“Self-diagnosis” with artificial intelligence…a new phenomenon spreading among “Generation Z”

Doctors confirmed to Emirates Al-Youm that the phenomenon of self-diagnosis through artificial intelligence applications is spreading among young people born in the late 1990s and the beginning of the new millennium (Generation Z), as a result of their increasing reliance on this tool in interpreting health symptoms.

They explained that health fear has become one of the most prominent features of “diseases of the modern age,” in light of the unprecedented explosion of “unfiltered” medical information through communication platforms and artificial intelligence applications, and the accelerating pressures of life, stressing that “the most common fears are related to heart disease, cancer, strokes, sudden death, and depression.”

They confirmed that their clinics are witnessing a remarkable increase in the number of patients who do not suffer from any organic diseases, and who frequent the clinics out of fear of contracting dangerous diseases.

They added that the constant fear of illness is in itself a disease, known medically as “pathological anxiety disorder,” pointing out that treating anxiety is the real turning point.

They warned that some cases develop into unjustified procedures, as patients resort to traveling outside the country to undergo cardiac catheterization, endoscopy, and unnecessary interventional examinations, to get rid of obsessiveness and excessive thinking, which constitutes an increasing health and psychological burden.

Smart conversations

In detail, family medicine consultant, Dr. Adel Sajwani, said that an increasing segment of clinic visitors do not suffer from any organic disease, but they visit clinics constantly, and they live in extreme fear of contracting dangerous diseases, indicating that the vast majority of these people obtained their prior diagnosis through social media or artificial intelligence applications, including smart chat platforms.

He explained that the main problem is that many of these individuals have begun to facilitate medical diagnosis through social media platforms and artificial intelligence, even though these tools do not have the full medical context, pointing out that artificial intelligence often goes in diagnosis in one of two ways, either simplification or excessive complexity that exaggerates simple symptoms and unjustifiably turns them into dangerous possibilities such as cancer or heart disease.

He added that the matter is not limited to organic diseases, but extends to the psychological aspect, as a person may go through a passing life circumstance, such as not getting a job promotion or a family dispute, only to find himself diagnosed with depression, anxiety, or stress through artificial intelligence, which puts him in a psychological spiral that he may not need in the first place.

He pointed out that the most common complaints currently revolve around fear of heart disease, cancer, depression, and other dangerous diagnoses, indicating that this phenomenon is remarkably widespread among young people born in the late 1990s and the beginning of the new millennium, or what is known as “Generation Z,” as a result of their increasing reliance on artificial intelligence in interpreting health symptoms.

He explained that some patients visit clinics with a ready-made diagnosis and a long list of tests that they ask to undergo, stressing that correct medical practice is not based on this basis, but rather begins by taking an accurate medical history, then a clinical examination, and then determining the actual need for any additional tests.

He explained that some patients are not convinced by the doctor’s opinion if it conflicts with what they read or obtained from artificial intelligence, so they move between a large number of doctors and perform unnecessary examinations and procedures, some of which may be dangerous, without a real medical need.

He pointed out that some cases go as far as traveling outside the country to undergo heart catheterization, endoscopy, and unjustified interventional procedures, just to get rid of obsessive thoughts and excessive thinking, stressing that these practices constitute a health and psychological burden, and are more widespread among young people of both sexes.

He stressed that artificial intelligence is an auxiliary tool, not a substitute for the doctor, and that medical diagnosis must remain in the hands of specialists, warning of the danger of turning fleeting anxiety into a real disease, due to unconscious reliance on social media and smart technologies in the health field.

Daily suffering

Family medicine specialist Dr. Rehab Youssef Al-Saadi said that family medicine clinics are witnessing a significant increase in visits from patients who come and are convinced that they have serious diseases, such as cancer, strokes, or sudden death, only for it to become clear after conducting comprehensive examinations that their results are correct, and that the symptoms are the result of severe anxiety or panic attacks.

She added that health fear has become one of the most prominent features of “modern-day diseases,” in light of the massive flow of unfiltered information via the Internet and social media, in addition to the pressures of daily life, which has made fear of disease a widespread condition that causes real suffering and repeated visits to clinics without an organic cause.

She explained that dealing with these cases is not limited to informing the patient that he is healthy, but rather requires a gradual medical explanation that explains the reasons for safety, while directing him to psychological treatment when needed, stressing that this approach enhances the patient’s confidence and reduces the severity of the anxiety he experiences.

She warned against relying on the Internet to diagnose symptoms, stressing that reading symptoms without understanding the medical context may turn simple anxiety into daily suffering.

