Beware of Cyberchondria! Don’t Take All Google Results So Seriously

Google is our friend.  This statement can be debated. It certainly contains loads of information ready to be presented based on your chosen keywords. Google is good at displaying relevant content matching our keywords. There is this complex algorithm working in the background that tries to ensure quality truthful content when you look for it. And yes, often times we never have to go to the 2nd search page. The websites high up in the SERPs (search engine ranking pages) normally provide all we need to know. The system is not perfect  though. In cases of cyberchondria, the websites high up in the SERPS can actually be very troubling. Cyberchondria is the digital equivalent of hypochondria –  a condition in which a person is excessively and unduly worried about having a serious illness. The internet is full of horror stories. Stories of how a headache has transformed into a severe illness. While this may have happened, doesn’t mean this happens constantly. The issue with searching for explanations when feeling a specific pain, is that a small percentage of people who actually have experienced a serious escalation originated from that pain, can dominate a particular blog or website. So when you search online for any meaning and causes behind symptoms, be triple mindful that you may very well encounter such horror stories. Please do remember that such stories are more the exception than the norm! Another aspect you want to remember, is that such horror stories are often clicked on because we are shocked and want to know more. This means Google can make those websites appear higher in the SERPs. So be aware that you don’t play doctor yourself, and be careful by not going to the doctor while fixating on this idea that you have a specific disease. The internet can convince you quickly that you have this serious disease based on any minor common ailment you may feel. This causes anxiety and can only make the situation worse. So stay vigilant and learn to take the content with a grain of salt when required.