Health and illness in the media and every day life.

[Toby2000]

When I see things like cancer adverts on TV it really annoys me and makes me really scared that these kind of things are getting more and more common. I know they're trying to make people more vigilant, but it just scares people and may even lead up to HA in some people or make it worse in HA sufferers.

I perceive these as like warnings because I keep seeing things on car journeys that say things such as "BLOOD IN URINE? IT'S CANCER!". Well, it doesn't actually say that, but it may as well. Why can't they consider the other causes that are less serious than cancer? Once when I came down stairs my sister was watching Family Guy and it said something like "..YOU HAVE CANCER!" and that just scared me to death.

Does anyone else feel like this?? :/

Toby :)

[wnsos]

The thing with cancer is the numbers are higher because the survival rate is going up and people are living longer (cancer is primarily a disease of old age - we're living longer, therefore there are higher numbers.) That's why it sounds more common than it is.

We all feel like this, I assure you! I remember having crying fits at one point whenever there was an ad about it on TV.

[worrywart29]

Most commercials that advertise cancer are really advertising their treatment facility as a way to attract people watching that may be suffering from the illness. I hate those commercials to but realize that it's not a way to warn us against the rise in cancer rates but rather a advertisement I just change the channel

[sarahsparkleshine]

Yes yes yes!!!! I went out for ice cream with my family tonight, and as we were listening to the radio, three different commercials for illness came on!!! So sick of it. It's like we are led to believe we are already dying.

[Gary A]

Unfortunately, there's a fine line between making people aware and fearmongering. On one hand, it's is the duty of the medical world to try as best they can to give us all some knowledge that could potentially save lives, on the other, it will inevitably cause people lots of unnecessary fear and worry.

There are a number of media outlets who are only interested in grabbing a headline and will seek out an incidence of a doctor missing a diagnosis or of someone having a mundane symptom that turns out to be some life threatening exotic disease. They care not for education or information, they just want to sell their stories and fear, unfortunately, sells.

The Internet has also contributed to this in a big way. We all know "Dr Google", I can see there are people here who have had plenty of consultations with him. Google is, however, just a machine. It gives you what you ask for, it is not a doctor.

[MyNameIsTerry]

To add to Wnsos's reply, its also that there is more awarness of what cancer is now.

As a GAD & OCD sufferer, these adverts don't scare me but they annoy me because we just don't need virtually every single advert break for hours throughout the day being saturated with these public information ads. I also think they are badly put together because whilst you want to prompt people to see their GP, they should also be making it clear that there are a large number of other easily treated conditions that it could be and not cancer. When you actually see a doctor, they mention the possibility but tend to say that it is very unlikely and only say it because they need to be open about it.

Its not just people with HA though and I think this point is missed, which is bound to happen on this board because of how you are affected by these messages. How many times have you heard of a woman finding a breast lump and being scared? I've heard it loads and its always portrayed in soaps in a scared manner. So, these adverts do more than scaremonger to those with HA, they do the same to those with no anxiety disorder. As an exampe, both my dad & brother have found lumps and been told there is a possibility, although very unlikely, and the result was they were scared and worried until they result come through. Neither of them have a history of anxiety.

---------- Post added at 11:45 ---------- Previous post was at 11:43 ----------




I perceive these as like warnings because I keep seeing things on car journeys that say things such as "BLOOD IN URINE? IT'S CANCER!". Well, it doesn't actually say that, but it may as well. Why can't they consider the other causes that are less serious than cancer? )

The most recent one, which I read a press release for, even had 2 weeks of frequently passing wind! I've known people for decades who are still here that would fit that one!!! :roflmao:

They could have saved some cash and used the baked beans round the camp fire scene off Blazing Saddles!!! :roflmao: