Cyberchondria: When Google Becomes Your Therapist

Have you ever typed a worry into Google or AI, and left feeling ten times worse than when you started? You’re not alone. In recent years many people have discovered a new kind of anxiety — one fueled by endless searching for health or mental-health answers online. Clinicians call this cyberchondria: repeated or excessive online searching about symptoms that increases anxiety rather than easing it.

I hear versions of this in my counselling room all the time: people arriving with a self-diagnosis, or convinced they know the diagnosis for a loved one, a partner, or even their boss. It often starts with “just looking it up” before calling a professional—only to spiral into hours of searching, reassurance-seeking, and fear. What feels like a private, safe option can quickly become a breeding ground for escalating worry.

Why we search the web instead of asking a therapist

There are very understandable reasons people turn to the internet first:

• Privacy & stigma. Many prefer the perceived anonymity of a search to the vulnerability of asking for help.

• Cost & access. Therapy can be expensive and waiting lists are long. In smaller communities like Winkler and Morden demand often outstrips supply, so people search online instead of waiting weeks or months for an appointment.

• Cultural or religious beliefs. In some families and faith communities, mental health is expected to be handled privately, or “spiritual solutions” are favoured — which can make professional help feel shameful.

• Minimizing one’s own distress. People often tell themselves their problems are “not big enough” to warrant therapy, or that others need help more (check my blog post on this: "Other people have it worse"). This keeps many stuck.

  
  

All of these are valid reasons — yet they also help explain why cyberchondria has become more common: the web is fast, feels private, and is always available.

How common is cyberchondria?

• 📊 A large review and meta-analysis found a strong link between health anxiety and online health searches—and an even stronger link with cyberchondria.

• 🔍 Surveys suggest that 25% to over 50% of adults and students experience moderate to high levels of cyberchondria, depending on the study.

• 🖥 Many people engage in repeated or excessive online symptom searches—sometimes daily.

• 😷 During the pandemic, health-related searches skyrocketed, which often made health anxiety worse.

(These figures vary by population and measurement tool, but the pattern is clear: excessive searching is common and linked to higher anxiety.)

Why online self-diagnosis is risky

• Overestimation of risk. Search results often present the worst-case possibilities early and prominently. That skews perception and makes mild or normal bodily sensations feel threatening.

• Inaccurate or misleading information. Not all sources are reliable. Search engines can mix high-quality medical resources with blogs, forums, and alarmist content.

• Reinforced worry loops. Reassurance from a search is usually temporary; people often search again (and again), reinforcing anxiety and compulsive checking.

• Delay in appropriate care. Sometimes people delay getting professional help because they’ve convinced themselves they “already know” the issue — or conversely, they become so anxious they avoid seeking care.

• Worsening physical symptoms. Chronic anxiety is not only psychological — it increases arousal and can produce real somatic symptoms (sleep problems, muscle tension, gastrointestinal distress), making the cycle worse.

  
  

AI: helpful tool — not a therapist

AI tools and mental-health chatbots (from dedicated apps to general chatbots like ChatGPT) are increasingly used for mental-health information and support. They have some strengths — accessibility, speed, and the ability to summarize research or suggest coping tools. But they also have clear limitations and risks:

Benefits

• Offer psychoeducation, explaining mental health terms, and summarizing research.

• Provide practical coping suggestions that although are non-specific can be a temporary relief for symptoms.

• Can help prepare questions for a therapist or provide short-term self-help prompts.

But here’s the main problem: AI has no human connection—and therapy is built on connection, trust, and empathy. AI can’t read your tone of voice, notice your tears, or sit with you in your pain. AI cannot truly feel or witness your experience; therapy relies on attunement, and relational repair — elements AI can’t replicate. There are also some other risks:

Risks

• Errors and harmful guidance. Chatbots sometimes give incorrect, incomplete, or even risky advice. Regulatory bodies and clinicians have raised concerns about safety and the potential for harm.

• Privacy concerns. Many apps and platforms collect and store sensitive data; privacy practices vary and some mental health apps have poor safeguards.

• Short-term effects only. Early studies show chatbots may produce short-term gains in mood or knowledge, but benefits often do not persist long-term without human therapy.

