Diagnostic Overshadowing

Some physical health symptoms had previously been misattributed to mental health conditions by clinicians, delaying diagnosis — a phenomenon the study links to diagnostic overshadowing. Physical fatigue could be misread as depression even within supportive group settings, illustrating how physical and mental symptoms can be confused in mental health contexts. Many participants described feeling they had to fight to be heard, seen, diagnosed, or supported in healthcare settings, which was draining and mentally debilitating.