The Risk of Self-Diagnosis

Doctor's diagnosis

Self-diagnosis is the process of diagnosing or identifying medical conditions in oneself. It can be assisted by medical dictionaries, books, resources on the internet, past personal experiences, or recognising symptoms or medical signs of a condition that a family member previously had. This happens because people want to know what they are experiencing, in an attempt to - in most cases - help themselves feel better. Often, a self-diagnosis is wrong and can lead people astray, which is why it is highly frowned upon.

Not only is it misleading, but it can be dangerous and a potential risk to your health and life. If you jump to conclusions about the condition you may or may not be suffering from, you may begin the wrong treatment. Self-diagnosis also leads to self-treatment in that case. For example, if you self-diagnose a panic disorder, you may miss the diagnosis of heart or thyroid issues. Or if you are experiencing common symptoms like a headache, your search results for potential causes can range from brain tumours to simple dehydration. 

There are currently 10,000 diseases in the world and more than 200 recognised forms of mental illness and the symptoms of one condition will often overlap the symptoms associated with dozens of other conditions. The internet is full of misleading information especially when it comes to medicine, and that is why it is essential to go to the doctor for an informed and accurate diagnosis.

The healthcare industry aims to help in such a manner that medical professionals are able to provide timely and accurate diagnoses to their patients. With continually evolving technology to keep up with the industry, they provide world-class diagnostics and monitoring services for the best quality care. Having a developed medical care facility is what helps patients trust their healthcare system and prevents the event of self-diagnosis.