Have you ever experienced a symptom or have a health concern and turned to the internet for an instant self-diagnosis?
Maybe you may have experienced, for example, a persistent headache, but instead of going to the doctor, you would rather switch on your smartphone or your computer to search your health concern.
This new phenomenon is called cyberchondria, which is now considered to be the online equivalent of hypochondria or when you excessively worry about your health.
Nowadays, information is just a mouse-click or finger-swipe away, so you may find it harmless, even helpful to "research" the web for health-related information about conditions you fear you might have.
For others, this could be a recipe for disaster. If you have hypochondriac tendencies you are far more likely to absorb all the negative information and interpret it in a way that fuels unfounded fears about your state of health. Using the headache instance again, these people are far more likely to be drawn to the brain tumor explanation as opposed to the simple mild dehydration cause.
The internet contains a dearth of information, and not all of it is entirely accurate, some is downright misleading. Whatever the imagined disease is, the damage is done when your mind ‘believes’ you have it. This is when your health anxiety goes through the roof – thus making you feel worse still.
How do you develop cyberchondria?
Cyberchondria most commonly occurs when an individual has experienced emotional trauma; the death of a loved one, or when someone close is afflicted with a serious illness. Some new mothers are susceptible - looking online for every scrap of health information about their newborns.
Any negative information can trigger anxiety and begin the worry cycle, and for a cyberchondriacs, the best way to deal with this is to get reassurance through the quickest way possible: the internet.
Risks of cyberchondria
Having cyberchondria brings plenty of risks; it raises your anxiety levels, which can eventually mean seeking professional help. The reality is - you tend to be less healthy when you are obsessed with your health.
It can also be costly because you could be misdiagnosing yourself and going for expensive medical tests that you don't actually need. You may also be easily convinced to buy supplements you don’t need, but still cost you a lot of money anyway. Remember, the most simple solutions are normally the best; exercise more and eat healthily, that’s a good starting point!
Treating cyberchondria
Remember, there is no substitute to a visit to the doctor. If you are unwell, that’s where you should go. However, if you are prone to health anxiety, a visit to a health care professional could actually help you recognise and deal with the problem you have. Any health concern should be answered by an expert rather than relying on internet information of dubious origin.
If left untreated, cyberchondria can change from a character trait into a devastating obsession. So if you do have cyberchondria, you may consider trying cognitive behavioural therapy to help you overcome your root-cause anxiety.
It also helps to skip reading health-related info that can be disturbing and will only fuel your anxiety. But if you must browse the web for information, only use credible websites that offer current and evidence-based details that you can easily understand.
Better still, find a healthy distraction from the internet. There's a reason why it is called the web, and if you allow yourself to get carried away, you could get tangled in unfounded health worries. Give yourself time to switch-off so you can fully enjoy the present, re-engage with the real world!
Finally, when you are reading the unregulated web, take everything you read with a pinch of salt. And remember that the best thing you can do for yourself is live a healthy life. No second-guessing there.