🔍 What’s Wrong With Me? How to Self-Diagnose Properly

I’m well aware that if you’re reading this article, it’s because you’ve already started looking up your symptoms on Google – or maybe you’ve talked to ChatGPT about it. And you know what? Good for you. Good for you for being proactive about your life. Something’s not right, and you want to know what it is and fix it.

So let me help you self-diagnose correctly. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right: even though it won’t replace an “official” diagnosis, it’s a good start, and it might just save you years of bouncing between therapists and getting nowhere.

First Off – What’s a Diagnosis, Really?

Psychiatrists and psychologists would love to be the only ones capable of making diagnoses. And technically, they are: at least for the “official” ones. But… how do I put this. A diagnosis isn’t magic. They went to university, not Hogwarts. What they do is memorize a bunch of symptoms and pathologies from the DSM-5 (the big book of psych disorders), listen to you talk about what’s wrong, while checking boxes in their heads.

And sure, when you have years of experience, maybe it’s easier to recognize patterns – I’m not saying otherwise. But an official diagnosis is nothing more than glorified box-checking. And if the Rosenhan study and research on diagnostic reliability have proven anything, it’s that these professionals get it wrong constantly: you’ll rarely get the right diagnosis on the first try.

This being said, if you’re reading this article, you probably have at least some self-awareness, and that’s all you need to self-diagnose. And remember: it’s just a label. Even if you make it official, by the way. It’s just information. It’s not the end: it’s the beginning.

First Things First – Let’s Assess How Urgent This Is

If you’re experiencing physical or sexual violence:

Violence typically follows a predictable cycle: tension, explosion, reconciliation, tension. The abuser controls their victim by isolating them, threatening them, controlling their finances, or using emotional manipulation (suicide threats, playing victim, put-downs). Recognizing these tactics can help you understand that it’s not your fault and that the situation won’t improve on its own. If you feel confused and don’t dare talk to a human about it, explain the situation to ChatGPT or Claude AI by saying something like “I think I’m being abused, but I’m not sure – can you help me?” It will ask for more information, and AI does an excellent job at spotting and explaining different types of violence. Don’t forget to delete the conversation afterward to avoid potential retaliation.

Keep your important documents accessible and if possible at a trusted person’s place, and prepare an emergency bag just in case. Memorize important phone numbers and plan where to go in an emergency. If you leave, do it when the abuser isn’t there.

Hotlines and Immediate Help:

• 3919 – Violences Femmes Info (free, 24h/24)
• 119 – Allô Enfance en Danger
• 17 – Police/Gendarmerie (emergency)
• 15 – SAMU (medical emergency)
• Online chat at violences-femmes-info.gouv.fr

If You’re Having Thoughts about Hurting Yourself

Many people have suicidal thoughts without acting on them: the problem is when you have a plan. If you have a detailed plan and the means to carry it out, if you feel like you can’t control yourself anymore and you’re in distress, this is a medical emergency.

⚠️ Important: Healthcare professionals have a legal obligation to ensure your safety and that of those around you. Expressing suicidal or violent thoughts frequently triggers hospitalization and involuntary treatment.

How to ask for help if you don’t want to be hospitalized:

Focus on functional symptoms:

• “I can’t get out of bed in the morning anymore”
• “I’m having trouble concentrating at work”
• “I’m not sleeping / I’m sleeping all the time”
• “I have no appetite”
• “I feel very sad”

Avoid trigger words:

• Don’t mention suicide or violence
• Avoid phrases like “I can’t go on like this”

Emphasize your desire to get better:

• “I’d like to get my motivation back”
• “I want to be able to function normally”
• “I need help feeling better”

If you simply describe depressive symptoms and functional difficulties, you have a good chance of getting outpatient treatment (antidepressants, therapy) rather than hospitalization. And if they ask whether you have suicidal thoughts, you can say that it happens but it’s very rare, and not right now.

