Opinion: Are We All Becoming Armchair Therapists?

Photo Credit: Pexels

Armchair therapists might not have bad intentions, but they can certainly stand in the way of actual progress. This World Mental Health Day, we take a dive into the world of armchair therapy.

Global (10 October 2024) — Until social media became an obscenely popular form of connection, casual talk about mental health was largely reserved for a therapy session, ‘woke’ media publications and (if you were lucky) a group of non-judgemental friends.

Thankfully, a lot has changed in a short space of time for humanity, to the point where (at least if you’re living in a liberal part of the world) you could freely tell someone you’re feeling anxious without the stomach-clenching fear that they’d think you crazy and try to pack you off to an asylum.

In fact, talking about mental health has become so popular, there are entire pages dedicated to the topic that have millions of followers, podcasts boasting just as impressive numbers and entirely new shoots of education dedicated to important fields within mental health.

It’s a positive change we’ve seen in our lifetime, one that’s taken us closer to empathy and further from disconnection. But, as we celebrate World Mental Health Day, there’s also a glaring elephant in the room: a lot of us are unknowingly becoming armchair therapists.

What is an Armchair Therapist?

Armchair therapists are people who are typically interested in psychology (or those who have even dealt with mental illness themselves) who then use their knowledge in ways that can become problematic, like diagnosing someone with no grounds to do so, accusing people of exhibiting certain traits without merit, or incorrectly giving advice on one mental health condition based on another. According to BetterHelp, these opinions largely come from the ‘logic and introspection of an untrained layperson’. Additionally, they can be guilty of misdiagnosing themselves.

‘That’s not me or anyone I know!’ You might think. But are you so sure?

How many times have you called an act ‘gaslighting’ without really understanding the term? Or deemed someone a narcissist simply because they talked about themselves a little too much? Heard someone jump to the conclusion that a person has an avoidant attachment style because they take yonks to respond, or told you that they probably have ADHD because they simply cannot tell a story chronologically? Ever diagnosed yourself based on a hunch?

Maybe you haven’t. But there are a lot of us who unknowingly have. And it’s a pretty big elephant in the room that stands in the way of mental health progress.

Why Armchair Therapists Aren’t Necessarily a Friend to Progress

It’s wonderful to be informed on a topic. In fact, it’s critical! But, when you start taking on a role you’re not qualified for (like a psychologist or psychiatrist is), things can get sticky.

Never mind the way it can lead us to become more biased and stereotypical of others; it can also give us a pseudo-sense of authority when it comes to our own mental health. Not to mention, not all armchair therapists are as informed as they claim to be, which means a lot of misinformation can be spread to trusting people.

The problematic part doesn’t just come in that you or someone you know might not actually have a certain disorder at all and are treating the case as such. It also isn’t just that you might be acting as a bandaid of support for someone you care about when, in reality, they need professional care.

At the core, the issue is in really knowing what exactly you’re dealing with when it comes to the beautiful and complex beast that is your brain. Because if you don’t, or stand in the way of someone else getting support, healing and coping becomes a helluva lot harder.

Why the Armchair Therapy Phenomenon

We’re all inundated with content in the Age of Socials (which is its own Pandora’s Box of mental health concerns—yes, we’re looking at you Digital Addiction). So, it’s not surprising that we’re dealing with the Armchair Therapy movement.

And the algorithms feed this. Google whether you have an anxiety disorder just once, and suddenly your TikTok feed brims with anxiety-related content. Let’s not forget ChatGPT. Pretty soon, it’s turtles all the way down.

Additionally, because many psychological challenges share similarities—it’s very easy to confuse one for another when you are untrained. A great example that’s widely spoken about in psychological literature is the similarities between ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (which can both be present at the same time). Or confusing Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with social anxiety and vice versa.

Another reason it becomes easy to play Armchair Therapist is that a lot of symptoms of mental health conditions are things most of us have experienced at one point or another, which creates a false sense of relatability. Think about it this way: we all need to use the toilet as humans. It’s something we can all relate to. But, if you need to go 40 times a day, every single day, something is probably afoot.

We Owe it to Ourselves and Those We Love to Point Them in the Right Direction.

As we take time to reflect on World Mental Health Day, it’s worth considering that openness and room to talk are the first step, but not the end of the journey. Just as it is with any medical condition, healing can’t really start until the actual cause is understood.

Seeking professional support is imperative in many mental health journeys, and the more armchair therapists who turn into allies and point their loved ones in the right, expert-approved direction, the more hope we have for a world filled with healthier and happier minds.