Cyberchondria costs NHS hundreds of millions, experts warn

A growing number of Britons are experiencing health anxiety driven by the ease of online self-diagnosis, with experts warning that cyberchondria now costs the NHS more than £420 million a year. Officials highlight that online health searches shape both early detection and unnecessary care, pointing to nearly 50 million health-related Google searches by British adults in 2023.

Two in five people report diagnosing themselves with a serious disease after using online symptom checks, according to researchers and industry groups. While increased awareness can help catch illness early, the flip side is that excessive online searching can escalate anxiety and drive unnecessary medical visits.

Health professionals say cyberchondria is a real challenge. Mark Burdon, a pharmacist and adviser to the Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB), which represents makers of over-the-counter medicines, described the condition as one characterized by excessive online searches for health information. He noted that analysis of Google data shows self-diagnosis rising by as much as 9,000 percent for problems such as chest pain, with some individuals convincing themselves that a headache signals a brain tumour or that indigestion signals an imminent heart attack.

Professor David Veale, a consultant psychiatrist at two London hospitals and co-author of Overcoming Health Anxiety, said the ease of internet access has changed how people seek information. He pointed out that the more information people encounter, the more likely they are to read things that are ambiguous and create further doubts. While cyberchondria remains a colloquial term rather than a formal medical diagnosis, researchers are increasingly studying its effects. A 2018 Florida State University study linked online health searching with greater functional impairment and higher healthcare utilization compared with traditional health anxiety, suggesting a potential public health burden.

Further research has kept cyberchondria in the spotlight as digital behavior multiplies. A 2023 review questioned whether such online symptom searching should be classified as a behavioural addiction similar to gambling or shopping. Another large analysis, published in Comprehensive Psychiatry and drawing on more than 50 reports from four countries including the UK and Australia, concluded that cyberchondria is likely to represent an increasing public health burden given the widespread use of the internet and the potential negative effects of online health searches.

July’s PAGB report highlights a striking shift among younger adults. Gen Z and millennials are about three times more likely than those aged 65 and over to seek a GP appointment for a minor health problem. The survey found that almost one in ten people aged 18 to 24 had tried to secure a doctor’s appointment for a blocked nose, compared with roughly 3% of those over 65. Trust in social media and cyberchondria is identified as a likely driver of the surge among younger cohorts. The study also described an alarmingly declining capacity to self-care for common ailments, with confidence in self-care for the common cold dropping from about 81% in 2023 to 63% in 2025. About one in ten admitted they would go to A&E for a minor issue. PAGB chief executive Michelle Riddalls urged action, noting a disparity between the willingness to self-care and actual behavior and calling for a national public awareness campaign to improve understanding of self-care and available pathways to care.

Public health experts say the implications extend beyond individual anxiety. While online information can prompt timely medical attention, unchecked cyberchondria can strain NHS resources through unnecessary consultations and tests. Health researchers and professional bodies are advocating for improved digital health literacy, clearer guidance on when to seek care, and targeted campaigns that promote safe, evidence-based self-care alongside appropriate medical engagement.