Before the internet we didn't have health anxiety like this

[AussieWorrier]

Can anyone remember the old days when we couldn't check our symptoms or google diseases?? Don't you wish we were still like that? And it seems to be getter worse and worse... before smart phones we could only google using a P C or laptop when we had time .... with mobiles we have access to this horrible anxiety monster 24/7.... sometimes I go to bed after reading up all sorts of horrible things instead of relaxing !!!

[Catherine S]

"Before Smartphones we could only use a PC or laptop"....people still use laptops lol! But I understand what you mean. I have a really 'ancient' laptop at home that I use sometimes because it's connected to my ancient printer, but I prefer to use my little Samsung Tablet more often than not. In the really 'old days' like the 1980s people often had a medical dictionary at home to look up various symptoms, but I agree that having instant access to medical websites does more harm than good for people with health anxiety.

Also, some newspaper articles we read don't help either, they often have doom & gloom predictions about health, and you often get people posting threads who have read something in a newspaper about some health scare or other.

:)

[cattia]

Before the internet I used to spend ages in the library or the health section of bookshops researching various diseases! I think the time it took must have limited the amount if things I could worry about. I also used to visit the Dr a lot for reassurance so I still managed to find ways to engage in negative behaviour even before Google!

[palspals]

Google has messed me up to be frank. In looking for certain symptoms to do with one type of illness that I'm convinced I must have, I inevitably stumble across others which may not bother me at the time however, once one health scare is cleared up, I'll think, 'Oh crap, I read somewhere that this symptom could actually be a sign of this other illness too...' And so the cycle continues. To a large extent, ignorance is bliss. Indeed, we'd all want to be able to detect any illness early and I guess the Internet allows for this more but it simultaneously convinces us that illness is everywhere and unavoidable and wiping everybody out. It also- I find the Dailymail especially does this- is rife with articles which discuss people with horrid illnesses who were blown off by GP's as having very minor issues like, wait for it, wait for it, anxiety. And thus...the fear continues.

Please don't google before bed though. I come on this forum instead. Pretty much every night before bed. I sleep more peacefully because of it.

[swajj]

Some people here won't agree with you. I agree with you 100 percent. More importantly the psychiatrist I spent thousands of dollars to see would agree with you and I'll take his word over any of the "experts" here. lol In the days before the Internet if you wanted to look up symptoms you needed a medical dictionary. Unlike the Internet a medical dictionary gives a very limited amount of information about each disease it covers. The Internet however allows you to search out and read large volumes of information about the diseases of your "choice" lol, In fact, you are only limited by the amount of time you are able to spend "researching".

[leebop]

I used to scan bookshops and library's and read medical books when I was a kid. Google has ruined me as I don't have to catch a bus anymore to freak myself out.

[melfish]

Yep, libraries and medical sections of bookstores for me too. Shelves of neurology textbooks! So, no, google didn't create the monster. It's just made it easier to gain access to information, much of it dumbed down if not outright wrong.

[ScaredLizard]

Before internet I used the library and medical books. I definitely still had anxiety like this lol I worried about more common stuff too

[melfish]

All the internet has done is make it easier for lazy people to become hypochondriacs too :roflmao:

[ScaredLizard]

All the internet has done is make it easier for lazy people to become hypochondriacs too :roflmao:

HAHA that's so true! Or for the lazy hypochondriacs to do less work! :roflmao::roflmao:

[Leah88]

Yes, sometimes I want to throw my iPhone out the window. It makes breaking compulsions much harder. The obsession/worry would still be there without google but at least we would not be able to look up diseases as the compulsion factor. It's still as time consuming as medical journals ( if you go onto national health databases for your info) but either way we are not qualified to make diagnosis.

[Ellecee]

I disagree. I've been told my grandmother was always at the dr. She always thought every little thing was something serious. Instead of googling, she just went to the dr. The worry was still there.

[Leah88]

I disagree. I've been told my grandmother was always at the dr. She always thought every little thing was something serious. Instead of googling, she just went to the dr. The worry was still there.

This is also true.. my grandmother did the same and so does my dad. Health anxiety is definitely genetic in my opinion.

[swajj]

Ahh experts. You gotta love em


lol

[Leah88]

Ahh experts. You gotta love em


lol

Who is claiming to be one? Everyone who has replied has simply stated their opinion. No one has offered their expertise in medical diagnostics. Confused about your comment.