I understand the relief that can come with a diagnosis. It gives a problem a name, and with that can come a sense of validation and hopefulness about a resolution.
There can be an unintended downside to mental health diagnoses however. Many people know about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) which contains diagnoses for all manner of psychological disturbance. It’s an amazing attempt to capture and describe all manner of psychic pain.
Many people do not know however, that the DSM does not suggest etiology or treatment. It simply provides broad descriptions of certain clusters of symptoms. A lot of useful detail is lost in that broadness.
As an example, a therapist once asked a group of Vietnam veterans who were diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) what diagnosis they would give themselves. After some discussion, they settled on “misplaced compassion”. It’s a much richer description. It contextualizes and empowers. It also points to both cause and cure.
I find that a lot of people describe themselves in the broad terms of the DSM, but that the most actionable and instructive descriptions of problems are unique to that person. If you are struggling with something currently, try describing it in specific, non-clinical terms. You might be surprised by how much the descriptor matters.