Cyberchondria Severity Scale, CSS-15 Test - the question form

1. If I notice an unexplained physical symptom, I will look it up on the Internet.

2. I search the Internet for symptoms similar to my own.

3. Searching online for information about symptoms or a suspected illness interferes with my searching for other information online (for example, about my work, studies, or school).

4. Searching the Internet for information about symptoms or a suspected illness interferes with my online leisure activities (e.g., streaming movies).

5. I place more importance on my doctors' opinions than on what I find online.

6. I panic when I read online that a symptom I have occurs in a rare or serious illness.

7. Searching the Internet for information about symptoms or a suspected illness interferes with my work on the computer (for example, writing emails, working on documents, or doing calculations).

8. I discuss the results of my online health searches with my primary care doctor or with a pharmacist.

9. After searching for information about a symptom or a suspected illness, I feel more worried and tense than before.

10. Searching the Internet for information about symptoms or a suspected illness leads me to consult a healthcare professional.

11. Discussing online information about a suspected illness with a doctor reassures me.

12. I trust doctors' diagnoses more than my own online self-diagnosis.

13. When I search online for symptoms or an illness, I visit both reputable websites and non-professional forums.

14. After searching for information about symptoms or a suspected illness, I find it hard to fall asleep.

15. If a doctor thinks that the results of my own online research are incorrect, I stop worrying about it.