In the current digital age due to the extensive availability of internet connected devices, the occurrence of Internet Derived Information Obstructing Treatment syndrome (IDIOT Syndrome) has rapidly increased.

IDIOT syndrome or “Cyberchondria” appears when a patient chooses to end their therapy after believing in unreliable medical information found on the internet.

In 2019 a study by eligibility.com found 89 percent of patients nationwide Google their health symptoms before going to their doctor.

According to Google Health Vice President David Feinberg, MD, in 2020 about 7 percent of Google’s daily searches are health-related

Surfing the web, one can come across a plethora of precise and dependable data regarding health and wellbeing. The same applies to any other subject. However, there are some websites that post fabricated health information in order to draw users, sponsors, and ratings.

People receiving medical care should not take online health resources as gospel and must seek the advice of certified healthcare practitioners when it comes to their health.

Educating the public about the risks of following or abandoning treatments based solely on what they read online is essential, to help prevent them from becoming victims of misinformation.

Characteristics of IDIOT Syndrome – Cyberchondria

Some of the main characteristics of cyberchondria include the persons uncertainty about having an illness despite having little to no (EMADS) symptoms

E: Excessive time spent online looking for information
M: Mistrust of medical experts whose opinion could be sought in person
A: An undesired and compulsive search for knowledge.
D: Distress brought on by the search behavior including anxiety and panic
S: Searching for assurance from a reliable source or person

In 2014, McElroy and Shevlin came up with the Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) to measure how an individual’s decisions and learning are impacted by their online queries for medical information.

The components of cyberchondria, as obtained from CSS factor analysis studies, involve an overabundance of web searches for health-related data due to its easy availability.

With the increasing number of people suffering from IDIOT syndrome, there is a need for the public to be educated on the best way to look for a diagnosis and solution on the internet. This is due to the rapid development of technology, which has increased the expectations of patients and their caregivers.

This has also resulted in medical professionals being overwhelmed when people come to the hospital with lofty assumptions of what help they require or should receive.

Its critical that the awareness of IDIOT syndrome is heightened among those who self-medicate, as medicines can be obtained from local drugstores by looking up medical data on online health platforms.

Medical Disclaimer

It is advised that people avoid searching for medical details online and should instead seek the assistance of trained medical practitioners for their medical issues.

Information in this article has not been written by a medical professional and should not be used for medical treatment or advise. For more information about IDIOT syndrome please consult with a trained healthcare or medical professional