EVER been feeling slightly queasy and thought it would be a good idea to head on over to “trusty” old “doctor Google”?
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Next thing you know you’re deep in the depths of the Internet and have now diagnosed yourself with some sort of terminal illness for that annoying sniffle you have contracted.
Bad idea.
Yet for so many today the first thing many people do is jump on Google and input their “symptoms” to see what may or may not be wrong with them.
This can be a dangerous scenario.
For one if a person is suffering from a relatively “normal” illness, self diagnosis of something far more sinister has the ability to cause unnecessary stress or anxiety.
That in turn can lead to a health problem you didn’t even have before hopping onto the Internet.
Secondly, most doctors wouldn’t enjoy a patient coming in and telling them all about their self-diagnosis.
It’s not helpful to them and it’s not good for the patient either.
Googling one’s symptoms is something most people have done and thankfully many are aware when they do and something ridiculous pops up, they probably don’t have it.
It’s critical to remember this and be seen by a trained professional.
These doctors don’t go through years and years of study, education and training to be told by some upstart patient doctor Google found they had a disease dating back to the 18th Century.
The Internet is wonderful for many things and if you have been diagnosed with a serious or terminal illness, it does provide a great place to chat to people going through a similar circumstance.
It has certainly made it easier for the world to connect on this level.
Cancer patients can speak to others from across the globe about their experiences and offer support and share their story.
And sure, sometimes doctors do get it wrong, and in the odd instance old doctor Google might shed some light.
However, it should never be relied upon as being the gospel truth.
Just like doctors encourage patients to seek a second opinion, it’s important to not believe everything being seen and read on the Internet. In most cases, it’s a case of stepping away from the technology and booking that face-to-face appointment.