The problem with this is that the quality of online resources varies dramatically.
If a condition is serious, the consequence of misdiagnosis can be severe.
This article described the hazards of self-diagnosis and self-treatment from the Internet.
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It also offers tips on how to find reliable websites for general health and medical information.
What Are the Risks of Self-Diagnosing?
There is a lot of medical information online, some of it credible and some of it not.
Even if a website is accurate, it is easy for someone without medical training to misinterpret it.
Manufacturing errors, in which one herb is mistakenly replaced with another, have also led to serious complications.
Who Searches for Health Information?
Research suggests that people who turn to the Internet for health information tend to be more affluent and educated.
This is due in part to greater access to digital tools and high-speed internet.
How Many People Self-Diagnose Mental Illness?
People not only use the Internet to research physical illnesses but mental illnesses as well.
This is especially true among younger people ages 15 to 35.
Others, however, recognize certain mental health symptoms and diagnose themselves without seeking treatment.
The problem with this is that you are more likely to get it wrong than right.
Among those who recognize their symptoms, there are many reasons why they do not seek treatment.
Their reluctance is primarily due to the stigma surrounding mental illness in any form.
IAD can lead someone to self-diagnose on the Internet (doing so is typical of people with IAD).
Sites like Instagram, TikTok, and X are founded on cutting to the chase.
The most common of these isADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
Even so, personal accounts tended to be the most watched by TikTok viewers.
Similar misinformation about autism, anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder is widely disseminated on social media.
One study says online health information “is becoming an increasingly important component of health and disease management.”
Presenting them with a huge packet of information at your appointment is unlikely to be helpful, though.
Also, ask your provider whether you could exchange information between appointments via an online patient portal.
A little knowledge can help you weed out the ones that are best avoided.
make a run at find those that explain medical terminology and make the information easy to understand.
Summary
Most people today look for health information online.
On large consumer health sites, look for HON Code certification which ensures quality standards.
Discovering the dangers of self-diagnosis.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.Traditional Chinese medicine: what you gotta know.
Wang X, Cohen RA.Health information technology use among adults: United States, JulyDecember 2022.NCHS Data Brief No.
Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2023. doi:10.15620/cdc:133700
Pew Research Center.Profiles of health information seekers.
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