Do You Google

[purplehaze]

Hi

I was wondering how many of us google about our problems and wondered did this

see list

feel free to add anything...advice ...experiences etc:D

[pjkais]

Even the most simple of ailments end up being the ebola virus or something..so no lol

[pinkpiglet]

I used to google every ailment I had but i'v learnt that it's better not to bother.

[Sonya]

Im such a googler lol ive started to put anxiety at the end of my search of symptoms and it mostly brings up signs of depression which makes me feel better than some random illness popping up :)

[june]

Yes i sometimes google my symptoms and if i start to get uneasy i hit the off button:blush:
The trouble is i want to find out what is happening to me and why. BUT google comes up with such weird examples and seens to go for the most dramatic effect (scary):ohmy:
I now find it better to put a query into "search" (at the top of page) and read the answers on here. there is always someone who has had the same symptoms and you can discuss without fear.:flowers:
June

[LeeBee]

When I've been very anxious, Googling symptoms has generally been a bad idea, because my anxiety makes me ignore all of the benign possible diagnoses and home in on the most serious (and usually rarest) possible diagnoses. Most websites that are produced by a Google search offer a simple list of possible diagnoses for any single symptom, and you can pretty much never diagnose ANYTHING serious using a single symptom, or even a handful of symptoms.

The worst thing you can do is Google your symptom along with the thing that you're most afraid of e.g. Googling "mouth sore cancer" because then you're guaranteed to find something that confirms your fears. Someone on another thread suggested something that I thought was a good idea, which is to never Google symptoms without including the word "anxiety".

I think Googling can be useful if you know what you have - once you've had a medical diagnosis. So if your doctor tells you that you have a benign common mouth ulcer, going home and Googling "aphthous ulcer" or "canker sore" could be useful for providing further information and treatment.

[milly jones]

i dont generally google, but i have sometimes when ive got a diagnosis ive never heard of

i havent got ha and i fully understand how dangerous it can be

[Cathy V]

I found this forum through google but havent bothered to do it since joining. I would usually google about meds, but there are so many people here who can help with this, that its not necessary anymore....:D

[kazzie]

I never google having recovered from HA thanks to cbt

But tonight I had a worry so did:ohmy:

Should be dead now but Im not:D

Guess Dr Google aint that bright:shrug:

Kaz x x x:hugs:

ps and it was only a puffy ankle:doh:

[LoveBug27]

i google EVERY symptom i have..and it makes me feel much much worse

[DebraC]

I,ve learnt from years of "self diagnosis" using medical books (before the internet was widely available) that its not a good idea. I,ve had headaches that have been brain tumours and leg cramps that have been embolisms and have worried myself half to death. Now I,ll only use it to look up something the Dr has said i,ve got or to read up on medication.
Hubby threw away my books!

[labridges7]

its like a bitter sweet tonic, you get the honey then your stung! lol

[Jaco45er]

I never googled for 24 hours once. The CEO of Google called me to see if I was ok ;)

[eeyorelover]

I absolutely never google anymore!!!
I thought I had every disease under the sun from googling symptoms!
I really do think that it makes it harder to accept that anxiety is causing the physical symptoms!