Cyberchondria - Internet-Induced Health Anxiety

disorderguy Joined: May 5, '09 Status: Admin	2009-05-11 10:33:36
	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.
Unanswered Thread:    VRIELLIS PLEASE READ posted by Synapse 13 days ago
nikkikdg Joined: May 12, '09 Status: New User	2009-05-12 14:47:56
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.
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.
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?
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!
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?
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.
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.
Unanswered Thread:    OCD Bracelet Fund Raiser posted by vbaz 34 days ago

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