What are the dangers of self -diagnosis?
Thanks for asking. The chances are that at some point in your life when feeling sick you've scoured the internet in an attempt to find out why.
Maybe you go to Dr.
Google as a matter of habit any time you're in discomfort or pain.
Indeed, back in 2019, Google Health Vice President David Feinberg told The Telegraph that 7 % of all Google searches related to health, adding up to an incredible 70 ,000 every minute.
But there are dangers to self -diagnosing.
A lot of people rely heavily on social media, online forums, or even AI tools like ChatGPT as their primary sources for self -diagnosis.
Isn't it obvious that seeing a doctor is a better idea than doing that?
Indeed, but still there are various reasons why people choose to search for health -related information online.
For starters it's free and can be done around the clock without needing to book an appointment.
Furthermore, there are other factors which may discourage people from getting a professional medical diagnosis and treatment for their condition.
These include embarrassment, financial constraints, and struggling to find the right specialist.
Could someone miss a serious medical condition due to incorrect self -diagnosis?
Absolutely. One of the risks is that by relying solely on online sources, a person misses out on a medical condition that requires professional attention.
This was actually proven by a study which was published in the Medical Journal of Australia in May 2020.
Researchers from Edith Cohen University in Perth found that mobile and web -based symptom checkers are actually only accurate 36 % of the time.
Even given three attempts to produce a correct diagnosis, the rate only increases to 52%.
At the other end of the scale, some people might give themselves a needless scare by latching onto the worst -case scenario that matches their symptoms, when usually that isn't actually what's happening to them.
One term for people who do this a lot is cyber -chondriacs.
This kind of behaviour can lead to anxiety and stress.
You may also remember that we discussed a cognitive bias known as the Barnum Effect in a past episode of Do You Really Know?
It causes us to see ourselves in somewhat vague descriptions that apply to almost anyone.
The Barnum Effect is definitely at play in a lot of online self -diagnosis cases.
Of course the main thing to do is make sure you've got an appointment scheduled with an actual doctor.
This will usually be your GP, who may then refer you to a specialist depending on your condition.
But if you really can't resist looking up symptoms online, at least make sure you're only accessing reputable websites.
These include government agencies, respected medical centres and advocacy organisations, for example.
And maybe it's worth questioning whether you really need to self -diagnose at all, given all the risks we've been talking about.
Verywellhealth .com suggests that it's better looking up health information online when you need to find out more about a diagnosis that a medical provider has already given you.
There you have it. Now you know the dangers of self -diagnosis.
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