410. Why does everyone have a diagnosis these days?
4/27/202656 min
Why does it suddenly feel like everyone has a diagnosis? From ADHD and autism to anxiety, trauma, burnout, and depression - mental health language is everywhere right now. But are rates actually rising? Or are more people finally being seen after years of being overlooked, misread, or excluded from the stereotype? In this episode, we unpack the psychology, politics, and culture of diagnosis: how diagnostic criteria have changed, why context matters, what social media has done to this conversation, and the tension between labels as affirming, or oversimplified.
We explore:
• What the data actually says about rising diagnosis rates
• Why historically missed groups are being recognised more now
• The role of context in shaping our experiences
• The risk of pathologising ordinary human struggle
• When scepticism is useful - and why it should be aimed at systems, not individuals
• Why a label can still be meaningful, helpful, and nobody else’s business
Watch on Netflix: HERE
Follow Jemma on Instagram: @jemmasbeg
Follow the podcast on Instagram: @thatpsychologypodcast
Subscribe on Substack: @thepsychologyofyour20s
For business: psychologyofyour20s@gmail.com
Our favourite sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7422602/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4810039/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11747871/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10251666/
https://reference-global.com/article/10.58734/plc-2025-0009
The Psychology of your 20s is not a substitute for professional mental health help. If you are struggling, distressed or require personalised advice, please reach out to your doctor or a licensed psychologist.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 00:00
This is an iHeart podcast. [upbeat music] Guaranteed human I'm Jemma Spake, the host of The Psychology Of Your 20s.
Jemma Sbeg· Host0:07
Have you ever been at the pharmacy counter and your mind goes blank when the pharmacist asks, "Any questions?" That is why you need to listen to Beyond The Script from CVS Pharmacy and iHeartMedia. Hosted by Dr. Jake Goodman, this podcast answers the questions you'd wished you'd asked, like which meds may not work well together, what vaccines you might need before a holiday, and even some of the questions you're too embarrassed to say out loud. Listen to Beyond The Script on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I feel like in every episode I talk about how exhausted and overwhelmed I am because it's true. I'm trying to balance a lot, and taking care of myself often falls off the list. That is where Premier Protein shakes come in. They have 30 grams of protein, no added sugar, and tons of delicious flavors like cake batter, peaches and cream, caramel. Premier Protein shakes are a healthy choice you will actually want to make. Premier Protein powers you to say yes to more, whether it's crushing a big presentation, building an epic fort, hitting the hiking trail with friends. Find your favorite flavor at premierprotein.com. So many of us date in our 20s without ever stopping to ask the deeper questions about what we actually want. Feeld is a dating app built for people who are curious and craving deeper connections,