Omkar Naik

It sounds counterintuitive, but getting the wrong treatment is often worse than getting no treatment at all. If a person decides they aren't ready for help, the door stays open. They might change their mind later, and because they haven't been wasting time on ineffective methods, their condition might still be manageable. However, unproven treatments create a "safety net" that isn't actually there. They give a person the feeling that they are doing something productive, which stops them from

Hearing a mental health diagnosis for the first time is usually a heavy moment. Many people leave a professional’s office feeling like they’ve been handed a permanent tag or a new disability to carry. There is a common idea that a diagnosis is a fixed, unchanging burden, but it actually serves a very practical purpose. To understand why these labels are used, it helps to remember a principle from philosopher Alfred Korzybski: "The map is not the territory." A diagnosis is not just a map.

When I suggest a small change, people often pause and say, almost apologetically, “I’m not sure if this will work.” They usually explain that they understand their problem and know what’s recommended. What they don’t say is that the life they’re living, even with all its difficulties, is familiar. It gives them control, sometimes even safety. In that moment, it becomes clear they’re not choosing suffering - they’re choosing certainty.