Hotlines where you can speak freely:

• Suicide Écoute : 01 45 39 40 00 (24h/24, free)
• SOS Amitié : 09 72 39 40 50

The volunteers on these lines are not healthcare professionals and don’t have the same legal obligations.

Another option: requesting voluntary hospitalization

If you’d still like to be hospitalized because you feel you need intensive, immediate support, but want to keep your human rights, it’s possible to request voluntary hospitalization. It’s generally recommended to first see your primary care doctor who can write a medical certificate. With this certificate, you can go to the psychiatric hospital. You can also go directly to the psychiatric emergency room – a doctor there can do the necessary evaluation. About 80-90% of psychiatric hospitalizations in France are voluntary.

In voluntary hospitalization you keep the right to leave, even against medical advice (by signing a waiver), and you can refuse treatment without being restrained and forcibly injected by multiple people. This can be an option if you feel a crisis coming on or if you need a secure environment to stabilize. However, if the medical team determines during your stay that you pose a danger to yourself or others, they can convert your voluntary admission to involuntary hospitalization. So be careful – studies show that 12-13% of patients develop post-traumatic stress disorder from forced treatments, and that 69-82% of patients consider psychiatric hospitalization traumatic. You don’t need that on top of everything else.

⚠️ IMPORTANT – Note to Healthcare Professionals:

If you’re a healthcare professional and you’re grinding your teeth reading all this, know that I’m not hiding my pro-human rights stance in psychiatry. No one should have the power to legally override other people’s human rights “supposedly” for their own good. If you’re not capable of building trust with your patients to the point where they refuse help when they’re in distress, you’re the problem.

The facts are clear: current research shows that forced psychiatric treatment is counterproductive for suicide prevention. It destroys trust, increases traumatic symptoms, and the highest risk period is immediately after discharge, when people have been traumatized by a system that was supposed to help them. Patients complain of abuse, coercive practices, and dehumanizing procedures. What the hell are you doing?

Finally, the fact that you have the power to forcibly commit people isn’t exactly a secret and prevents some people from seeking help because they would literally rather die than ask for your help.

The whole situation is terrible. Do better.

If Everything Feels Weird and You’re Scared

Use your phone’s camera to check what you’re seeing – if it’s only in your head, it won’t show up on screen. You can also call someone you trust and show them live what you’re seeing, or explain what’s happening if you’re hearing strange things or feel like someone wants to hurt you. If this person is worried about you and advises you to see a doctor or go to the hospital right away, listen to them, and ask them to come with you if possible.

If you’re really unwell, call 15 (SAMU) directly.

Simply describe what you’re feeling and what’s scaring you. The professionals will be able to assess you and guide you properly.

Remember: what you’re experiencing can be treated. Even if everything is terrifying, with the right treatment you’ll be okay. These episodes respond well to medication today: trust the healthcare professionals even if you’re scared – they’re there to help you reconnect with reality and get better.

You’re not crazy, your brain is just sick, and it can be treated.

Self-Diagnosis: The Three Questions You Need to Ask Yourself

What?

The first thing to do to self-diagnose properly is to try to put words to what’s wrong. Let’s try to categorize our feelings for more clarity:

It’s My Internal State

• I feel BAD (sad, depressed, hopeless)
• I feel ANXIOUS (worried, scared, panicked, stressed)
• I feel NOTHING/I feel DISCONNECTED (numb, detached, empty, cold)
• I feel ACTIVATED (angry, frustrated, explosive, on edge, wound up)
• I feel WEIRD (like nothing is real, I see myself from the outside, I feel like I’m floating)
• I’m being PERSECUTED (they’re spying on me, they want to hurt me)
• I’m in a state of ALERT (I startle easily, I’m always on guard, I don’t feel safe, my body reacts like there’s danger)
• I feel GUILTY/I’m ASHAMED (I did something wrong, I disgust myself, I’m ashamed of who I am, I feel dirty, I’m worthless)
• I’m OVERWHELMED (everything is too much, I can’t handle it anymore)
• It’s PHYSICAL (tired, tense, pain, sleep problems)

