Web surfing of symptoms can lead to cyberchondria
Microsoft researchers who studied Web usage found that people can Google themselves into a state of "cyberchondria," turning a Web search about one symptom into a panic over an array of serious diseases. They also found that two in five people who surfed for health information found that it made them feel more nervous about a perceived medical condition, while about half said it reduced their anxiety. Washington Post, The (11/10)