re overthinking”
- “Just be strong”
Mental illnesses have biological, psychological, and social components and medications help in regulating neurotransmitters and improving functioning and quality of life
Yet, stigma around psychiatric drugs persists which reduces adherence and worsen outcomes (Kane et al., 2013).
Instead of understanding pain, we often distract it.
We say:
- “Have a drink, you’ll feel better”
- “Go out, don’t think too much”
And slowly, coping turns into escaping.
Research has shown that many individuals struggling with mental health turn to alcohol or substances—not because they want to, but because it’s more socially acceptable than asking for help
Where Are We Lacking Today and What Needs to Change?
We have learned to name disorders—but not always to understand the person behind them.
We have:
- More awareness—but less depth
- More labels—but less understanding
- More conversations—but less listening
We don’t need a world where- Everything is a disorder, nor a world where- Nothing is taken seriously. We need balance.
We need- Conversations without judgment, doctors who have time to listen, families who choose empathy over denial and a society that sees therapy and medication as normal
The person taking medication for their mental health is not weak.; they are doing something incredibly brave— they are choosing to face their mind, instead of running from it.
“We are not witnessing a sudden epidemic.
We are witnessing a slow awakening.”
References
- Patel V, Saxena S, Lund C, et al. The Lancet Commission on global mental health and sustainable development. Lancet. 2018;392(10157):1553–1598.
- Frances A. Saving Normal: An Insider’s Revolt Against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis. HarperCollins; 2013.
- Wakefield JC. Diagnostic issues and controversies in DSM-5. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2015;11:45–67.
- Twenge JM, Joiner TE, Rogers ML, Martin GN. Increases in depressive symptoms among US adolescents. Clin Psychol Sci. 2018;6(1):3–17.
- Cohen S, Janicki-Deverts D, Miller GE. Psychological stress and disease. JAMA. 2007;298(14):1685–1687.
- Holt-Lunstad J, Smith TB, Baker M, et al. Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2015;10(2):227–237.
- McLaughlin KA. Future directions in childhood adversity research. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2015;44(3):361–382.
- Hickie IB, Scott EM, Hermens DF, et al. Applying clinical staging in mental health. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2013;47(7):597–605.
- Corrigan PW. How stigma interferes with mental health care. Am Psychol. 2004;59(7):614–625.
- Kane JM, Kishimoto T, Correll CU. Non-adherence to medication in patients with psychotic disorders. World Psychiatry. 2013;12(3):216–226.
- Bolton JM, Robinson J, Sareen J. Self-medication of mood disorders with alcohol. J Affect Disord. 2009;115(3):367–375.
- Thornicroft G, Mehta N, Clement S, et al. Evidence for effective interventions to reduce stigma. Lancet. 2016;387(10023):1123–1132.
