Cyberchondria
The BBC recently had a story about a growing phenomenon which it called cyberchondria — people who mis-diagnose themselves (often with phantom illnesses) thanks to Internet sites that offer dubious health-related information.
The unique nature of the Internet, which allows people to communicate more quickly and widely than ever before, turns out to also be a boon to hypochondriacs and quacks to more widely disseminate their claims. The BBC cited a University of Alabama study which found that people with Munchausen syndrome (who feign illness to get sympathetic attention) “had been logging on to Internet chat rooms and claiming illness, rape or assault in an attempt to get an audience for their claims.”
The Internet also makes it easier for traditional quacks to reach larger audiences. Just enter the keyword “homeopathy” into an Internet search engine for confirmation of this. Of course the Internet also makes it easier for skeptics and others to quickly direct people to information that debunks such nonsense, so the Internet is a double edged sword for such quackery.
Source:
‘Cyberchondria’ hits web users. The BBC, April 13, 2001.
Tags: Homeopathy