Are you a hypochondriac? Why that’s a condition you SHOULD worry about...

Hypochondria, or excessive worry about potential health problems, has been around for a long time...

...but thanks to the internet – the diagnosis has become cyberchondria for many. About 24 million Americans suffer with hypochondria and according to Martin M. Anthony, author of “Overcoming Health Anxiety,” the mountains of information and misinformation available online can be misleading and all-consuming for some. Searching symptoms online can also be downright scary:

• An online search for “headache” found equal results for “caffeine withdrawal” and “brain tumor.” Headaches are common – brain tumors are not.

• Someone with complications from a routine procedure is much more likely to write about it online than someone without.

• Information online is often biased toward dramatic, rare conditions and mishaps.

Dr. Anthony says the Internet can be an important tool AFTER you’ve been diagnosed. Use it to educate yourself – but be careful and skeptical. Stick to familiar, trustworthy sights, usually ending in .gov or .org. If you experience anxiety during your research, avoid that all together and request the information directly from your doctor.