Risk factors on Google

[LeeBee]

Does anyone else spend time totting up their risk factors for illnesses on Google? As soon as I see that something that I have - like hypodontia (fewer teeth than normal - I have 25, 32 is the norm) - is a risk factor for a certain illness (in this case ovarian cancer) then I'm like, right, that's it, that's what I'm going to die from. Ovarian cancer, me, in a few years. I MUST get it because I've got a risk factor.

Then I start looking up all the other risk factors for that illness to convince myself even more. In the case of ovarian cancer this is a bad idea because I do have other risk factors - long exposure to estrogen by not having babies, breastfeeding or using the contraceptive pill.

So that really is it then, I think. I probably already have it. And other stupid HA thoughts. Logically, I know that having a risk factor doesn't mean that you will get whatever it is. But the itch to Google and find the worst is powerful.

Grr. Maybe Google should introduce some settings for people with HA, like they have parental settings to stop children looking at porn. On the other hand I should probably just have more self control .

[june]

I am surprised that you are not inundated with posts advising you NOT to google you will ALWAYS find something that will worry beyond measure
Always try to think logicaly the worst case scenario is always put up there for people to see
If you live in a country where you have to pay for your health care - just think how many people on reading the risk factor will go for tests!!!!!!!
The medics are laughing all the way to the bank
A risk factor = the danger of drinking too much carrot juice, it will turn your skin orange you would have to drink litres of it for this to happen !!!!!
silly I know but my point is it is a risk factor
Hope this helps to settle your mind
best wishes
june

[hm1177]

yes! My health fear is MS so whenever I google my symptoms I scan the list of conditions for MS. I could have 1183 illnesses such as hormone imbalance, thrush, stress, and other harmless things but MS flashes like a beacon. Funnily enough Anxiety is always on my condition list but I choose to ignore that diagnosis in favour of MS.

You could try writing down your symptom and then writing a logical reason for it eg pins and needles (in my case) - i've been sitting on my legs all morning looking at the internet! Maybe after a while we could convince ourselves of the logic??

[mick_uk]

I'm going to invent a new Google that no matter what symptoms you type in, it always comes back with the reply "You look fine, relax with a cuppa "

[hm1177]

I'm going to invent a new Google that no matter what symptoms you type in, it always comes back with the reply "You look fine, relax with a cuppa "

I'd pay for mickoogle to tell me that every day! x

[mick_uk]

I'm working on it already

[june]

I'm working on it already

Work harder thank you
best wishes
june

[j2]

Hi. If you are truly interested in something like you can use OpenDNS for your dns router settings. Once installed you can set various filtering based on categories. You can also exclude individual sites in firefox or internet explorer. Obviously if you set it up, you can undo it. Sorry if this is too nerdy, but I am in the IT field.

[fally]

My husband has threatend to cut the plug of the computer to stop me going on google...........I take on every awful sympton then worry myself sick about dying form it.

[mick_uk]