Istanbul Gelisim University - Thinking that the reason of the headache is a brain tumor: Cyberchondria!

Thinking that the reason of the headache is a brain tumor: Cyberchondria!

It is often the case that they type their health problems into the search engine on the internet, have them searched and try to diagnose the disease. Stating that individuals' repeated searches on the internet about their health are called "Cyberchondria", Psychologist Res. Asst. İrem Uyar: “Have you ever thought that you have a brain tumor when you look on the internet to find out the cause of your headache? The information obtained as a result of searching for health problems on the internet can increase the concerns even more."

The internet environment, where we find answers to many questions, is the first place to apply when there are complaints about health. Most people try to diagnose their disease by typing their physical or mental complaints into the search engine on the internet and even more, creating treatment methods. Stating that individuals' repeated searches on the internet about their health are called "Cyberchondria", Istanbul Gelisim University (IGU) Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, Psychologist Res. Asst. İrem Uyar: “Have you ever thought that you have a brain tumor when you look on the internet to find out the cause of your headache? The health concerns of individuals with cyberchondria are increasing with searches on the internet and it is difficult to control these concerns."

"It has been observed that the rate of those who search for health-related information in Turkey is 69%"

There is a lot of content on the internet about diseases and treatment methods. As such, search engines are the first place to apply for most people in any health problem. Stating that individuals make these searches in order to address their concerns about their health and possible diseases, Psychologist Res. Asst. İrem Uyar, "Since the information obtained as a result of searching for health problems on the internet may not be reliable, it may be incorrect or incomplete and this may increase concerns even more. It has been observed that the rate of those who search for health-related information in Turkey is 69 percent. One of the reasons why this rate is so high is that internet access is easy today. The fact that many doctors, dietitians and psychologists actively use their social media accounts and share frequently also affects individuals."

"It may cause them to refuse a treatment that is suitable for them or to apply a wrong treatment"

Cyberchondria can also cause problems in patient-doctor communication by increasing health anxiety. People frequently apply to health institutions and doctors in order to clarify whether the information they obtain from the internet is accurate or no. Psychologist Uyar: "The health concerns of individuals with cyberchondria increase with searches on the internet and it becomes difficult to control these concerns. It is seen that 72.95% of the patients do research on the internet about their disease before going to the doctor. 46.61% of them do research on the internet about the treatment recommended by the doctor. These behaviors of people can cause both to engage medical centers and healthcare professionals in vain and to refuse a treatment that is suitable for them or to apply a wrong treatment. In order to control cyberchondria, individuals need to use the internet not when they are under anxiety, but when they really need information; they need to shorten the time they search for information on the internet and learn to evaluate the information they acquire critically."