By Brynne O’Hare, Student Advisory Council Member
I still remember when I was diagnosed with OCD almost nine years ago. I sat in a windowless brown room in a squeaky chair, and my hands were clammy with angst and uncertainty. I wanted answers about why I felt the way that I felt, and it seemed like I would finally get some. Reflecting upon my diagnosis experience for this blog, I reached out for a conversation with Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, MD, MSEd.
Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg is a renowned physician in the field of adolescent medicine and also serves as Co-Director for the Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His breadth of knowledge and experience working with teenagers through an approach that employs both prevention and recognition strategies, as well as a focus on social context and the stressors of teenage life today, serves as powerful groundwork for understanding youth mental health in 2025.
Ginsburg believes that any medical diagnosis should be viewed from a holistic perspective that encapsulates more than one view. “The diagnosis can allow you to explore with a professional how to become more comfortable with a part of you that is sometimes distressed,” Ginsburg explains. “Critically, it can also allow you to leverage the superpowers within you.”
This perspective is a core aspect of why Ginsburg believes a diagnosis can be helpful. Understanding deeply where your strengths lie and how you can build on those when you are presented with information about mental health difficulties in your life enables you to employ a positive and resilient perspective.
Seeking professional help through this lens can also show that you are hopeful about learning how to thrive, despite hardships. “Adolescence can be the time to figure out how to build on those strengths while minimizing the discomforts they sometimes create,” adds Ginsburg.
On the other hand, Ginsburg points out that “a diagnosis is just that—a diagnosis.” He believes that placing too much emphasis on one label or placing yourself in one “box” can be harmful and only represents a fraction of the person that you are. Dr. Ginsburg also notes that a diagnosis can often be worked through and overcome, so it doesn’t necessarily define you in that sense, either.
“We’re all complex human beings who have so many great things to consider as we form our unique identity,” he emphasizes. Seeing yourself too simplistically from this narrow viewpoint or allowing a diagnosis to speak for you entirely, instead of viewing it as an informative tool, can do harm.
When presented with a diagnosis, don’t be afraid to ask questions and dive deep into what this new term means in your life—but don’t forget that you are always so much more than any one word could ever describe. By seeking out a diagnosis, you are demonstrating a great deal of maturity and respect for yourself. Lastly, understand that nothing is forever, and you are capable of persevering and overcoming challenges, no matter how formidable they may seem.
Related Resource: Navigating Stress in Schools: How Adaptive Coping Builds Resilience
Challenge Success, a nonprofit affiliated with the Stanford Graduate School of Education, elevates student voice and implements research-based, equity-centered strategies to increase well-being, engagement, and belonging in K-12 schools.