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Confessions of an IDIOT

There was a time when falling sick meant one thing: going to a doctor, waiting endlessly, nodding seriously at things you didn’t understand, and paying a bill that made your fever come back. What eventually worked was my grandmother’s advice and her kitchen armamentarium.

Then came AI.

Suddenly, healthcare was no longer confined to clinics and prescriptions. It was in our pockets. A strange, powerful moment in history where a person with a sore throat, mild anxiety, and questionable internet habits could confidently self-diagnose five rare conditions before breakfast.

It started with a mild headache.

Instead of resting like a normal human, I did what any modern, enlightened individual would do. I opened my phone and asked AI. Within seconds, I had 3 possible diagnoses, 2 lifestyle suggestions, and 1 existential crisis.

Somewhere along the way, something shifted. Doctors became expensive. Medicines became chemicals, and suddenly, everything natural felt morally superior.

Why spend on a doctor’s visit and tablets when you can boil leaves, drink something green that smells like regret, or chew seeds that were not meant to be chewed.

I replaced painkillers with turmeric, medical advice with ancient wisdom from a guy on the internet, and logic with trends and vibes.

The real magic, however, was that I no longer needed a doctor to tell me what was wrong. I had AI, search results, and an unmatched ability to assume the worst.

A small rash became a rare condition.
A headache a neurological mystery.

And the best part? Every solution felt right.

I had an IDIOT (Internet-derived information obstructing treatment) Syndrome.

A term for people like me who are armed with just enough information to feel smart, and just a little enough wisdom to be completely wrong. But honestly? I embrace it because IDIOT Syndrome isn’t about stupidity.

It’s about overconfidence, knowledge, and the irresistible urge to fix everything myself. It’s the belief that after reading, I am not only a dentist but a part-time doctor, nutritionist, and philosopher.

The irony is that AI has genuinely improved healthcare, with faster information, greater awareness, and greater accessibility. But it has also created a generation of people who trust advice instantly and are empowered.

So yes, I am part of this movement. I have Googled symptoms I should have ignored.
I have tried remedies I didn’t understand. And I wear the label proudly, certified IDIOT.

Here I am, armed with AI, ancient internet wisdom, and a turmeric stain on my shirt. My grandmother cured fevers with one thing from her kitchen and absolute certainty. I cure nothing, with seventeen things from the internet and zero certainty, but tremendous confidence throughout.

She was wise. I am informed. The difference, I'm told, is significant.

I'm still working out which one of us was the IDIOT.


 

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