Informed Self-Diagnosis: Difference between revisions

 

See also [[A Fool for a Client]], the equivalent trope for lawyers.

 

== [[Fanfic]] ==

* In ''[[Forward]]'', Simon gives a self-diagnosis when he gets stabbed in the chest by a pair of scissors when the ship goes haywire. Later on, River gives herself a diagnosis of all of the injuries she's accrued, including broken bones, gunshot wounds, and [[Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking|sunburns.]]

 

== [[Film]] ==

** Although it's not stated or shown in the film itself, there is some probable [[Fridge Logic]] behind this: Scully knew Mulder would call 911, but also knew she wouldn't be conscious by the time the EMTs arrived, so she was trusting in him to repeat everything she said to them.

** Scully also does this in the series with her cancer—the opening to "Memento Mori" had her examining her own X-rays and explaining to Mulder exactly what it was and that she wouldn't live very long.

 

== Literature ==

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

*** It really, ''really'' doesn't help that the advent of readily-available information on the internet has made self-diagnosing as having Asperger's incredibly popular as an excuse for bad behavior both on and off the internet, as most of the really well-known symptoms make it sound like you're trading the requirement to follow society's rules for a superpower (the fact that most people making this association lack the supposed superpower, ie creative tendencies and high intelligence, is not lost on this troper). Because of this, some people don't even believe Asperger's is a real disorder.

** Self-diagnosing a stroke is considered good practice by most doctors. Since a stroke will almost always knock you out and there are very few, if any, external symptoms, having someone tell the paramedics or doctors that you had a stroke can save them a lot of time, and save your life. FAST is generally the easiest to remember: Face (half of your face just stops working, and it looks weird), Arms (you can't keep your arms level with each other), Speech (you slur your words as if drunk) and Time (it all happens very quickly).

** Being able to self-diagnosis a heart attack is another big one, as they are almost never as big and dramatic as they look on TV.

** Headache? Stiff neck? Fever? Dislike of bright lights? Get to A&E NOW. People - at least in the UK - are taught this as the symptoms can be sign of meningitis, although they may also be the person having a very bad day. Most TV using meningitis go for the rash-that-won't-vanish-under-a-glass thing, but if you wait for that to appear a. it might not and b. you're often too late by that point.