She said: “The Internet is not your doctor, and your health deserves a professional diagnosis, not assumptions. Therefore, it is important to ask specialists and not allow fear to lead life.”

She provided a set of advice for people who live in constant anxiety about illness, most notably stopping self-diagnosis, regulating sleep, reducing follow-up on health content that causes anxiety, practicing physical activity, and committing to seeing a trusted doctor instead of randomly searching, stressing that seeking specialized help when anxiety persists is a conscious decision and not a sign of weakness.

She stressed the urgent need to change society’s culture towards mental health, explaining that mental health is no less important than chronic diseases such as blood pressure or diabetes, and that ignoring anxiety, stress and depression may later reflect on the body in the form of real organic symptoms.

Regarding the role of the doctor, she stressed that dealing with the “fearful patient” must begin by acknowledging his feelings, not denying them, as fear is real for him even in the absence of organic disease, noting that good listening, a simple explanation of the tests, and reassurance based on science are essential elements for building confidence and preventing the exacerbation of anxiety.

She explained that early referral to a psychiatrist is a preventive step and not a medical failure, as it helps control health anxiety before it turns into a chronic disorder, pointing out that some patients’ refusal of this referral is due to a wrong social stigma, while psychiatry is an integral part of the integrated health system, and the soul and body are two sides of the same coin.

Psychological illnesses

For his part, psychiatrist Dr. Omar bin Abdulaziz confirmed that fear of illness is a disease in itself, when fear is continuous and affects a person’s life, and it is medically diagnosed with what is known as “pathological anxiety disorder,” indicating that this disorder has become increasingly recognized within the health system in the UAE, which deals with mental health as an essential part of public health and quality of life.

He explained that there is a clear difference between normal health anxiety and pathological anxiety. Normal anxiety is understandable in light of periodic examinations and high health awareness, while pathological anxiety is characterized by its persistence, despite medical reassurance, and its control over the individual’s thinking and daily behavior.

He explained that fear often focuses on diseases such as cancer or sudden death, because they represent in the human mind a loss of control and uncertainty, especially in a society where individuals bear great family, professional and societal responsibilities, which makes the fear of sudden disability a source of deep concern.

He pointed out that the idea usually begins with a natural physical sensation that raises anxiety, then anxiety increases the person’s focus on the symptoms, while medical reassurance provides temporary relief, while repeated checking and repeated examinations reinforce the cycle of fear, and over time anxiety becomes mixed with medical evidence in the patient’s mind, and fear itself is interpreted as proof of the presence of the disease.

He pointed out that medical examinations, despite their importance, may increase anxiety in many cases if the psychological cause is not treated, explaining that easy access to advanced diagnostic examinations in the UAE may unintentionally fuel the constant search for reassurance, unless anxiety is treated as a condition that requires therapeutic intervention in itself.

He warned of common mistakes that some doctors or family members may commit, such as excessively conducting examinations instead of treating anxiety, underestimating the patient’s fears in general terms, showing anger and blame, or avoiding referral to psychiatry due to social stigma, stressing that these practices have begun to decline with the increase in health awareness at the national level.

He continued that chronic anxiety is capable of causing real physical symptoms, including heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, digestive disorders, and muscle pain, stressing that these symptoms are real physiological, and not delusions.

He explained that fear becomes dangerous when it begins to restrict a person’s life, preventing him from working, traveling, exercising, or participating socially and spiritually, so the focus shifts from “living” to mere “survival.”

He mentioned the case of a man who visited emergency departments repeatedly despite all examinations being safe. He avoided any physical activity and lived in a state of constant monitoring of his body to ensure that he was not infected with any disease. He stressed that the journey of treatment and recovery for this man did not begin until after psychological treatment for anxiety, and not just the body.

He praised the role of the UAE’s leadership and its health vision, which made mental health a national priority, by integrating it into primary health care, hospitals, and public policies, which contributed to reducing social stigma, expanding psychiatric services, and encouraging individuals to seek early help without shame or fear of judgment.

Mental health

The generation of children and young people is at a sensitive age, as they seek to discover themselves, and when they see glimpses in a video clip of a psychological disorder, they rush to the conclusion that they suffer from this disorder.

Children tell their parents they have ADHD, autism, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, etc., just because they watch a video about it.

Pediatricians and mental health specialists agree that social media has greatly contributed to the mental health crisis among the new generation.

Indeed, we all search for symptoms and find websites that address our diagnosis. But this is not always true, and there must be a reliable source of information.