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Nick Haslam, Professor of Psychology, The University of Melbourne

Diagnostic labels may increase our empathy for people in distress. But there are downsides too

Depression Mental Health PTSD
Farknot Architect/Shutterstock

The language of mental ill health is inescapable. Diagnostic terms, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), pervade popular culture and saturate the online world. They are the currency of countless news stories and awareness campaigns.

The rise of diagnostic labels could be celebrated. It suggests the public’s mental health literacy is increasing and the stigma attached to mental illness is in decline. As the shame associated with it diminishes, mental illness comes out of the shadows.

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