Self-diagnosing can be dangerous

Self-diagnosing is becoming in the U.S. According to a survey taken by the Pew Research Center in Washington D.C. revealed that 35 percent of adults in the U.S. have used the Internet to diagnose their medical conditions. School nurse Wendy Keller says that students also do this in lieu of visiting a doctor.

“I think it is [becoming] very trendy for not just students but also adults to think that they can skip seeing a doctor by going to the Internet for medical advice,” Keller said.

But the inability to see a doctor at a moment’s notice combined with the convenience of a quick Internet search are two leading factors in the trend. Freshman Yoon Kim does not have to worry about the hassle of searching for a doctor since his mother is one, but said that he understands why self-diagnosing is done.

“American hospitals are very expensive and insurance costs a lot, so I do believe that it is more convenient to go to Google and search up the [symptoms],” Kim said.

Still, students and adults can easily misdiagnose themselves, causing them to believe that the ailment they do have is much worse than it is.

“You can have all sorts of misinformation and diagnose yourself with all sorts of terrible things when you might just have a common cold,” Keller said.

As people misdiagnose themselves online, ‘cyberchondria’ sets in, the anxiety that occurs when one reads an alarming diagnosis online.

“The Internet is not always a reliable source,” Keller said. “Anybody can put anything they want up on the Internet.” Keller notes that students will sometimes visit the health office mistakenly believing they have a grave illness.

“Sometimes [students] will come [to the office] and say ‘I think I have the …,” Keller said. When she asks the student why they believe they have a particular illness, Keller notes that the reply is often, “I’ve looked it up on the Internet.”

“Usually, we talk about it, and [the sickness] is usually not what they think it is,” Keller said.

Freshman Julianna Higa admitted that she has on occasion diagnosed herself using online sources, but does not take the online diagnosis too seriously.

“Sometimes I think [the diagnosis] is an overreaction,” Higa said. “I just tell my parents that I think that something is wrong… and that I should go to a doctor.

Keller does not believe that the Internet should ever be used to diagnose oneself, and recommends that if something is bothering a person, he or she should visit their doctor. However, the Internet can be used as a helpful resource.

“There is not a positive with self-diagnosis,” Keller said, “[but] the positive with the Internet is that when the doctor tells you what is wrong or if they have given you a medication, you can educate yourself and learn more about what the doctor has told you,” Keller said.