UnHerd with Freddie Sayers Cancer, autism, and long covid: The "over-diagnosis" crisis
6 snips
Mar 20, 2025 
Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan, a seasoned neurologist from London's National Hospital and author of "It's All in Your Head," dives into the pressing issues of over-diagnosis in health. She highlights that 1 in 10 in England believe they have long COVID and questions the potential dangers of over-medicalization in mental health. O'Sullivan also discusses the complexities surrounding autism diagnoses and the need for nuanced understandings of health conditions to avoid mislabeling and unnecessary stigma. Her insights encourage a more holistic approach to health care.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Overdiagnosis Defined
- Overdiagnosis occurs when a diagnosis doesn't benefit the person, even if it's accurate.
- Medicalizing a struggle can be harmful, causing anxiety and unnecessary treatment.
Huntington's Anxiety
- A woman, fearing Huntington's disease, developed symptoms due to anxiety, even though she tested negative.
- This highlights the risk of pre-illness diagnoses increasing health anxiety and creating symptoms.
Autism Spectrum Expansion
- The autism spectrum has broadened significantly, including individuals with minimal impairment alongside severely disabled individuals.
- This makes research and treatment challenging, potentially hindering those who need help.
