Beware of Googling for health diagnosis
QUOTE: "People with Hypochondriasis will have obsessive thoughts of having serious illnesses. This will affect their daily life, relationships and result in financial stress due to the expenses on clinic visits and tests." Dr Rashid al Zaidi, senior psychiatrist,
Published: 05:02 PM,Feb 20,2024 | EDITED : 09:02 PM,Feb 20,2024
Stressed business woman working from home on laptop looking worried, tired and overwhelmed.
The number of people who are obsessed about their health, frequently search for a diagnosis online or social media, and adopt unscientific methods are on the rise, according to doctors.
Hypochondriasis is a type of anxiety in which the person misinterprets his/her own feelings. People with hypochondriasis are unable to shake their fears despite normal physical exams and lab tests. Some may change doctors repeatedly. Others may avoid medical care as their symptoms go beyond average health worries.
Hypochondriasis is rapidly gripping the world in such a way that every 2 out 5 people end up diagnosing themselves with serious disease and a survey of 2,000 Americans found 43 per cent of them getting misdiagnosed after searching on google and 74 per cent said the results made them more worried.
Dr Rashid al Zaidi, a senior psychiatrist, says that it is normal for people to worry about their health but when these worries are continuous, causing anxiety and affecting their routine then they need to take care.
'People with Hypochondriasis will have obsessive thoughts of having serious illnesses. Therefore, they will seek frequent medical consultations and blood tests and other tests regularly. This will affect their daily life and relationships, and results in financial stress due to the expenses on clinic visits and tests. Their family life and occupational life can be affected too. In addition, they will also have suicidal tendency,' he said.
According to Dr Al Zaidi, when these worries become beliefs we call illusion or psychosis. Illusional hypochondriasis is more severe and requires medication whereas obsessional hypochondriasis is considered a type of anxiety and requires antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication and cognitive behavioural therapy.
'So, the best intervention is to help these people with frequent worries is to be seen by psychiatrists and psychologists because early treatment can help,' said Dr Al Zaidi.
A recent Swedish study conducted on this subject says that Googling regarding ones symptoms or health or for diagnosis has been very prevalent, as it is a very quick and easy way to acquire information just a click away. But the mental repercussions are serious and such people die earlier compared to other people who aren't hyper vigilant about health concerns as excessive fear for health leads to serious health-damaging results.
“Many of us, for sure, are mild hypochondriacs to an extent. But there are also people on the other extreme of the spectrum who live in a perpetual state of worry and suffering and rumination about having a serious illness,” the report suggests.
Overall death rates were higher in the people with hypochondriasis, 8.5 versus 5.5 per 1,000 person years. People with the condition died younger than the others, a mean age of 70 versus 75. Their risk of death from circulatory and respiratory diseases was higher. Cancer was an exception; the risk of death was about the same.
“Generally, people do go online perpetually as it as it's more convenient than getting a doctor’s appointment, or they just hope to get peace of mind that nothing serious is there about their health,” says Dr Dilip Singhvi, internal medicine specialist.
But in reality, it's the opposite. Google will provide answers, which are usually worrisome like, could be tumuor or cancer for any lumps, which makes the person more worrisome. People with the disorder are actually mentally suffering and it pays to take it seriously and to treat it, which can involve cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, education and sometimes antidepressant medication.
“Although it is not that alarming in Oman as compared to other countries, it is wiser to consult your doctor as there are many aspects which doctors are taking into consideration for making a diagnosis and not merely on the basis of a list of symptoms. It's better to avoid Dr Google and avoid creating more worries in life than peace,” he says.
Hypochondriasis is a type of anxiety in which the person misinterprets his/her own feelings. People with hypochondriasis are unable to shake their fears despite normal physical exams and lab tests. Some may change doctors repeatedly. Others may avoid medical care as their symptoms go beyond average health worries.
Hypochondriasis is rapidly gripping the world in such a way that every 2 out 5 people end up diagnosing themselves with serious disease and a survey of 2,000 Americans found 43 per cent of them getting misdiagnosed after searching on google and 74 per cent said the results made them more worried.
Dr Rashid al Zaidi, a senior psychiatrist, says that it is normal for people to worry about their health but when these worries are continuous, causing anxiety and affecting their routine then they need to take care.
'People with Hypochondriasis will have obsessive thoughts of having serious illnesses. Therefore, they will seek frequent medical consultations and blood tests and other tests regularly. This will affect their daily life and relationships, and results in financial stress due to the expenses on clinic visits and tests. Their family life and occupational life can be affected too. In addition, they will also have suicidal tendency,' he said.
According to Dr Al Zaidi, when these worries become beliefs we call illusion or psychosis. Illusional hypochondriasis is more severe and requires medication whereas obsessional hypochondriasis is considered a type of anxiety and requires antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication and cognitive behavioural therapy.
'So, the best intervention is to help these people with frequent worries is to be seen by psychiatrists and psychologists because early treatment can help,' said Dr Al Zaidi.
A recent Swedish study conducted on this subject says that Googling regarding ones symptoms or health or for diagnosis has been very prevalent, as it is a very quick and easy way to acquire information just a click away. But the mental repercussions are serious and such people die earlier compared to other people who aren't hyper vigilant about health concerns as excessive fear for health leads to serious health-damaging results.
“Many of us, for sure, are mild hypochondriacs to an extent. But there are also people on the other extreme of the spectrum who live in a perpetual state of worry and suffering and rumination about having a serious illness,” the report suggests.
Overall death rates were higher in the people with hypochondriasis, 8.5 versus 5.5 per 1,000 person years. People with the condition died younger than the others, a mean age of 70 versus 75. Their risk of death from circulatory and respiratory diseases was higher. Cancer was an exception; the risk of death was about the same.
“Generally, people do go online perpetually as it as it's more convenient than getting a doctor’s appointment, or they just hope to get peace of mind that nothing serious is there about their health,” says Dr Dilip Singhvi, internal medicine specialist.
But in reality, it's the opposite. Google will provide answers, which are usually worrisome like, could be tumuor or cancer for any lumps, which makes the person more worrisome. People with the disorder are actually mentally suffering and it pays to take it seriously and to treat it, which can involve cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, education and sometimes antidepressant medication.
“Although it is not that alarming in Oman as compared to other countries, it is wiser to consult your doctor as there are many aspects which doctors are taking into consideration for making a diagnosis and not merely on the basis of a list of symptoms. It's better to avoid Dr Google and avoid creating more worries in life than peace,” he says.