Things to keep in mind when Googling

[justanothernervousgirl]

Thank you so much for this post! All of the points are very true and very good reminders.

Also, I love that you referenced swine flu. It's something I'm afraid of catching, so it was a nice reminder that the news reports the negative and there's always a disease of the moment.

[RangerDanger]

I'm quite new to this site, but I think I may have just exhaled for the first time in months after reading this thread.  You described my behavior perfectly (I actually found this site, because I was thinking I had colon cancer).  Unfortunately, all the clever smileys and bright colors can't express my gratitude properly, so I'll just say thank you.

Thank you.

[shrublet]

I'm really glad that this post seems to be helping others! That's all that I hoped for.

Welcome to the site, by the way, Ranger!

[hotanjill17]

Hmm.. interesting post! Never really thought of it that way. Googling symptoms and searching the internet for answers is my way of getting an immediate "diagnosis", if you will, without actually having to go to the Doctor. I do think, however, that googling symptoms and reading up on various illnesses can make you think you are experiencing other symptoms of the illness. I think it is that way, in my case at least.

Anyhow, this was a really good post. I will keep in mind that I didn't go to Med School next time I feel the need to google!!!

[Slangevar]

Apparently RangerDanger and I are the same person... I also recently found this forum because I was Googling colon cancer symptoms.

Not to excuse any of our behavior, but you might be amused by something my gynecologist said (after correctly guessing that I have HA). He said, "You know who are the worst hypochondriacs? Doctors. You only hear about a fraction of the crazy stuff that's out there... we hear about new diseases and symptoms every day!"

So maybe it's a good thing we don't have medical degrees... it might actually make us worse!

[Homatek]

I just saw this thread, but I stopped myself from googling the past like week and a half and it has helped quite a bit. Not going to say that I never will do it again, but it has helped me alot by staying away from it.
Instead of googling, I just come on here to chat now.

[AnxiouSteve]

That sure is a good post.  I'm honored to be referenced in it 

[mendiolaadam]

awsome post i dont know how many times i have plugged my symptoms into medical website, It is hard when you have constent symptoms to not try to find out whats wrong. willpower! willpower!

-Adam

[MissHypo89]

Oh my goodness, I love you for making this thread. i could kiss you right now!

[AKB24]

I also found this thread helpful. With me, I've never had a positive experience with googling anything. I've cried over the things I've googled. I think if we can find the restraint to let it go for 24 hours before we look it up, we'll feel a lot better. Also, if you're ever triggered by something someone says or something you see, try talking it through with someone who understands your health anxiety. I've tried that and I find it eases my fear.

[paul0130]

Nice post, that helped me the MR google everything monster lol  Its like a cookie addiction 

[exposingocd]

Thanks for this post!  My therapist once told me that the initial relief from googling is like a drug, and then you rebound and want more, and then you find something really scary, and return to what gave you the initial relief, more googling, and on and on and on, until I don't have a life anymore. 

[mariah]

I have advice to add. Instead of simply typing in your symptom add "anxiety disorder" to the search and instead of getting a bunch of terrifying results of unlikely conditions, you will get a bunch of other people with anxiety disorders describing the same ailment, this helps reassure you that it really is all in your head, and not an uncommon thing. Or perhaps you will get a link that will explain the sensation you are experiencing to be a direct result of anxiety or panic attacks. Trust me it works a million times better than just typing in symptoms which is really a recipe for disaster!

[megkristan]

This is my first time on "anxietyzone" and I have to say that post helped me a lot!

I'm a nursing student and I had a job this past summer where I got stuck by a needle.  Although I've been tested and they all came back negative, I have panic attacks several times a week.  I google things, finding sites that validate my fear.  I'm so glad to see that there are people like me.  I don't want to be this way anymore. 

I WILL STOP GOOGLING NOW.  I am Ok. ;)

[AmishBob]

Thank you so much!! I cannot tell you how helpful and comforting this post was to me! Until reading this, I hadn't even realized that I've been continually reinforcing my tendencies toward hypochondria by googling symptoms (I was pretty much convinced that I was the only person in the world who actually did that). It's amazing how convincing the anxious part of our mind can truly be, and how often we totally ignore the rational part of our mind because we are so convinced of our completely irrational anxious thoughts. This was really an eye-opener for me. It's true that we all have good days and bad days. Today was definitely a rough day for me. I spent most of it worrying about my health, convinced that there was something wrong with me, and after carefully reading through your post, I can now see clearly what I was doing and am now feeling an enormous sense of relief beginning to set in! Again, Thank you!!!

[missworried]

I have read this post many times, but never commented! GREAT JOB :)

[ChickenLittle]

I often find myself googling illnesses and I realise that I haven't done it consciously. I've lost count of the hideous things that I have convinced myself that I have because of the internet! The problem is that I just can't seem to stop from clicking on links. In the past I have even found myself reading up on tropical diseases such as Malaria, Dengue Fever and Ebola! (That one was because I watched Outbreak and actually had nightmares about it!) Ironically, I am highly unlikely to ever suffer such illnesses because my anxiety limits me in terms of travel!
The problem for me with googling and HA is that part of me knows that I worry about outlandish and unusual things. Its just that as i knew someone from school who died of VCJD, I realised that people do die in "my" life of terrible rare conditions- not just far from me.

[David_M]

Do Depersonalized people feel much physical pain? Or is it the emotional detachment part mainly?

[bbowen]

ya this is a really great post. even tho i cant help but feel like "well this person's just a hypochondriac, but i really have something wrong with me" still even tho i have had no doctor diagnosis either. 

[novemberrain103]

Googling is so hard to quite. I actually took the internet off my phone so I couldnt do it whenever I was.

[karla]

One word..FANTASTIC. 

[tofutti83]

I google any sign or symptom and then freak myself out into thinking I have something and need immediate medical attention. This has happened at least twice today. I almost went down the minute clinic to get checked out and realized I was being silly. Reading about anxiety tends to make me more anxious too.

[mfanton2010]

Great post. Do any of you have any thoughts on how to block medical sites from Google Chrome? I use that browser the most. I am guilty of looking up symptoms I have on different sites.
I've had an issue in the past (until just recently) trusting doctors. I finally found a doctor that's very understanding and listens to me when I have issues. She also doesn't pop pills without a true diagnosis. She just told me today that the chest pains I have are definately GERD and anxiety related since i had a nuclear stress test just this past July, which came back normal.
Most websites I've checked out have so many horror stories that really scare me and have me ending up either calling 911 or just taking a cab to the ER.
I appreciate this post. :)

[cbstephen]

I agree googling is a bad thing but who can help it? i find it very hard to ignore googling things.

[leebee76]

Thanks so much for posting this! I'm a google addict and have been trying not to google. I know im not equipped to diagnosis myself especially major illnesses that take medical tests, Dr's and even specialists to diagnose but us laymen read symptoms and diagnose ourselves. I also think that we spend so much time googling and worried that we're really not living the life we have. I know easier said then done. Take care.