Thread Topic: Cyberchondria - Internet-Induced Health Anxiety
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disorderguy
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: Admin |
2009-05-11 10:33:36 |
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One study found that 2% of all web searches are health-related. One third of initial health-related searches are followed up with a search exploring a serious disease. A survey of 500 Microsoft employees found that more than half admitted that medical searches on serious illness had interrupted their workday at least once in the past. One suggestion put forth is that search engines like Google identify health-related queries and serve up results sorted by most common to least common illness. That way, a search on headaches will return results on stress, eyestrain, and caffeine withdrawal over brain tumors. There would certainly be technical challenges, but this may help alleviate a lot of unnecessary anxiety. I don't know if anyone has tried to put a price on the loss of productivity due to health anxiety and cyberchondria, but I am sure the dollar figure is quite high. |
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Unanswered Thread: Nuclear Apocalypse posted by Gumba Gumba 7 hours ago |
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nikkikdg
Joined: May 12, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-12 14:47:56 |
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sammie
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: New User |
2009-05-20 15:14:39 |
| Yep I know all about cyberchondria, I can't help looking up my symptoms every time it feels like something is wrong. And then like you said the scary diseases all come up and I end up freakin out. It would be nice if google could sort the results differently. | |
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2rlyblssd
Joined: Jun 8, '09
Status: New User |
2009-06-08 11:09:02 |
| I thoroughly agree! My husband actually banned me from searching such things on the computer at home, so I do it at work instead, and it sure has cut into my productivity! I am the boss and only employee, too, so NOTHING gets done when I am in this state! It feels like my dirty little secret. | |
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disorderguy
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: Admin |
2009-06-08 20:33:52 |
| Banned from searching, not a bad idea I suppose! Spouses don't really understand, though, right? | |
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2rlyblssd
Joined: Jun 8, '09
Status: New User |
2009-06-09 07:15:43 |
| Yeah, but it does cause me more anxiety when he does that. He keeps assuring me that if he were truly concerned about whatever I was feeling at the given moment, than he would not hesitate to either take me to the hospital or urge me to make an appointment. This thought STILL backfires on me, though, because if he looks at me and says, "Are you alright?" I totally freak out! ARG! | |
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Addoru2021
Joined: Jun 13, '09
Status: New User |
2009-06-13 16:43:27 |
| I recently came to the conclusion that I may be a hypochondriac. I feel like my life is spent worrying about having major illnesse to the point where I spend all day looking up diseases. I am well versed on the signs and symptoms of HIV, skin cancer, lung cancer and lupus. I have taken 7 HIV tests this year alone. Eventhough every one is negative I keep googling symptoms and every time I get a cold, sore throat, bump, or swollen gland I automatically think it is HIV and spend HOURS on the Internet searching for infection rates, percentage of people in my area with Hiv and the demographics. I am going crazy! How can I get help? | |
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2rlyblssd
Joined: Jun 8, '09
Status: Junior User |
2009-06-15 08:31:28 |
| I hear ya -- Sometimes when I catch myself, I chuckle sarcastically. Like, right now, I have had terrible gas from the abdomen up, and when the bubble moves up, it sits in the center of my chest, freaking me out and getting me nervous (which incidentally PRODUCES more gas!). I think "am I having a heart attack??" and then I belch and am relieved of the pressure. I realize, why is it that every time we feel something, it HAS to be something fatal?! Why CAN'T it be that loaded burrito we ate too fast?? It is so hard, especially when our defenses are down and our anxiety is up. | |
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disorderguy
Joined: May 5, '09
Status: Admin |
2009-06-15 09:23:50 |
| Addoru2021, your HIV tests were negative. So what is it that causes you to continue to worry? Do you believe you are exposed to it on an ongoing basis? Seven negative tests would totally rule out a past exposure, so I assume you fear new exposures. | |
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oanadoledo
Joined: Dec 9, '09
Status: New User |
2009-12-13 02:12:23 |
| In 2002 the Sydney Morning Herald wrote "a visit to an Internet "clinic" will probably diagnose drowsiness as chronic fatigue, anal itch as bowel cancer and a headache as a tumour."[12] Many reputable medical organizations maintain websites that may include brief overviews of various conditions for individuals with a general curiosity, or more detailed information to aid the understanding of people who have been properly diagnosed.[1] Often listing diagnoses without regard to incidence, prevalence, or relevant risk factors, websites may lead users to suspect rather rare and unlikely diseases as the source of their complaints. Since many benign conditions share symptoms with more serious ailments and are listed side-by-side, users without proper medical consultation may assume the worst rather than the likely diagnosis. Web-diagnosis can cause a great deal of distress and anxiety in users who believe themselves to have incurable and serious illnesses | |
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jakav
Joined: Feb 9, '10
Status: New User |
2010-02-09 02:59:32 |
| Sometimes it's seems like masochistic behaviour but the thing is, we go online looking to be reassured: it just never works out that way! Maybe it's time Google did something positive to help people like us? | |
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cyberchondriac
Joined: Feb 9, '10
Status: New User |
2010-02-09 11:37:00 |
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Hey friends - I see you are discussing cyberchondria. Well I am an expert on that subject. I have even been featured in a national magazine. I invite you all to join my forum at diaryofacyberchondriac.com I would love to hear your stories |
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Obsidian
Joined: Jan 22, '10
Status: Junior User |
2010-02-09 11:50:31 |
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Hehe, a tip for the management. Something to put in the little red square, "No stealing people to other forums" :D. |
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Unanswered Thread: Gumba da big dada posted by Gumba Gumba 8 hours ago |
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