The Rise of 'CYBERCHONDRIA': Millions suffer anxiety about their healthafter Googling their symptoms

• When people look up their symptoms online they start to fear illness
• They also worry about consequences of illness - such as loss of earnings
• They are more likely to monitor their body and frequently visit their doctor
• The internet is particularly problematic as it contains a glut of information, some of which is not accurate

Looking up health concerns online has sparked a new phenomenon - dubbed cyberchondria.

Giving a whole new meaning to the term computer bug, psychologists found the condition of those who fear the unknown worsens as they seek answers on the internet. 

Turning to the internet to find out what ails you is becoming increasingly common, with a survey warning millions of Britons are risking their health by seeking answers online rather than visiting their doctor.

Dr Thomas Fergus, of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, said fearing a catastrophic disease or injury is bad enough.

But doubts about health, unfounded or not, can also trigger worries about potential medical bills, disability and job loss. 

And that can lead to even more Googling, obsessing, doctor visits, unnecessary medical testing and distress the researchers claim.

Dr Fergus said 'cyberchondria' is the online equivalent of hypochondria and maybe even more harmful because of the glut of sometimes dubious material that is available at the click of a mouse.

He said: ‘If I am someone who does not like uncertainty I may become more anxious, search further, monitor my body more, go to the doctor more frequently - and the more you search, the more you consider the possibilities. 

‘If I see a site about traumatic brain injuries and have difficulties tolerating uncertainty, I might be more likely to worry that is the cause of the bump on my head.’

Dr Fergus studied 512 healthy people with an average age of 33 to analyse how online health searches affected their anxiety.

In the study, the findings of which were published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking, he used several measures, including a scale in which respondents assessed such statements as 'I always want to know what the future has in store for me', and 'I spend most of my time worrying about my health’.

Dr Fergus said while fearing the worst when it comes to health is not new, the online glut of medical information, some of it from questionable sources, may be more disturbing than that contained in medical manuals people consult or obtain directly from a doctor.

He added: ‘When you look at a medical book, you might not see all the possibilities at once, but online you are presented with so many.’

Earlier this week, health watchdog The Information Standard reported four in ten people admit putting off going to their GP, with more than half saying they had turned to the web instead.

Almost one in six were told by their doctors they had a 'lucky escape' when they finally decided to book an appointment and were properly diagnosed.

More women - 43 per cent - delayed a visit to the GP than men – 37 per cent. They were also more likely to turn to the internet for health information.