This is in response to Cathy

Probably you would see some. I think "self-diagnosis" has become prevalent in our society, not just with mental health. I diagnose myself all the time with physical problem (wait, is that hypochondria?) :)

I think all people view the world through the lens of their experiences. You have experiences with mental health and you have schooling and training that makes you more aware of those things.

Here's where it gets sticky: I am a mental health professional. When I see a loved one engaging in self-destructive behavior, I suggest what I know -- treatment, counseling, whatever you want to call it. I get labelled an "extremist" because that's what I know. Not only do I know about treatment because of my profession, I KNOW it works because it helped me (and many others I know).

We also have this prevalent idea in our society that we can do every thing on our own. "Be an individual." I think a lot of what is called mental illness is that people feel disconnected from a community and feel like they have to do it all on their own.

We also allow the medical model to enter the "diagnosis" and "treatment" of mental illness. Medical model says, "You have something wrong, here's what fixes it." Strengths perspective says, "You have something right, let's build on that."