It’s My Situation

• It’s RELATIONAL (alone, rejected, relationships that fail)
• It’s my WORK or my PRODUCTIVITY (burn-out, procrastination, perfectionism)
• I have ADDICTIONS/COMPULSIONS (I can’t stop myself from doing something)
• It’s my FUNCTIONING (I can’t concentrate, make decisions, get things done)
• I AVOID things (I avoid people, places, or situations)
• I HURT myself (I injure myself, I sabotage myself, I have destructive behaviors)
• My THOUGHTS haunt me (racing thoughts, intrusive memories, I can’t turn my brain off)
• My MEMORY is messed up (I forget everything, or I can’t forget certain things)
• My life has no MEANING or PURPOSE (what’s the point?)
• My life has FLIPPED (everything changed, I’m lost, I don’t recognize my life anymore, I don’t know where I stand)

I’m the Problem

• I have an IDENTITY problem (I don’t know who I am, I feel like an impostor, I can’t be myself, I’m different, I’m weird)
• I have a MOTIVATION problem (I have no goals in life, nothing motivates me)
• I have a SELF-ESTEEM problem (I’m worthless, I’m broken, I don’t deserve to be loved/respected, I’m useless)
• I hate my BODY/APPEARANCE (obsessions with food, weight, or exercise)

You can feel several of these things at once. You need to write everything down – it’s important for the next part!

If you have no idea what you’re feeling, you can try writing in a journal every evening, talking about your day, etc. When you reread it, something might stand out.

Since When?

Once you have an idea of what you’re feeling (or not feeling), it’s time to clarify the timeline – meaning trying to “date” your symptoms. It’s a bit like an archaeologist trying to date the objects they dig up, but here, it’s your personal history you’re trying to decode.

Something Happened

• Grief (death of a loved one, loss of a pet)
• Trauma (accident, assault, abuse, natural disaster)
• Breakup (divorce, end of relationship, loss of important friendship)
• Major change (moving, job loss, serious illness)
• Major failure (studies, work, personal project)
• Birth (postpartum depression, parental stress)

It’s Always Been Like This/For a Long Time/As Long as I Remember

• I had a difficult childhood (violence, neglect, absent/sick parents)
• I’ve always been like this (anxious, sad, different from others)
• Chronic family problems (alcoholism, mental illness, poverty)
• Bullying/harassment at school
• Always felt “weird” or “different from others” since I was little

I’m Not Sure

• There were several things (stress accumulation, small traumas)
• It started when I was little and got worse
• Hormonal changes (puberty, menopause, pregnancy)
• Chronic stress (overwork, persistent financial problems)
• It fluctuates depending on periods in my life

How Bad Is It?

You know what you’re feeling and you know more or less since when: the last thing is to try to assess how intense it is, because it’s important to know when you need to ask for help.

“I often feel sad” is not the same as “I want to die every day.” “I feel anxious right now” is not the same as “I can’t stop thinking about what happened and I haven’t slept in a month.” How often do you have these feelings? How much does what you’re feeling interfere with your daily life? Does the intensity fluctuate depending on the day, time of day, or situations? Next to each symptom, add its intensity on a scale of 1 to 10, and if possible its frequency.

It’s important not to pathologize normal human feelings like we tend to do today (we’re not supposed to feel super happy 24/7, and it’s normal to feel bad when life gets complicated), but it’s also important to know when to ask for help.

Apart from the emergency situations I mentioned earlier, basically, if your quality of life is severely impacted, and/or you can’t function normally anymore, it’s time to get help.

BONUS QUESTION 

Do you have any family history of mental health issues? Meaning: are there people in your immediate circle (parents, siblings, grandparents) who have had a mental health diagnosis?

