Not too long ago I read an article titled “Internet Makes Hypochondria Worse,” which I thought was very interesting; therefore, I decided to post a blog about it this week. My friend from
For example, someone with a headache may visit WebMD to see what is causing this condition. The user of WebMD types in “headache” in the search engine, and a whole range of conditions like cancer, tumors, aneurysms, sexually transmitted diseases, sinus infection, MRSA, etc. pop up in the results. The person doing this search on their medical condition tends to think “worst-case scenario” and has now convinced himself or herself that they have brain cancer (because of what WebMD said).
The article states “the easy availability of health information on the web has certainly helped countless people make educated decisions about their health and medical treatment, but it can be disastrous for people who are likely to worry. Hypochondriacs researching an illness used to have to scour books and ask doctors for information. Now a universe of information is available with a few mouse clicks.”[1] Of course, this has proved to create more poison in the minds of people that are inherently worrywarts. Have people that naturally tend to worry lost their minds because it is easier to diagnose themselves on the Internet instead of letting a professional do it?
It is overwhelming to look at one of these “diagnosis yourself sites” and to see all of these virtual identifications that are retrieved by typing in something general like “joint pain” or “headache.” Many of these sites do have reputable doctors giving their feedback and diagnosing based on symptoms, but how can this really be done in the virtual world? I do not mean to be negative about technology these past couple of weeks it seems like it has done more damage than good. Perhaps the problem lies in the fact that we are too bored, so, we put miniscule problems under a microscope to further scrutinize. I guess there is a lesson in all of this: the Internet cannot diagnose one’s physical ailments; go to a doctor!
[1] “Cyberchondria and the Internet on MedicineNet.com,” http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51845
2 comments:
Yeah, I'm with ya' sister. There are way too many folks out there who try to diagnose their own health problems online. I have a family member who is a nurse, she works for a family practitioner, and she often complains about all of the people who visit the office thinking they are dying because of something they read on the Internet.
Great post - very thought provoking. One of my brothers is a medical doctor and professor. We have spoken about this and he says it cuts both ways by the time he sees people. They come in better informed and asking better questions. Those are the "good" patients. The others come in already having decided on their outcomes before he can do his job. An acquaintance of mine was dealing with a son's terminal illness a few years ago and thought the Internet was an invaluable resource. Her son's disease was extremely rare and she and others affected by it were able to share information and support that they could then communicate to their healthcare providers.
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