I don't really care too much about it, besides if people say that then they are being clear that they have not been professionally diagnosed so its not like they are lying about having a condition they don't. Also though I don't think most people go looking up symptoms of mental disorders unless they are worried they have one, Or if they have to for psychology class or they are just curious about mental disorders and how the brain works.

I think its a good idea to seek professional advice/diagnoses, but then that is not necessarily infallible either. There are plenty of not so competent mental health professionals at least that is the impression I've gotten. But yeah its difficult to really get much help with your condition without a professional diagnoses...and if it prevents you from holding a job its unlikely to be approved for disability without any medical records.

I knew I had PTSD before I could get it diagnosed....I didn't even want to think I had it, so when no one I tried to talk to would take it seriously I thought 'cool maybe I really don't have it then' and so I managed to just wall it up inside graduate highschool, then I went to college and ended up dropping out when my mental health really went to crap and I could not stand how I felt so lots of drugs and alcohol where consumed during that period of time to not feel like that. Then I decided to read up a little on PTSD for some reason just about everything I read was pretty much an exact fit and then I was pissed that when I brought it up to the school counseler and tried to go to therapy through the place I was seeing a therapist for depression at for a while I couldn't get any help and had it dismissed and now was stuck with it since without early treatment and support the prognosis is not usually 'cured'. Finally after having a number of therapist and other mental health professionals saying its very unlikely I don't have PTSD I got it on paper recently as an actual diagnoses.