This isn’t about inevitability, it’s about understanding certain tendencies. If your father tried to commit suicide in the past, it doesn’t mean you have depression, but it’s useful information. Sometimes family members never got an official diagnosis, but they had symptoms – the “eccentric” cousin, the “dramatic” grandmother, the alcoholic parent…

Detective Work: Following Promising Leads

You now have enough information to start your investigation. Like a detective following clues, here are some leads that might match what you’re feeling. But keep an open mind – it’s possible that several things fit, or that nothing speaks to you: it happens, and that’s why we’re here.

You might be TRAUMATIZED:

If you’ve been through something difficult, like an accident or an assault, if you were bullied at school or work, or if you had a difficult childhood, you might have a trauma-related issue.

You might feel anxious, on high alert, stressed, or scared, you might see disturbing images or memories on repeat, or think about the event constantly. It’s also possible that you feel weird or disconnected, or that you don’t feel anything at all. This is dissociation, which is often the result of trauma. It’s even possible to alternate between these two states.

⚠️ Warning: A persistent feeling of shame, guilt, or anger can signal present or past abuse, and trauma. It’s possible that someone hurt you, tried to control you or manipulate you. This includes emotional abuse (put-downs or other forms), which are often harder to recognize but do just as much damage.

Google searches to do: PTSD, C-PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder, trauma reactions, nervous system trauma

Online questionnaires: the PCL-5 (for PTSD), the ITQ – International Trauma Questionnaire (for C-PTSD)

You might be GRIEVING::

If you’ve lost someone or something important (death of a loved one, breakup, job loss, moving, end of a life stage), it’s normal to feel sad or angry. Grief isn’t an illness, it’s a natural human reaction to loss.

But if your grief is preventing you from functioning after several months, if you feel “stuck” in sadness, if you’re isolating yourself from others, or if this loss has deeply changed how you see yourself or the world, you might have “complicated grief.”

This isn’t the same as depression (though you can have both). Complicated grief is when the normal grieving process doesn’t happen – you stay stuck in the pain of the loss and can’t move forward.

Google searches to do: complicated grief, pathological grief, grief therapy

Online questionnaires: the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG)

You might be DEPRESSED:

If you feel sad or hopeless all the time, if everything seems dull and uninteresting, if you feel tired, have trouble concentrating, sleep too much, or can’t fall asleep anymore, you might have depression.

This isn’t just feeling down. Real depression lasts over time. Some people manage to function in ‘survival mode’ but will suffer from the constant effort it requires and the deep distress they feel.

If you frequently have suicidal thoughts, it’s time to ask for help. Sometimes just finding someone to talk to, to unload some of your suffering, is enough initially to calm the distress. If you’re planning to end your life, writing goodbye letters, and you know when and how you’re going to do it, you’re in danger, and it’s urgent to get psychiatric help. Don’t do something irreversible: there are treatments that really work and can help you.

Google searches to do: major depression, dysthymia, chronic depression

Online questionnaires: PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)

Immediate help lines:

• Suicide Écoute: 01 45 39 40 00 (24/7, free)
• SOS Amitié: 09 72 39 40 50 (24/7)
• 15 – SAMU (medical emergency)

You might be ANXIOUS:

If you feel worried and stressed all the time, if you feel like something terrible is going to happen, if you have unexplained physical reactions (fast heartbeat, sweating, shaking), you might have an anxiety disorder. It’s your brain making you believe there’s danger when there isn’t, and the more you avoid what scares you, the worse it gets.

There are different forms of anxiety, from generalized anxiety (you worry about everything), to panic attacks (intense and sudden fear), to social anxiety (fear of being judged by others), specific phobias (which can also result from trauma), or OCD (obsessive thoughts + compulsive rituals to calm the anxiety).

Google searches to do: generalized anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety

Online questionnaires: GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7)

You might be NEURODIVERGENT:

If you’ve always felt different, if you struggle with social codes, or if you’ve had trouble concentrating since childhood, you might be neurodivergent.

