Cybercondria: What Is It And How To Deal With It?
Cybercondria is a relatively recent anxiety disorder. However, it is a condition that, due to the growing number of internet users, affects many people today. Many of us live in constant connection through e-mails, smartphone applications, and now the internet, televisions, appliances, cars. Such a global connection to the net has never existed before in the history of humanity.
The era of hyper connectivity, however, also brings with it the era of the dispersion of knowledge. If we think about it, simply typing a question into a browser or search engine yields countless results. Despite this, it is not always easy to disentangle all this information, also because some of it is not reliable.
When it comes to human health issues, this reliability is extremely important. In fact, the results that search engines give can be a mixture of correct information and misinformation. Hence, it will also depend on our ability to seek and discern between so much information.
So here we come to cybercondria, defined as an obsessive behavior of concern for the state of health that is expressed in Internet searches. These searches seek a quick and effective answer to what the person already assumes they have.
The figures are clear. In many countries, polls show that eight out of ten people search the Internet for health issues. Of this group, six out of ten research the diseases and symptoms they suffer from.
The internet is a wonderful tool, and healthcare benefits greatly from information technology. However, there is a real risk of overexposure to this information, which some people are unable to handle.
Diagnosing cybercondria
For mental health textbooks, cybercondria is an anxiety disorder, like hypochondria. But this definition alone is not enough to make diagnosis simple. Some professionals argue that it does not exist as such, but rather that it is a variant of hypochondria. In short, the underlying disorder is anxious, and comes under the terms of extreme health anxiety.
There was also an association between cybercondria and low self-esteem personalities. By themselves, those who in general are overly addicted to the internet, that is, those who use it compulsively, tend to have low self-esteem traits. But what does the term “internet addiction” refer to? Well, that’s it:
- Spending excessive time of the day online.
- Inability to disconnect from the internet of your own accord.
- Using the internet in a way that alters aspects of daily life.
These features are primarily a pathological use of the internet. If this situation continues over time and worsens more and more, decreasing the quality of life, it becomes an internet addiction.
Cybercondria, on the other hand, is compatible with obsessive-compulsive disorders. Searching excessively on the internet is a defense mechanism for controlling recurring negative thoughts. In health, it’s like trying to magically prevent a serious illness.
The Risks of Cybercondria
Suffering from cybercondria has consequences that affect the quality of life. Among these consequences are:
- Anxiety. Generally, the state of anxiety does not end with internet research and is perpetuated.
- Medical expenses. An Internet search can lead to often unnecessary and expensive complementary examinations. Additionally, the patient is more likely to pay more attention to the website than to the medical professional who might suggest another type of exam or even no tests.
- Phubbing. This term defines ignoring the environment or a person around us by focusing on a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet.
- Social inequality. Internet access is unequal across the world, and so is access to health. The combination of both inequalities can lead low-income groups to simply go to free internet services to avoid paying for a doctor’s visit. This practice, however, can jeopardize one’s health in cases where an underlying disease exists.
Treatments
Some measures to treat cybercondria must start with the person who is affected by it. While it is usually difficult, there are steps that can only be taken by the person suffering from it, working on his or her environment.
Among these initial steps is the logical premise of requesting a doctor’s appointment instead of embarking on endless internet searches. The professional will be able to guide the diagnostic process better than a search engine.
This does not mean that health topics cannot be researched on the internet. What you should do is refine the research goal by relying on sources you can trust. One way is to prefer medically supported items or items from reputable health care institutions.
Furthermore, it is also good practice not to pay too much attention to the package leaflets of the drugs that we can find online. This is because, information on adverse effects tends to be excessive due to the legal issues of the laboratories.
If despite all these preventive tips, we suffer from cyberchondria, it is necessary to start a psychological treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is one of the most used treatment modalities for this type of disorder.
