Following the passage of Labour’s watered-down welfare Bill at second reading last night, questions will be asked about how the Government plans to slash the ballooning cost of the welfare state. New data for Enhanced Personal Independence Payments (PIP) in the UK shows that in 2019, 26,256 people were receiving enhanced PIP for autism. By 2025, that number is expected to hit 114,211 — a 335% increase in just six years.

Similar surges can be seen across the board. Claims for anxiety and depression have jumped from 23,647 to 110,075 and ADHD diagnoses have risen from 4,233 to 37,339. Even “obesity”, a rather subjective diagnosis, has risen from 2,346 to 11,228, despite the fanfare around drugs like Ozempic.

These figures aren’t just shocking; they’re unsustainable. So what’s happening here? Are we genuinely in the grip of a vast health crisis, with neurological and psychological disorders exploding at alarming rates? Or are we seeing something more insidious — a creeping collective hypochondria, where normal human difficulties are increasingly seen as symptoms of a pathological or neurodevelopmental condition?

As a psychotherapist who’s worked in the mental health field for over two decades, I believe we are in the midst of an overdiagnosis crisis. The natural ups and downs of being human are increasingly labelled and medicalised, often with encouragement from well-meaning professionals and advocacy groups. It is also made worse by perverse financial incentives.

What used to be the sharper edges of personality — awkwardness, sensitivity, anxiety, low mood — are now swiftly pathologised, diagnosed, and paid for. I’m not denying that these conditions are real, or that people don’t suffer. Far from it. I’ve seen firsthand how debilitating psychological distress can be. But I’ve also seen how misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis can be harmful, especially in a society that increasingly treats discomfort as disease.

The younger generation has been taught to view themselves and others through a diagnostic lens. Teachers no longer describe a child as “shy”, “fidgety”, or “easily distracted”. These traits are now red flags pointing towards potential disorders. The system is structured so that if parents want additional support for their children, they’re nudged down the diagnostic route. And who can blame them? A diagnosis can bring special accommodations and financial assistance. In today’s pressurised, exam-focused environment, those things matter.

But these labels come with a long tail. While diagnosis may bring short-term benefits such as extra help in school and targeted interventions, it can also burden children with a sense of brokenness. As they grow older, many begin to believe their brains are damaged, and that everyone else is gliding through life unscathed.

And it’s not just children. There’s been a dramatic rise in adult diagnoses, too. Autism, ADHD, anxiety: take your pick. Social media platforms are awash with self-diagnosis guides, hashtags and influencers offering symptom lists and solidarity.

The cultural consequences are far-reaching. Increasingly, we are losing the ability to hold space for emotional pain. Eccentricity, intensity, awkwardness, hyper-focus — all traits once seen as harmless quirks — are now repackaged as disorders, often with lifelong implications.

The financial, social, educational, and psychological costs are significant. When welfare systems like PIP are tied to medical labels, we risk incentivising illness rather than promoting wellness. Of course, support must be available to those in genuine need. But as diagnostic criteria expand, resources are stretched, and people’s sense of personal agency is quietly eroded.

Maybe everyone isn’t mentally ill. Maybe the mental health system itself is faltering. Mental resilience is built through facing adversity and learning, ideally with support from our loved ones, how to get through it. For some, diagnoses are life-saving. But for many others, they’re simply a way to avoid the bitter pill of being human.

We need to rediscover the art of coping. Because sometimes, the healthiest thing we can do is stop looking for a label and start living without one.

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Stella O’Malley is a psychotherapist and bestselling author. She is Founder-Director of Genspect, an international organisation that advocates for a healthy approach to sex and gender.

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