Online self-diagnosis: why it doesn’t work!
Today about half of the world’s population uses the Internet and it is considered inclusive to have a connection. On May 17, 2022, the UN Secretary General says that by 2030 the Internet will be for everyone. However, he warns that at the same time action must be taken to prevent and reduce the dangers of information technology: the spread of disinformation and the improper use of personal data. (Source: unric.org)
How to reduce the dangers of information technology
The web, the Internet, has enormous potential if used correctly! Using it improperly, especially in the Health and Wellness sector, puts users at enormous risk.
You need to know how to untangle the countless information that is just a click away and take only what you need to have the right awareness and understand which specialist to contact. But this can always be left to your general practitioner who can best direct you to the most correct specialist!
On the web, moreover, we tend to look for testimonies above all of people who have pathologies similar to their own, and on the basis of those we tend to make a diagnosis. We should not compare different individuals in different situations even with similar symptoms, this is true in general and in particular in the medical field.
Self-diagnosis: yes or no? Why is it dangerous?
Il web è uno strumento che consente di mettere in contatto persone e informazioni.
The web is a tool that allows you to connect people and information.
Over time, the habit of using the Internet in the medical field has become increasingly common, not only for information but also for self-diagnosis. And like everything, improper use involves unforeseen risks and problems.
And if, after careful research done by drawing on multiple sources on the web, the self-diagnosis is incorrect, what can be done?
Unfortunately, self-diagnosis can lead to great confusion, fear and uncertainty.
Here are in detail the reasons we have identified why it would be advisable not to proceed with the self-diagnosis starting from the information found on the web. In fact, self-diagnosis tends to:
- Feeding worry and discouragement: from a symptom to a serious pathology in one click.
- Confusing and underestimating true symptoms: convincing yourself that you have a pathology identified on Dr. Internet, which is not actually confirmed by a medical diagnosis, strays from the truth and does not allow you to read the same symptoms correctly. Unfortunately, in cases like this, the ‘real symptoms’ are ignored and perhaps worsen.
- Extend the time to get the true diagnosis: you realize, if you are lucky, that the symptoms observed are not related to the pathology found on Dr. Internet, but only after some time and this tires both physically and mentally. And when you go to the doctor responsible for the diagnosis, you no longer want to expose your experience by not reporting your symptoms correctly and clearly.
- Cause stress: spasmodic research online feeds the fear that an event will occur and this favors its realization due to the stress to which one is subjected.
- Make believe that Dr. Internet knows everything! Today anyone can post information online, and sometimes the information can really seem credible. It is advisable to properly choose the web sources from which to obtain information, and not stop there. It is right to be aware, to inquire but we must be careful and always seek medical feedback.
Suggestion:
Here is our tip: when it comes to health, it is always good to rely on the experts!
It is known that curiosity is an index of intelligence and that it is not easy not to give in to the temptation to jump on the web. It’s obvious! It seems that it has no contraindications: it is fast, immediate and always finds an answer.
It also costs nothing … But, as we have already seen, it is not at no cost. And, not least, let’s not forget that Dr. Internet cannot, under any circumstances, provide either a diagnosis or a therapy.
How do we know if the result found is right or wrong for us? Simple, we can’t! Only the doctor can give us an authoritative and trustworthy answer!
So, in telemedicine or live it doesn’t matter, we give the specialist the opportunity to answer our questions and clarify our doubts in the flesh.
So let’s leave the doctor’s last word.
