What are the dangers of self-diagnosis?

The chances are that at some point you’ve scoured the internet in an attempt to figure out why you’re feeling sick. Maybe you go to Dr Google as a matter of habit any time you’re in discomfort or pain. Indeed, back in 2019, Google Heatlh Vice President David Feinberg told the Telegraph that 7% of all Google searches related to health, adding up to an incredible 70,000 every minute. But there are dangers to self-diagnosing. A lot of people rely heavily on social media, online forums, or even AI tools like ChatGPT as their primary sources for self-diagnosis. But there are various reasons why people choose to search for health-related information online. For example, it's free and can be done around the clock without needing to book an appointment. Isn’t it obvious that seeing a doctor is a better idea than doing that? Could someone miss a serious medical condition due to incorrect self-diagnosis? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: How does daylight saving affect your health? How can I sleep well with a blocked nose? Why is Disney becoming unpopular? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. First broadcast : 27/10/2023 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices