This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Anthony Guigliano. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Growing up in the modern and digital age has exposed Zillenials to many things. Back in the hay day, people would’ve waited for doctors to provide the concrete facts of what there feeling. But nope! Not only, but especially Zillenials have been self-diagnosing for years and today we are going to be discussing the issues and grave concerns that can arise from doing this.
You probably already self-diagnosis. We do it in the little terms. You feel hotter than usual you’ve got a fever, you’ve got a sneeze you’ve got a cold, you’ve got a bad cough you’ve got allergies. However, many people will take self-diagnosis to the extreme. Zillenials have grown up with the internet at their fingertips, and people have gone onto the internet and are wholly convinced that they have illnesses that they don’t have.
Likewise, there have been many studies on the internet about researching simple things. Going on Google and looking up sore throat can show you illnesses that you nowhere near have, but because they are similar… it can lead to someone not knowing any better to potentially believe that they have something that isn’t technically there. This can lead to them getting medically taken advantage of and also there medical data would be different as well.
It also isn’t uncommon with Zillenails to have Hypochondria and reading about illnesses online for some people will make them believe that they will have it, in certain instances even believing and maintaining that they have symptoms retaining from the illness they do not have.
There is also the danger of misinformation as well. The belief and spread of misinformation are bad, and it can lead to issues when truth and lies must be discerned. Self-diagnosing from an improper source can lead to people believing they are in more trouble than they are.
And even the belief and spreading of such misinformation could cause panic for a lot of people. Imagine if someone stated that they had COVID-19, and everyone was notified and proper procedures were in place… and then to find out that person didn’t take a test like the reliable Flowflex Covid test or anything and was going off what he found online because his symptoms were similar.
That is the same thing that is going on here between self-diagnosing and misinformation.
Also self-diagnosing others is a no-go. Many people are known to do this, and it should be warned against. Do not consult a friend for medical advice, but rather a trained professional that he or she knows what they are doing.
There is a stigma with doctors. There is a lot of distrust you hear about going on within the medical community, and there are many people who would rather trust the internet than go to a doctor. It’s cheaper and more time-effective for someone to look up on their phone what ails them, instead of going to a doctor. However, this has a multitude of cons to it as well. This can lead to a delay in getting professional help meaning that the person is only going to get sicker and receive help for the wrong things, and likewise leading to unnecessary time wasted.
Secondly, it can also interfere with who you talk about with your illness. It isn’t uncommon for people to be convinced of their preconceived medical notion, and be told false and argue against it even if it was by a medical professional. That is why it is very important to go to your doctor and listen to what he or she has to say on health matters rather than going onto the internet.
This isn’t to say that the medical world is perfect. Patients often feel neglected or ignored by professionals, so while it may be the best idea for you to go seek professional help—you will need to be your own advocate. Doing your own research before going to the doctor is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you bring these concerns up to your doctor while you are there. Use the internet as a tool, not as a solution.
So, why is self diagnosing bad? Is there ever a time when it’s beneficial? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
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