Christine Webb – Health and Fitness
You can go to your computer and look up any disease or any health information you need.
Are you becoming a cyberchondriac?
Because of the Internet, we can all have the latest health information right at our fingertips. We can get basic information that can be useful, but you may also come to a conclusion that may be wrong.
That is prompting many people to become cyberchondriac's. Cyberchondriacs are people obsessed with going online to find the latest health information, thinking they may be sick.
So, what can you do?
Remember, when you are researching a condition online, you are only getting basic info. There are professional sites that doctors and nurse’s use but these are not available to the public. Experts say, have a specific question in mind, and give yourself a time limit. If you start feeling afraid or confused, make yourself stop.
You may be a cyberchondriac if you feel worse after Web surfing instead of better.
Remember to use the internet to make you feel empowered and hopefully to spark a discussion with your doctor about the best treatment options for you.
Research shows 110 million adults sometimes go online to look for health care information. On average, they do so three times a month, searching mainly through portals or search engines rather than by going directly to particular sites.
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