This includes autism (social difficulties, need for routine, intense interests), ADHD (attention difficulties, hyperactivity, impulsivity), giftedness (high IQ, hypersensitivity), or other neurological differences.

⚠️ Warning: If you suspect neurodivergence, only consult professionals who specialize in or are trained on the topic. General practitioners usually miss the diagnosis (especially if you’re a woman), and risk pathologizing typical neurodivergent behaviors.

Google searches to do: adult autism, adult ADHD, autism masking, late diagnosis neurodivergence, gifted symptoms, high potential symptoms

Online questionnaires: AQ (Autism Quotient), ASRS for ADHD, online giftedness questionnaires

You might be PSYCHOTIC:

If you’re hearing voices that others don’t hear, if you’re seeing things that aren’t there, if you feel like you’re being spied on or that someone wants to hurt you, if you feel confused and have trouble thinking clearly, you’re probably not reading this article… but just in case, you might be having a psychotic break.

It’s scary, but medication can really help you. The sooner you get help, the sooner you’ll feel better. Don’t try to self-diagnose yourself because your perception of reality is altered: ask someone you trust to go with you to your primary care doctor or to the emergency room.

And if you’re really unwell, call 15 (SAMU) directly.

You might be BIPOLAR:

If you alternate between “high” periods (full of energy, less need for sleep, tons of ideas flying around, impulsive spending) and periods of deep depression where nothing interests you and you don’t want to do anything, you might have bipolar disorder.

It’s often only during depressive phases that someone will seek help, so the doctor only sees half the picture. It’s important to mention these high phases if you have them.

Google searches to do: bipolar disorder, manic episode, hypomania, cyclothymia

Online questionnaires: MDQ (Mood Disorder Questionnaire), HCL-32 (hypomania checklist)

You Might be BORDERLINE:

If you have impulsive behaviors with very intense emotional reactions (especially when stressed), if you feel a constant inner emptiness or have identity issues, if you’re terrified of being abandoned, and you realize your relationships are intense but chaotic and you tend to see everything in black and white, you might have borderline personality disorder.

If that’s the case, you probably have a history of trauma, and it’s also possible you have ADHD. It’s a complex disorder but responds really well to therapies designed for it.

Google searches to do: borderline personality disorder, BPD

Online questionnaires: McLean Screening Instrument (MSI-BPD)

You might Have an EATING DISORDER:

If you have a complicated relationship with food, if you’re obsessed with your weight or appearance, if you restrict what you eat or you’re always dieting, if you make yourself throw up, if you lose control and consume large amounts of food without being able to stop, you might have an eating disorder.

The main disorders are anorexia (food restriction), bulimia (binge episodes and compensatory behaviors), binge eating disorder, and orthorexia (obsession with “healthy” food).

These disorders mess with your body and wear you out mentally. You need to see a specialist as soon as possible.

Google searches to do: anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder, orthorexia

Online questionnaires: EAT-26, SCOFF questionnaire, BES (Binge Eating Scale) for binge eating disorder, ORTO-15 for orthorexia.

It might be BURNOUT :

If you’re emotionally and physically exhausted, if you feel like you’re no longer effective, if everything feels like too much and is overwhelming, you might be experiencing burnout.

This isn’t just being tired. It’s psychological and nervous exhaustion that doesn’t go away just by taking a vacation. You might develop physical symptoms (headaches, digestive issues), feel constantly on edge, and have sleep problems. Anyone can experience burnout after chronic stress over a long period.

It’s a complex problem that requires specialized help, often multidisciplinary. The sooner it’s treated, the better, and remember that it’s not a personal failure but a normal reaction to abnormal stress conditions.

Google searches to do: burnout, occupational exhaustion syndrome, parental burnout, emotional exhaustion

Online questionnaires: Maslach Burnout Inventory, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory

Maybe your life just SUCKS:

Sometimes you’re not the problem – your situation is. If you’re living in poverty, if you’re facing discrimination, sexual harassment, if you’re in a toxic relationship, if you work in an unhealthy environment, if you’re caring for a sick or difficult loved one, it’s NORMAL to not be doing well. Often, the solution is to quit, get divorced, move, or change jobs. A therapist or social worker could help you find concrete solutions to change your situation.

