What is Cyberchondria?

Cyberchondria is the anxiety-related disorder where an individual search up symptom online that they are experiencing and develop an anxiety over potential diseases that they have not been diagnosed yet. For example, someone could have a common cold but when they search up their symptom online they see that they have symptoms of cancer as well. However, they just have a mere cold.

How can you avoid the symptoms of cyberchondria?

If you feel sick you should see a professional, especially if you believe that you have more than an easily treatable. Also, if you keep up with your shots you would lower the stress of thinking you have a dangerous disease. In addition, if you have health anxiety there are places such as Mayo.com that help users thoroughly understand what kind of diseases they are going through.

Difference between Cyberchondria and Hypochondria.

Hypochondria is a little bit more extreme than cyberchondria. Firstly, hypochondria is health anxiety that a person has when they see for example a rash on them, they think what they have is much worse than it really is. On the contrary, cyberchondria is when someone looks up their symptoms online. Furthermore, people who suffer from hypochondria and cyberchondria deal with their problem not only for a little while but it can affect their work life, home line, and their relationships The two are closely related to each other but one just uses the internet and the other just sees it and freaks out.

Help with getting over cyberchondria

Since cyberchondria is an anxiety disorder there is no clear way of fixing it. There are options of taking medication to fix it, but often the medications are dangerous or unnatural drugs. However, there are less risky options on helping to cure cyberchondria like going to a qualified holistic professional.

Some simple steps one may take to aid in their healing are as followed:

• -       “Talk to a qualified holistic professional"
• -       Do not spend excessive time on heal related sites and forums
• -       Find activities to get involved in that do not involve the cyber worlds; such as outdoor activities, reading, finding a hobby, etc.
• -       Relaxation exercises, meditation, visualizations, musical therapy, etc. will help to promote peace of mind.” (May, 2012)

 Cyberchondria | HealthyWomen. (2013). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/symptom-search-hypochondria-internet-spurring-health-worries

L. M. (2012). The Anxiety Disorder Cyberchondria - A CureZone Must Read at News Forum, with image embedded, topic 2042218. Retrieved February 18, 2016, from http://www.curezone.org/forums/am.asp?i=2042218

M. A. (2012, July 9). Prognoses for diagnoses: Medical search online and “cyberchondria”. Retrieved February 19, 2016, from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1753-6561/6/S4/P30