How to use AI wisely

• Use AI for education: to learn terms, evidence-based strategies, or to prepare your questions before a therapy session.

• Use AI for tools, not diagnosis: ask for grounding exercises, journaling prompts, or short breathing practices.

• Don’t ever use AI as your only source of help if you feel persistently distressed, suicidal, or overwhelmed. In crisis, seek emergency help or a licensed clinician.

• Be cautious about privacy: read app privacy policies and avoid sharing highly sensitive or identifying information in unsecure platforms.

Practical tips to break the cycle of cyberchondria

1. Limit search time. Set a short timer (10–15 minutes). When time is up, close the browser.

2. Choose reliable sources. Prefer established medical or mental-health organizations (e.g., National Institutes of Health, NHS, CDC, major university medical centers) rather than forums.

3. Create a “trusted-info” list. Keep 2–3 vetted sources bookmarked so you don’t drift into alarmist sites.

4. Track before you search. Write down what you feel and when. Ask: “What am I worried will happen?” and “What would I do if that were true?”

5. Use searches to prepare, not replace. If you find concerning patterns, use that information to ask a clinician — not to self-diagnose.

6. Practice grounding. After searching, do a 5-minute grounding activity: deep breathing, 5-4-3-2-1 sensory check, or a short walk.

7. Get a second opinion — human one. If anxiety persists, reach out to your family doctor, or a counsellor for assessment.

Local realities: access, cost, and community concerns

In small communities like ours, waiting lists and limited clinician availability are real barriers. Add financial constraints, cultural stigma, or beliefs that your problem is “not big enough,” and it’s easy to see why people turn to the internet.

If you’re in Winkler, Morden, or the Pembina Valley and struggling to find help, consider these options:

• Online counselling (secure video sessions) with licensed clinicians — more accessible and flexible.

• Employee assistance programs or community health clinics that may offer subsidized counselling, like Pembina Counselling Centre and Recovery of Hope..

• Local supports such as community groups, faith leaders, or school counsellors who can help triage needs and recommend resources.

  
  

Want help finding a therapist? An invitation

If cyberchondria or health anxiety is taking over your life, you don’t need to do this alone. Evidence-based treatments like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and exposure approaches work well for health anxiety and cyberchondria. A trained therapist can also help you:

• Understand the thought-behaviour loop that keeps the anxiety alive.

• Develop practical experiments to test catastrophic thoughts.

• Build tolerance for uncertainty and reduce reassurance-seeking behaviours.

• Restore calm to your nervous system and return to life with more freedom.

  
  

If you’d like help finding a good therapist, here are quick steps:

1. Decide practical needs. Do you prefer in-person or online? What is your availability? Language or faith-based preference?

2. Check credentials. Look for licensed counsellors, clinical psychologists, or registered social workers.

3. Read profiles & ask questions. When you call or message, ask about experience, typical approaches (CBT/ACT/trauma-informed), fees, and cancellation policies.

4. Ask for a brief consult. Many therapists (including myself) offer a free 10–15 minute consultation — a chance to see if the fit feels safe and if there is a connection.

5. Start small. If waiting lists are long, ask for a recommendation to a clinician with shorter access or consider online counselling with therapists in other locations.

   
   

If you’re local to Winkler, Morden, or the surrounding communities, I’m available for consultations and can help you find a clinician who’s a good fit. If you’re elsewhere in Canada, I also offer online sessions. You don’t have to carry the worry alone.

Selected references & further reading

• McMullan, R. K., & Berle, D. (2018). The relationships between health anxiety, online health information seeking and cyberchondria: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. PubMed

• Starcevic, V. & Berle, D. (2020). Cyberchondria: Challenges of problematic online health information seeking.Current Psychiatry Reports. PMC

• Laato, S., et al. (2021). Cyberchondria Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Management. Journal of Medical Internet Research. PMC

• Tomczyk, S., et al. (2024). Cyberchondria and somatic symptoms: prevalence and correlates. Scientific Reports. Nature

• Review: Chatbots and mental health (PMC) — overview of chatbots, benefits and limitations. PMC

• American Psychological Association (APA)

• Stanford HAI: Exploring the dangers of AI in mental health care (discussion of risks).