It’s also possible that you simply need to learn to communicate, say no, set boundaries, manage conflicts, so your life can be easier and more fulfilling. You might be going through a rough patch, and that’s where supportive therapy can help you develop strategies to cope, and simply give you a place to vent your emotions by complaining in sessions. Sometimes there’s nothing to “fix” – you just need to talk, to have a safe space to discuss what’s happening to you.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: If you’re using “substances”:

Alcohol and drugs (even “soft” ones like cannabis) completely alter brain chemistry and can mimic or mask practically all psychiatric symptoms. You might think you have depression when it’s just your brain trying to compensate for your consumption. Or conversely, you might be using alcohol to “manage” an anxiety disorder or trauma without realizing it since you’re masking the symptoms.

If you use regularly (even “just” on weekends), you need to stop for at least a month first to be able to make a real assessment of your actual mental state. If you can’t stop, it means you have an addiction – and that can also be treated with the right support. If you think you have a problem, talk to your primary care doctor – they can advise you.

Resources: Alcoholics Anonymous, CSAPA (Addiction Care, Support and Prevention Centers), primary care physician.

Why the Questionnaires?

The questionnaires were developed by psychiatrists and psychologists to be able to diagnose their patients more systematically and efficiently. They’re very good tools, but that’s all they are: tools, a starting point, and nothing more. What’s great is that they’re available online for free.

Understanding How These Questionnaires Work:

Sensitivity and Specificity

Each test has a sensitivity and specificity score evaluated as percentages:

• Sensitivity measures the test’s ability to detect people who actually have the condition. A sensitivity of 85% means that out of 100 people, the test detects 85 of the people who have the condition but misses 15 (false negatives).
• Specificity measures the test’s ability to correctly identify people who don’t have the condition. A specificity of 90% means that out of 100 people, 10 without the condition will still get a high score (false positives).

These tests work on general trends, not individual cases – and that’s why they never have a 100% score.

Core Symptoms and Associated Symptoms

• Each condition has its own core symptoms, for example chronic sadness for depression and excessive worry for anxiety disorders. These are the symptoms that define the condition.
• Associated symptoms are optional – they may be present – or not!
• Multiple conditions can have the same associated symptoms
• If you’re missing the core symptoms, it’s probably not what you have.

Differential Diagnosis

• The same symptoms can have completely different causes – this is called differential diagnosis – and that’s why it’s important not to stop at the first diagnosis that seems to fit.
• If the diagnosis isn’t right, you risk looking for inappropriate solutions, like doing CBT for anxiety when you actually have trauma.
• For example: concentration problems are found in depression, ADHD, anxiety, trauma, chronic stress…

How to Use These Tests Correctly

• You need MOST of symptoms, not just a few. If a depression test describes 9 symptoms and you only have 2, there’s little chance you have depression.
• Check first that you have the core symptoms – because if you don’t, that’s suspicious.
• Consider the duration and frequency of your symptoms, because to have a psychiatric diagnosis, symptoms need to persist for weeks or months.
• Don’t forget to get comprehensive blood work done to verify that you actually have a psychological issue and not a physical problem.
• It’s also possible to end up with multiple conditions: for example, trauma + depression, ADHD + anxiety disorders, or depression + anxiety.

Special Note for Neurodivergent People

If you think you’re neurodivergent or if it’s already been confirmed, be very careful because in my experience, we don’t present symptoms the same way neurotypical people do. For example, someone who has psychosis might just “ignore” auditory hallucinations, or someone with severe depression will learn to function with it. I can’t stress enough the importance of only seeing professionals who specialize in neurodivergence, and/or who are neurodivergent themselves.

What Now? What Do I Do With My Self-Diagnosis?

