If you’ve ever found yourself at 1:47 a.m., phone glowing in the dark, Googling symptoms like “tingling in left hand heart attack”, you’re not alone. You probably already knew it wasn’t a great idea, maybe you even promised yourself you’d stop googling your symptoms, but somehow, here you are. Again.
Googling symptoms when you’re feeling anxious feels like it should help. You’re looking for reassurance, for that one article or comment that says, “You’re fine, it’s nothing.” And sometimes you do find it… only to feel the panic creep back in hours, or even minutes later.
As a therapist, I’ve had countless conversations about this exact cycle, and I’ve been there myself. This isn’t just curiosity; it’s a way of trying to manage fear. In this post, we’ll explore why we keep Googling, how it fuels health anxiety, and what you can do instead when you feel that urge to search.
What Makes Us Google Symptoms in the First Place?
At its core, Googling symptoms is about control. When you feel something strange in your body, like a lump in your throat, a skipped heartbeat, a weird rash, your brain immediately goes: “We need answers.”
And where’s the quickest place to get answers these days? Your phone.
- Desire for certainty: Health anxiety thrives on the idea that if we can just know what’s going on, we can prevent the worst
- Immediate reassurance: We hope a quick search will calm us down, save us a trip to the doctor, and let us get back to our day.
- The illusion of being informed: Searching for information makes us feel proactive, even though we’re often just collecting more reasons to panic.
Real-life spiral example:
One Reddit user said they Googled “jaw tightness” and left convinced they had a heart attack, even though they’d just been chewing gum for hours.
Another searched “gum pain” and spiraled into thinking they had cancer. That’s the thing: Google gives you possibilities, not probabilities…
The Psychology Behind the Spiral…
Intrusive Thoughts and the “What If” Cycle
Health anxiety often starts with a small, intrusive thought: “What if this headache is a brain tumor?” That thought feels urgent, like you need to rule it out right now. Clicking “search” becomes a compulsion, a way to momentarily soothe that spike of fear.
But the relief is short-lived. Why? Because your brain starts filtering for the scariest possibilities. Even if you read a hundred benign explanations, you’ll latch onto the one that matches your worst fear. This is the hallmark of what’s sometimes called hypochondria or hypochondriasis, a pattern of excessive worrying about health conditions.
Doom scrolling and Nervous System Activation
Late-night Googling is particularly brutal. Your body’s already tired, your logical brain is winding down, and your anxiety is in the driver’s seat. Every alarming symptom description fires up your nervous system, keeping you stuck in fight-or-flight mode long after you close your laptop.
You’re not calming your anxiety, you’re training your brain to see the world (and your body) as dangerous. This behavioural pattern can cause unnecessary stress and even lead to unnecessary trips to ER.
What Reddit & Research Reveal About the Real Impact of Googling Symptoms
When you read real stories from people with health anxiety, it’s striking how much they overlap with research findings. Here are some hidden truths we don’t always talk about:
1. Trigger Symptoms → Spirals
Minor sensations (jaw pain, sore gums, tingling) often spark searches. Hours later, people regret even looking.
Research shows people with health anxiety are more likely to interpret harmless bodily sensations as catastrophic.
2. False Reassurance → Escalation
People search for comfort but end up spiralling further when reassurance doesn’t stick. They’re seeking reassurance but finding themselves trapped in a vicious cycle.
This is the “relief-then-escalation” pattern: reassurance is fleeting, but compulsive checking fuels further anxiety.
3. The Regret Loop
Many say: “I wish I could undo that search.” But the next time a symptom appears; they go right back.
This compulsive pattern is a hallmark of cyberchondria
where the vast amount of information available online can overwhelm rather than help.
4. Body Hypervigilance
After reading about certain conditions, people suddenly notice those exact symptoms like the ones they just read about.
Suggestibility is real: some studies found people report stronger sensations after exposure to health information.
5. Specific Irrational Fears
Rabies, ALS, MS, and cancer show up again and again in people’s stories, despite being rare. The hypochondriac tendency is to focus on worst-case scenarios rather than common explanations.
