I think the majority of "official" diagnosis are born as a result of self-diagnosis. After all, if you don't think you have a problem, you're not going to see about getting a diagnosis for it, right? You've got to recognise the problem in yourself first - or get someone else to, but that's another matter - in order to see someone about it. I get the point that "self-diagnosis" here refers to something a little bit deeper than just a casual "I think I might have [insert relevant condition here]" thought, but I think it's the same sort of thing in principle; it's a self-assessment of oneself. How valid it is depends upon your perspective, really.
One thing I love about self-diagnosis is that you can more readily overcome it; if you're given an "official" diagnosis, it feels like it's set in stone: that's it, you've got it, you're stuck with it until someone else says otherwise. You surrender control of your self-perception, and I would say that's a very dangerous and detrimental thing to do.
Using myself as an example, I have never seen about getting an official diagnosis for my very probable depression. I refuse to allow that sort of thing into my life: I have enough issues as it is to work with, and I'm not going to add another one to the mix. Most people in my position do suffer from some form of depression. So long as I only THINK I might be depressed, I can shelve the issue, or ignore it outright, depending upon the strength of the feeling. If someone tells me and I KNOW I have depression, I'll worry over it. It'll get worse. It's a case of ignorance being bliss and, whilst it doesn't eradicate the problem, it does allow for a more natural healing, or at least an accomodation and an ability to work around it - it's a thing, it has no name, so it has less relevance. Official diagnosis are scary things. At least to me.
I've self-diagnosed a few of my conditions, although I prefer not to spread things around beyond saying how I might cope with issues in an attempt to relate to others; my health is my own business, and not anyone else's. I don't get this idea of it being a competition of some websites *coughtumblrcough* to see who has the "worst" disability or disorder; suffering is not comparable, and is also highly personal. I don't see why people would want to feel more hard done-by than others, it isn't something to be proud of. Feeling like the most miserable person out there won't help you feel better. I've tried it. Funnily enough, I just felt more isolated and miserable. The "nobody understands!" thing is a very lonely place to be.
It helps some people to talk about it, and I get that...well, sort of; I'm not an open person. I understand the theory behind it, let's say. But I think ultimately people react to these things in different ways and, whilst there are those who give themselves these labels like they're fashions to be flaunted to other, more fortunate people, I would hope that they're just a very vocal minority...or going through a phase that they'll quickly outgrow. I don't know. It's a personal thing. I prefer not to judge people based on what they have or think they have or whatever; it's none of my business. If they want to talk about how unhappy they are or what they've got, that's fine with me. Just as long as I'm not expected to actually care about it beyond a polite interest.
