

Suzanne O'Sullivan
Consultant in clinical neurophysiology and neurology at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, specializing in complex epilepsy and psychogenic disorders. Author of 'The Age of Diagnosis: Sickness, Health, and Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far'.
Top 10 podcasts with Suzanne O'Sullivan
Ranked by the Snipd community

271 snips
Sep 9, 2025 • 57min
America in the Age of Diagnosis
In this insightful discussion, neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan, author of 'The Age of Diagnosis', challenges the current medical labeling trend. She argues that our obsession with diagnoses is pathologizing normal behaviors, turning healthy individuals into patients. O’Sullivan raises critical questions about the rise in ADHD, anxiety, and depression diagnoses, advocating for a balanced view of medical labels. She emphasizes the risks of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatments while exploring how societal perceptions of health are evolving.

233 snips
May 6, 2025 • 1h 50min
Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far, The Problem With Getting A Diagnosis & Why Early Detection Is Not Always A Good Thing with Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan #553
Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan, a consultant specializing in complex epilepsy and author of 'The Age of Diagnosis', discusses the troubling trends in modern medicine. She explains how diagnostic labels can alter a person's self-view and urges a reevaluation of our understanding of health struggles as potentially normal experiences rather than diseases. The conversation also touches on the surge of autism diagnoses, the pitfalls of early detection, and the complexities of genetic testing, advocating for a more personalized and holistic approach to healthcare.

78 snips
Nov 12, 2025 • 1h 49min
What is psychosomatic illness? (with Suzanne O'Sullivan)
Suzanne O'Sullivan, an Irish physician and neurologist, delves into the complexities of long COVID and psychosomatic illnesses. She discusses four explanations for long COVID, emphasizing the real physical nature of psychosomatic symptoms. The conversation highlights how societal factors inflamed these conditions during the pandemic and addresses misconceptions perpetuated through social media. O'Sullivan suggests effective recovery techniques, including distraction and reframing symptoms, while unpacking the challenges of diagnosing chronic pain and unexplained illnesses.

75 snips
Mar 15, 2025 • 1h 4min
153. We’re Not Getting Sicker — We’re Overdiagnosed
Suzanne O'Sullivan, a neurologist specializing in epilepsy and author, dives into the world of overdiagnosis in medicine. She challenges the obsession with medical labels, arguing that it exacerbates health issues and leads to unnecessary anxiety. Through compelling case studies, she explores the complex mind-body connection, highlighting how psychological factors can cause real physical symptoms. O'Sullivan also discusses the difficulties in distinguishing between different types of seizures and the implications of overdiagnosis, particularly in vulnerable populations.

24 snips
Apr 3, 2025 • 49min
What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You & How to Unlock Your True Voice
Dr. Suzanne O’Sullivan, a consultant neurologist and author of 'The Age of Diagnosis,' discusses the perils of overdiagnosis and the anxiety that often accompanies unnecessary medical tests. She highlights the need for a patient-centered approach, emphasizing understanding rather than labeling. The conversation shifts to effective communication, led by Michael Chad Hoeppner, a communications expert. He shares innovative strategies to enhance verbal skills, encouraging listeners to build confidence and clarity when expressing themselves.

22 snips
Mar 5, 2025 • 2h 6min
Suzanne O'Sullivan (on over diagnosis)
Suzanne O'Sullivan, a neurologist and award-winning writer, discusses the significant issue of overdiagnosis in medicine. She highlights the complexities surrounding epilepsy, psychosomatic disorders, and the rise of self-diagnosis culture. Suzanne also explores the impact of societal beliefs on health, revealing how collective phenomena can manifest physically. The conversation touches on how the myth of sonic weapons and health anxieties, exacerbated by social media, complicate our understanding of true medical conditions, advocating for a more compassionate approach to health.

18 snips
Apr 12, 2026 • 48min
Is There a Crisis of Overdiagnosis in Modern Medicine? With Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan
Suzanne O’Sullivan, a consultant neurologist and writer, explores the rise in diagnoses and whether everyday life and normal variations are being medicalized. She discusses when labels help or harm, the pitfalls of testing and screening, the role of genetics and wearables, and how to decide if a diagnosis actually delivers meaningful support.

13 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 1h 4min
Over-Diagnosis: Are Too Many People Being Given Medical Labels? (Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan)
Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan, consultant neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis, questions whether modern screening and labels sometimes harm more than help. She discusses overdetection from imaging and genetics, the nocebo effect, screening trade-offs, rising neurodiversity labels, and how diagnoses can reshape identity and life choices.

6 snips
Mar 20, 2025 • 44min
Cancer, autism, and long covid: The "over-diagnosis" crisis
Dr. Suzanne O'Sullivan, a seasoned neurologist from London's National Hospital and author of "It's All in Your Head," dives into the pressing issues of over-diagnosis in health. She highlights that 1 in 10 in England believe they have long COVID and questions the potential dangers of over-medicalization in mental health. O'Sullivan also discusses the complexities surrounding autism diagnoses and the need for nuanced understandings of health conditions to avoid mislabeling and unnecessary stigma. Her insights encourage a more holistic approach to health care.

Mar 30, 2026 • 22min
Who Is Responsible For Over-Medicalisation? (Your Radical Questions with Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan)
Dr Suzanne O’Sullivan, neurologist and author of The Age of Diagnosis, brings decades of clinical experience. She explores when anxiety becomes a medical disorder. She examines costs of overmedicalising and how underdiagnosis can coexist with diagnostic inflation. She discusses impacts on women, neurodivergence in prisons, and who drives medicalisation.


