Dr google

[walkerjord]

Hi, i was wondering if anyone else had ever used dr google and found they had most the symptoms of a type of cancer? i tend to focus on looking for cancers that match my symptoms instead of looking at less serious problems that match my symptoms

thanks
jordan

[Munchlet]

Yes Dr Google is famous for it, in fact if you start at the beginning of the Forum you will see a thread titled "Dr Google will see you now" it is dedicated to the fact that Google will always convince you that you have some fatal illness rather than something much more common and likely.

My advice would be keep well away as it only leads to more stress and anxiety and in the long run tends to increase your fears not alleviate them.

If only I could follow my own advice I might actually get some way to helping my own HA but it is easier said than done.

I would say post on the forum and get some advice and if you are really worried then obviously see your GP but try not to Google, once you start it's a very difficult habit to break!

Take care

[Shelly15]

Yes!! I used to do it a lot almost everyday, you fool your brain into thinking you have them symptoms and you focus on them a lot more. I've been going to CBT and she taught me not to google things and have only googled twice in three months, and I've notised I don't have as much pain in my body now. Googleing when your anxious is the worst thing to do.

[angrry]

dr. google will always always tell you that you have some terrible illness no matter what you search for....I have renamed dr. google as www.you'regonnadie.com (http://www.you'regonnadie.com)
relying on dr. google is a recipe for disaster for people with health anxiety

[sarahsarah]

Yes, I used to do that. I still do sometimes, though haven't for a while (touch wood). Worst thing is that a lot of cancers list "non-specific symptoms" and "general feeling of being unwell" or even "no symptoms" which sent my HA into overdrive.

I avoid it now by not taking my iPad upstairs at night and keeping busy with other things as much as I can. Xx

[Jimmy28]

Dr. Google says I have brain tumor, but my neurologist and my CT scan say I don't. I want to believe the second two, but Dr. Google has more influence on me because, well, f***ing health anxiety.