Sick google

It may be an old chestnut, but you can't remind yourself of it often enough. If you make a diagnosis on your own using a search engine, you're sure to find out that you only have a few hours to live. The twinge in the thigh turns out to be a smoker's leg, the slight chesty cough is probably early-stage lung cancer. Palpitations? Soon to be a heart attack!

The unqualified diagnosis causes one thing above all: fear. And therefore sick. The phenomenon is called cyberchondria. Derived from "cyber" and "hypochondria". Information from the internet triggers or reinforces hypochondriacal tendencies.

Anyone who is worried would do well to consult a real doctor. Nowadays, you don't even have to go to a doctor's office and wait in the waiting room for hours. The online doctors from Babylon can be contacted via the app. The consulting doctors provide information and say whether a visit to the doctor is necessary. Similar to the Telmed model, but with a modern app - consultations take place via video or text chat. In addition to the app's many free services, the consultation prices are also extremely moderate: for five pounds, you can get as many consultations as you want for a month. The annual flat rate costs 50 pounds.

Ogilvy & Mather London is promoting the doctors' app with a campaign. The claim "Don't ask the Internet. Ask a real doctor." can be written behind your ears. Unless you have a middle ear infection. (hae)