6. Coping Hacks People Try
Timers, writing symptoms down for a doctor, using forums for support. Some even use humour (“indigestion = cancer, obviously”) to normalize their spiral.
Why Googling Makes Anxiety Worse
Health Anxiety + Online Searching = A Real Connection
A systematic review of 16 studies (nearly 5,000 people) also found a solid connection between health anxiety and frequent online research, reinforcing that the more anxious someone is, the more likely they are to scour the Internet for health answers. Some estimates suggest people spend a year in unnecessary medical tests and treatments due to health anxiety and self-diagnosis.
Googling your symptoms when you’re anxious isn’t just unhelpful, it can actually make your anxiety worse because:
- There is temporary relief, long-term harm: the reassurance lasts minutes, maybe hours, before the doubt returns
- Algorithms reward fear: Google shows “clickable” search results first, which often means rare, worst-case scenarios
- Confirmation bias: You’ll unconsciously seek out results that match your fear
- Missed context: Google can’t diagnose you, it doesn’t know your stress level, recent workouts, or whether you’ve had three coffees today
What We See in Therapy
In sessions, I’ve had clients bring me screenshots of terrifying medical articles, lists of every sensation they’ve felt that week, or confessions like: “I know it’s irrational, but I can’t stop.”
The most common patterns related to health concerns?
- Sleepless nights spent searching for answers.
- Rotating diagnoses… today it’s MS, tomorrow it’s cancer, next week it’s ALS.
- Doubt in doctors – Google starts to feel more believable than a trustworthy health professional or physician.
- Fear of wasting a doctor’s time – so they rely on searches instead of booking an appointment.
The truth is, this isn’t just “overthinking.”
It’s a mix of compulsions, avoidance, and reassurance-seeking, all of which keep anxiety going.
How to Stop the Search Spiral
1. Break the Ritual
- Delay the search: Give yourself 15 minutes before Googling. More often than not the urge passes.
- Use a timer: Set a strict limit if you do search and stick to it.
- Write symptoms down: Save them for a doctor’s appointment instead of searching immediately.
- Create a “search red flag” list: List topics or phrases you know will spiral you, and commit to avoiding them.
2. Soothe the Nervous System, Not Just the Thought
Anxiety isn’t only in your head, it’s in your body.
- Grounding exercises: Notice five things you can see, hear, feel, smell, and taste.
- Breathwork: taking a few deep breaths or trying some of these breathing exercises
- Gentle movement: Stretch, take a short walk, or do slow breathing to release tension.
- Talk to someone safe: Share your fear with a trusted friend, not your search bar.
3. Get Real Reassurance
- See your GP or therapist instead of relying on anonymous forums.
- Use symptom checkers cautiously, and only ones recommended by a healthcare provider.
- Explore therapy for health anxiety, like CBT, which helps you tolerate uncertainty without compulsions.
FAQs
How do I stop Googling symptoms of anxiety?
Delay the search, write symptoms down, and bring them to a doctor instead. Getting peace of mind from a health professional is far more effective than webbed searches.
Can anxiety make you feel symptoms that aren’t real?
Yes, it can heighten normal sensations or even create physical symptoms.
How do I know if symptoms are real or anxiety?
If symptoms are persistent or worsening, get checked by a doctor. But remember, anxiety can make harmless sensations feel threatening.
Why do I Google every symptom?
Usually to manage fear, but it’s a short-term fix that reinforces anxiety in the long run.
Final Thoughts: What You’re Really Looking For
Here’s the thing, you’re not Googling for information. You’re Googling for safety. You’re searching for proof that you’re okay. But safety doesn’t come from a search engine; it comes from learning to sit with uncertainty and trust your body (and your healthcare team).
If you’re feeling stuck in this loop, you don’t have to untangle it alone. This is exactly the kind of work I help my clients with in therapy – understanding the fear, breaking the compulsions, and building resilience.
If you’re ready to take that step, you can book a virtual session with me here. Together, we’ll help you put your phone down, breathe easier, and start feeling like yourself again!
source https://getreconnected.ca/blog/googling-symptoms-anxiety/
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