This might sound a little "gatekeepish" But that's not what I'm trying to convey here. I just suck at explaining things. Maybe it's just a rant but..

I have met and continue to meet many people who say they have these mental illnesses, when they clearly don't. 

I have all three of the disorders listed in the title and a few more 😳. 
I'm intimately knowledgeable on the symptomology of these disorders as not only do I have them, I also study clinical psychiatry and clinical psychology in my free time because I'd like to become a clinical psychiatrist if/when I get my shit together one day.

Just because you have a symptom or two of the disorder does not mean you have it.. 
Infact even when you have the symptoms, it does not necessarily mean you have it. **Get professionally diagnosed**. 

If you only occasionally have anxiety that **does not** interfere with your life, or the anxiety is **not excessive in a manner  disproportionate to actual risk** you do not have general anxiety **disorder**. You just have anxiety, everybody experiences that occasionally. 

For example, almost everybody fears catching covid-19, And most of those that do will still venture outside despite their fears. But when I was a roommate at my brothers house, and his wife coughed one day, you know what I did? I freaked out, locked myself in my room and duct taped the borders of the door to prevent air from coming in my room Because I feard she could have covid-19 and pass it on to me. I wouldn't leave my room without a mask and gloves on while spraying an industrial sized can of lysol Everywhere. And I begged her and even offered her money to wear a mask around me. **That's an example of a disproportionate reaction to the risk** 

I quit my job and didn't leave my house for months in the beginning of the pandemic. 
(Therapy and meds has changed that now) 

I also have illness anxiety disorder, formerly known as hypochondriasis or hypochondria.
I once freaked out and went to the emergency room because I thought I was overdosing on orajel, the fucking tooth numbing gel. Even though I was assured by a medical professional I called that I was not overdosing, and even though subconsciously I knew that the risk of me overdosing from a pea sized amount of orajel was near/out right impossible. AND even though I have used more than that amount in the past and was fine, I still went to the ER Because my anxiety started causing physical symptoms mimicking overdose. Another example of a **reaction disproportionate to the risk** 

I was going to list off things about other disorders, but I think my point is made. 

People need to stop saying they have mental illnesses when they don't! Shit is down playing the seriousness of mental illness, and even contributes to misinformation. It also makes people like me and others that actually have these mental illness feel.. what's the word? Invalidated? Idk. Shit just makes me angry. 

Oh God and don't even get me started on the sensationalization and idolization of mental illnesses like bipolar disorder in social media as well. Ffs It's not a cute trait it's a fucking curse.