General practitioners have voiced concerns about feeling “under pressure” to diagnose mental health conditions such as depression, ADHD, and autism more frequently than necessary.

While life undeniably presents challenges, from heartbreak to grief, it’s crucial to differentiate between typical distress and mental health disorders. Many believe that ordinary struggles should not be mistaken for pathological issues. This perspective emerged prominently in a survey conducted by BBC News, which reached out to over 5,000 GPs across England. One GP succinctly noted, “Life being stressful is not an illness.”

In today’s society, mental health issues are prevalent, with NHS data indicating that one in five adults experiences conditions like anxiety or depression. Among younger demographics, particularly those aged 16-24, the rates are even more pronounced, affecting one in four individuals.

Nevertheless, more than half of the 752 GPs who participated in the BBC survey expressed unease about the potential overdiagnosis of mental health conditions. Contrarily, a smaller group of respondents felt that under-diagnosis was the more pressing concern.

One GP highlighted that assigning labels such as anxiety or depression could “over-medicalise life and emotional difficulties,” potentially diverting critical resources away from individuals with more severe needs. Another GP observed that young adults, particularly post-Covid, appear less resilient and more focused on obtaining a diagnosis rather than developing practical coping mechanisms.

Another remarked that young adults “seem to be less resilient since Covid” and are more concerned with getting a diagnosis than finding practical coping strategies.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting ordered an independent review into rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services in England on Thursday. 

But he backtracked on his claims that there was an “overdiagnosis” of mental health problems, saying he now realised his past comments had “failed to capture the complexity” of the problem. 

His Guardian article was headlined: “I realise now that my view on mental health overdiagnosis was divisive. We all need better evidence.”

He wrote: “Whether this is because people are more open about their mental health, there is growing awareness of these conditions, these are consequences of the pandemic or there have been other drivers, we have got to get to the bottom of the causes of this.”