You have several options:

• Do nothing (and that’s okay)
• Find a therapist to talk to about it (a psychoanalyst for example)
• Take steps to get an “official” diagnosis and potential pharmaceutical treatment (psychologist/psychiatrist)
• Find the right therapist to address your problem

Remember: a diagnosis is just a label. It’s information, a tool, not a sentence. It’s the beginning of something: it can potentially help you understand yourself better, find a community around that diagnosis, and also help you better communicate what’s happening to you to competent professionals and guide you toward effective treatments.

You’re not broken. At most, your brain is just acting up. It’s not your whole story, it’s just part of it.

If you want to present your findings to a doctor or psychologist, you can simply be honest. You read an article, you have certain symptoms, you took certain tests: a good therapist should normally be delighted to meet an informed patient who’s active in their care. Bring notes with you if you’re afraid of forgetting something.

A bad therapist will feel threatened in their position as the “expert,” get defensive or mock your work, and won’t listen to you. Don’t forget that you’re paying them, and they have legal and ethical obligations to you: respect, listening, and care. It’s supposed to be collaborative work: so if they insult you, refuse to answer your questions, or threaten you, you have the right to leave and find someone else.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Trust yourself – they’re not in your head.

Conclusion

I wrote this guide for the person I was 25 years ago, who wanted answers and had to wait decades to get them. I wrote it for my ex, who was schizophrenic, and who wouldn’t have waited 7 years for his diagnosis if he had read this. And I’m writing it for you, because even though you’re not a mental health expert, you are an expert of yourself, and that still counts for something.

This is psychoeducation. In middle school, we learned some basics about the human body, and here, I’m teaching you about diagnoses and mental disorders. I hope that with all this, you understand yourself a little better. Moreover, this knowledge isn’t just there to help you – it could also help your family, your children, or your friends.

We may have made technological leaps this past century, but psychologically we’re the same traumatized primates who have been killing each other since the dawn of time. Except now, we have the technology to wipe ourselves out entirely, taking the whole planet out with us. Understanding how we function and learning to regulate ourselves is no longer a luxury – the survival of our world depends on it

Sources

Voluntary hospitalization rates in France:

• “Involuntary hospitalization” (2008) – Academic article from Cairn.info confirming that involuntary hospitalizations represent only “13% of psychiatric hospitalizations” Link

Diagnostic reliability in psychiatry:

• Rosenhan, D.L. (1973) – Famous study “On Being Sane in Insane Places” demonstrating that “we cannot distinguish the sane from the insane in psychiatric hospitals” and revealing diagnostic reliability problems Link

On ChatGPT and general AI for recognizing patterns of violence:

• Zhang, et al. (2025) – Study published in Family Relations (Wiley) examining “the effectiveness and consistency of ChatGPT in identifying domestic violence” and demonstrating ChatGPT’s ability to provide emotional and informational support to victims Link

On the harm of forced commitment:

• Berry, K. et al. (2013) – Meta-analysis showing that “PTSD prevalence rates following trauma symptoms and/or hospitalization range from 11% to 67%”  Link
  
• Frueh et al. (2003) – Study “Trauma Within the Psychiatric Setting” showing that “82% of patients reported that institutional events and procedures caused trauma and harm” Link
  
• Martinaki, S. et al. (2021) – Study showing that “PTSD after mechanical restraint or involuntary medication was 12.6%”  Link
  
• Jordan, J.T. & McNiel, D.E. (2020) – Study showing that people who were forcibly hospitalized had a significantly higher risk of suicide attempts than those who did not report coercion, demonstrating that forced psychiatric treatment is counterproductive for suicide prevention Link

 The risk of commitment prevents some people from seeking help:

• Jina-Pettersen, N. (2022) – Study showing that “hospitalization was found to induce significant fear, which ultimately acted as a deterrent to seeking future mental health services” and that “increased trauma and traumatic stress from hospital stays coupled with subsequent avoidance of mental health services may contribute to a significant public health problem” Link