By Carla Adeline Via
Mental health practitioner Dr. Apollo Marr F. Bugay discussed the “perils of refusing to seek professional help” to Silliman University (SU) students during the Mental Health Caravan last Nov. 20 at the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium.
Themed “Mindful Minds: The Danger of Self-Diagnosis,” Bugay spoke during the afternoon session of the caravan.
In his lecture, Bugay emphasized how the digital age and easy access to knowledge has lead to the issue of self-diagnosis.
“Self-diagnosing a mental health condition is when someone identifies a mental health disorder without professional confirmation. We create our own conclusions of what we are going through,” he explained.
Bugay added, “Everybody has done this, one way or the other. This is a reality especially because the technology is available to all of us.”
He further explained that self-diagnosis often happens via taking online assessments, watching Tiktok videos of “self-proclaimed mental health practitioners,” and reading blog posts enumerating the symptoms of these disorders.
According to Bugay, self-diagnosis can lead to “dangerous outcomes” such as self-fulfilling prophecies, overlooking symptoms, missing underlying physical or mental conditions, or misguided treatment.
While he acknowledged different factors that prevent people from seeking professional help such as time and economic constraints, he encouraged attendees to avoid self-diagnosing and to rely on professional opinion instead.
“You are all blessed that here [at SU] kay kompleto inyuhang mga [you have a complete range of] mental health practitioners. Your guidance counselors are here with you to assist you in your difficult time,” he said.
Moreover, attendees were able to discuss concerns relating to mental health with the speakers during the open forum.
Meanwhile, in the morning session of the caravan, Dr. Justine Megan Yu gave her talk to another batch of students.
Yu is currently in the field of neurology with certifications and training in treating dementia and other related disorders.
The Mind Matters movement, under the SU Guidance and Testing Division and in partnership with the SU Peer Advocacy Facilitators (SUPAF), arranged the Mental Health Caravan for sophomore students.
The movement is a mental health awareness project under the SU Guidance and Testing Division that aims to promote a culture of awareness and understanding of the matters of the mind, especially among the youth.
