Internet and health anxiety

[alice123]

Hi

It would be interesting if a study was made as to how many more people have health anxiety since the internet came about. I find myself drawn to Google looking up my symptoms, even though I'm afraid to actually read and look at what I find because I know its probably going to make me feel worse. Years ago before internet we only had books and the Dr to refer to, well you can only get hold of so many books, but on the internet we have the equivalent of thousands of books of medical information (of course not all the info is correct).

My anxiety has been made worse by my Dr who doesn't appear to take my symptoms seriously, and now of course, I am on antidepressants as it all reached a peak. I first went with symptoms 2 years ago but after reassurance went away, still in the back of my mind knowing I was right - but being a weak person I gave in to the thinking that it was all in my head. Part of my anxiety is the feeling that I shouldn't rock the boat with people, and that Drs are mostly right - which my family keep drumming in to me. I feel bullied in a way. It makes me feel as if I am going nuts when I am not believed.

I think I have chronic candida infection - which I know the medical profession have difficulties diagnosing anyway. I will have to try and help myself overcome it.

[Cretinetta]

Hi Alice. I understand you. I have exactly the same problem. Google is your worst enemy. Worst of all is that doctors don't take you seriously, as the you know that you have problems with anxiety. For them all problems are related to anxiety. It's so frustrating. Don't give up, find a doctor who listenes of what you have to say. Many times health problems lead to anxiety, not anxiety to health problems. You know your body more than anyone else, so insist till you solve the problem. Also true that anxiety cause a lot of problems. It's important to talk about your feelings. And we in this forum are here to listen and help you as we can. Lots of love. (sorry for my bad English, I'm estonian girl)

[cattia]

I had health anxiety pretty badly before the internet was widely available. I used to spend all my time at the doctor and trawling through the health section looking for books that would tell me what was wrong with me. I also used to be constantly seeking reassurance or comparing myself to others. I think the internet has made things worse, because it's an instant way of finding information that can be pretty harmful.

[Fishmanpa]

While there hasn't been an actual study. This site alone if proof. There is an article I found about it and it's becoming known as "Cyberchondria"

A brief excerpt from an article.... Sound familiar to anyone?

"A lot of the stuff on the Internet, especially on health-related bulletin boards, is pure impression and anecdote," says Barsky, "and they just don't have a lot of scientific validity."

Even the most reputable health web sites with the most accurate information can cause trouble for the hypochondriac. "Hypochondriacs tend to latch onto diseases with common or ambiguous symptoms or that are hard to diagnose," says Fallon. For example, illnesses such as HIV or lupus, and neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis can cause vague symptoms like fatigue, swollen glands, and strange physical sensations.

With symptoms as common as these, it's easy for hypochondriacs to become convinced they're sick.

Second-Guessing the Doctor

Barsky and Fallon say hypochondria often breeds suspicion and distrust between a sufferer and his or her physician. Some doctors may be too quick to dismiss the worries of hypochondriacs, and hypochondriacs are likely to ruin relationships with good physicians by second-guessing them from the start.

Hypochondriacs may "get suspicious when their doctor doesn't give them a referral or a test they ask for," says Fallon. "They can feel like they're not being listened to, and so they'll go shopping for another doctor and wind up repeating the process."


No good doctor will order an MRI every time your ears are ringing or a colonoscopy every time your stomach's upset.

"The solution is not to get tested for everything all the time," says Barsky, "since that feeling of relief doesn't last anyway." Instead, hypochondriacs need to learn to get help and change their way of thinking.

Resist the Surfing Urge

Treating hypochondria, once believed to be almost impossible to cure, has improved a lot in the last decade.

Fallon was a pioneer in using antidepressants like Prozac and Luvox to treat hypochondriacs.

Barsky has had great success in using the techniques of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy -- persuading hypochondriacs to change their responses to anxieties and wean themselves off the behaviors that get them in trouble.

For instance, Barsky says, a hypochondriac needs to resist the compulsion to self-diagnose and to seek assurance from doctors and friends. The best one can do is to get regular medical treatment from a trustworthy doctor trust and to live a healthy life.

Fallon agrees: "In a loose sense, a hypochondriac becomes almost addicted to looking up information, examining himself, and getting reassurance from other people," he says. "Checking just makes things worse."

And what about using the Internet to look up that worrisome symptom? "If it's just going to make you upset," says Barsky. "Don't do it."

[alice123]

Very true - but its difficult not to look things up. When the doctor says there's nothing wrong but you know things don't feel right, you then go down the road of trying to diagnose yourself. I worry about changing doctors, what if the second doctor can't see anything wrong either but you still know things aren't right - what do you do then?

[Amandala]

Great article Fishmanpa! Reassurance lasts me about a day. My CBT is working on this with me currently, I have a serious reassurance seeking problem. I notice I do it even in normal casual ways. Like I'll be talking to my friend and I'll say "Gosh, I think I got bit by a mosquito, look at this welt on my arm." Secretly wanted them to look at it and confirm, yes that is a mosquito bite. Sigh...

[Fishmanpa]

but you still know things aren't right - what do you do then?

You repeat the words of the medical professional that knows more and has seen more real people than Dr. Google.

Positive thoughts

[cattia]

I know what you mean Alice. For example, today I had to take my son to the dr because of a sore on his face. I looked up impetigo as I thought it might be that and I wanted to see if he could still go to pre school. The NHS website says impetigo is highly contageous and children should stay out of contact with others until the sores have scabbed over. When I got to the dr, he agreed that it was impetigo. I asked how long he should stay off pre school and he said he could go right back this morning! I askef him 'are you sure?' So then he LOOKS IT UP ON HIS COMPUTER!! and says 'oh no actually he musy stay off for at least 48 hours'. I know this is only a minor thing, but it's exactly this kind of thibg that makes me second guess the doctors. Impetigo is a pretty common childhood infection, yet here is a doctor who doesn't seem to know the first thing about it and I knew more than him from a simple search. I guess i was just unlucky, but it is exactly the kind of thing that fuels my googling.

[Fishmanpa]

I know what you mean Alice. For example, today I had to take my son to the dr because of a sore on his face. I looked up impetigo as I thought it might be that and I wanted to see if he could still go to pre school. The NHS website says impetigo is highly contageous and children should stay out of contact with others until the sores have scabbed over. When I got to the dr, he agreed that it was impetigo. I asked how long he should stay off pre school and he said he could go right back this morning! I askef him 'are you sure?' So then he LOOKS IT UP ON HIS COMPUTER!! and says 'oh no actually he musy stay off for at least 48 hours'. I know this is only a minor thing, but it's exactly this kind of thibg that makes me second guess the doctors. Impetigo is a pretty common childhood infection, yet here is a doctor who doesn't seem to know the first thing about it and I knew more than him from a simple search. I guess i was just unlucky, but it is exactly the kind of thing that fuels my googling.

That's an exception to the rule. He would be liable otherwise.

Positive thoughts