Avoid Stressing From Information Overload

By Dave Balch Blogger

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When my wife was first diagnosed with cancer one of my first reactions was to hit the internet to find out as much as I could about it. Chris doesn’t use the computer at all (and is proud of it), so I was the only one hitting the keyboard.

It is truly amazing how much information is out there; the search results alone were overwhelming. How could I possibly go through all of that information, not to mention absorb it all? My head was reeling, not only from this information overload, but from the diagnosis itself.

The fact of the matter is that it ISN’T possible to read it all much less absorb it as well. It simply isn’t. Once I realized that my stress went way down. You can only do what you can do; it sounds really simple but, well, it IS really simple! The trick is remembering that when you are frantic for information.

There is another aspect to this that you must consider, and that is that the internet is a rocky place where anyone can write anything and make it look and sound like they know what they’re talking about. So on top of the concern about getting through the enormous stack of pages to read, you also have to be concerned that what you are reading is accurate.

Here is the next internet reality: you must stick to information that comes from recognized authorities. If you want medical information, for example, go to websites of hospitals, clinics, support organizations (such as American Cancer Society, American Heart Association), and trusted sources such as WebMD. This is not the time to be reading “Bertha’s Bunion Blog” where some unknown person is touting the latest herbs and vitamins. You just never know a), if they are providing accurate information or b), their real agenda which may be to sell you something.

If you can keep these two things in mind, your internet search for important information can be less stressful than you think.

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.