Who here uses their phone to Google symptoms?

[skippy66]

Just wondering how widespread the use of smartphones was for health anxiety searches. Do you regularly consult Dr Google on your mobile?

[hangingbasket]

Yep :(

[unsure_about_this]

Not on my mobile, I don't own a mobile phone because of one of the conditions I have, I refused to buy and use a mobile. I do have a tablet and have only been on the front page of the GP practice I attend. I have not done any googling about symptoms on the tablet yet. but cannot stop looking up daily mail health articles those articles, same for the big c word symptoms on various websites.

[skippy66]

You know you can block websites like MailOnline from appearing in search results?

[LE]

Yes

[meche]

I used to google all the time (phone & computer). It's one of the main reasons my anxiety got as bad as it did. I read about things I really didn't need to know and that information sticks with you. I stay well clear of Google for medical information now. It's dangerous! xx

[robin321]

I do. And I even hide in the bathroom to do it.
Sometimes I will leave it at home on purpose, and I feel better. But I still do it again later.

[Female healthanxiety]

Me me me!

I only ever use my phone!

Fear of not being able to remove the history on desktops I have or forget!

[LF87]

Always.
My phone is one of the worst things to happen to me. I spend hours googling symptoms, all on my phone.
Actually, how do you block stuff? X

[unsure_about_this]

I been told by the CBT coach, GPs I have seen, even specialist do not Google, it works for a few days. I think people Google these days more because sometimes it can take longer to get an appointment at their GPs to be seen.

I do find it hard to trust GPs and always need reassurance.

[Fishmanpa]

I do find it hard to trust GPs and always need reassurance.

And Google is reassurance? A GP/medical professional knows better than fellow anxiety sufferers or a computer search engine ;)

Positive thoughts

[Lin71]

Yes I do, a lot. Often when I am supposed to be doing other things :(

I try to leave my phone out of the way, but even when I've gone to bed I will sometimes get up to retrieve my phone 'just to look something up quickly' if I've been lying there worrying about something.

I posted something recently about how, when I was growing up, you had to visit a library and go to a lot of effort to find out about all these awful illnesses. It's so instant now, all of the information is right there available within seconds. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have HA to this extent if I didn't have mobile Internet, I wouldn't even know about half the conditions that I worry about!

[Jonesle]

Yes! We'll actually I'm banning googling now but i used to. And I'd get really annoyed and impatient if I didn't have signal and no wifi connection!

[bingjam]

I do it too much!!! I cant seem to stop myself at all x

[Primula]

I have stopped all googling of symptoms, and i no longer read the Daily Mail, totally trashy rag that it is.

Before the internet, if I was worried about symptoms, I would have to wait until I could get to the library to look up medical symptoms. Usually by the time I could get there, I would have forgotten what it was I was worried about.

I don't buy in to the idea that you have to wait too long for Docs appointments, there is never anything so urgent you can't wait a few days. If you are really ill you can go to A & E.

Plus if you ring your Doctor and tell them you are feeling really ill, then they will ring you back, or see you at the end of surgery. If you are polite to the receptionist and explain that you feel this is an emergency to you, you will generally get seen, in my experience.

The internet is a curse and a blessing in equal measures.

[GingerFish]

Yip I do. I've seen myself pretty much staying on Google 24/7 either on my laptop or phone Googling my symptoms and coming out with a terminal disease. About 2 months ago I had a really bad ear infection and I developed a grape size painful node under my jaw over night. I know cancer doesn't just pop up and I know pain is a good sign with a lump but I still convinced myself it was cancer after looking at Google!

The lump is now about between the size of a pea and a Malteaser and the doc has checked it out and said well as long as it gets smaller that's fine, doesn't matter if it doesn't fully go down because a lot of the time they don't but me being me, I don't see the good in it! I also had a cold last week and a painful pea sized lump appeared on my neck and I should think "well I do have the cold, a swollen node is to be expected" I think lymphoma. Its been driving me mad. I've been feeling everywhere else and convinced myself I have found more lumps which might actually just be veins or muscle I am feeling but nevertheless, I still lose sleep over it and Google the symptoms!

[claireypoo]

Yes, all the time. But not today. And hopefully not tomorrow.

[anxious_thoughts]

Unfortunately all the time. I hate it!

[missalex]

All the time it usually ends up with me in tears convinced i have something.

[RoseEve]

I am guilty of this too. It's so easy and always accessible.