cyberchondria

/ ˌsaɪbəˈkɒndrɪə /

noun

1. unfounded anxiety concerning the state of one's health brought on by visiting health and medical websites

Other Word Forms

• cyberchondriac noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cyberchondria¹

c21: from _{cyber(space) + (hypo)chondria}

Example Sentences

Awareness is also growing about “cyberchondria,” when people search desperately online for answers to their ailments — putting them at risk of unnecessary treatment or further distress.

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There are hours spent on the Internet that can fuel cyberchondria and constant doctor visits.

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He links cyberchondria to a dysfunctional web of metacognitive beliefs, which are really just thoughts about thinking.

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But in cyberchondria, metacognitive beliefs morph into a mental trap that chains people to online health content.

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Fergus and Spada discovered that similar metacognitive beliefs propel online search habits in cyberchondria.

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