Troubled people who can't wait to see their shrinks are turning to the Internet for instant diagnoses.

        There is no shortage of online therapists. Surfing for therapy is a click away, making it as easy as buying a CD or book online.

        Internet Mental Health and the American Psychological Association are two of these Web sites that make it easier for people to find answers to frequently asked questions about psychological health. They offer quizzes and information for people who are curious to find out about their own problems.

        The sites advise worried Internet surfers to seek professional help after they dish out their cyber diagnoses. But despite the disclaimer, many Northern California professionals are questioning the idea of these self-help Web sites -- more specifically the safety of them.

        Self-diagnostic tests are a "horrible idea," said Gayle Coons, a licensed marriage, family and child therapist. A person might not be in the right frame of mind when they are taking the test, and the results could be devastating, she said.

        "It's like in Psychology 1A when everyone goes around diagnosing themselves all over again, even though they're not supposed to," Coons said.

        She is still very careful about diagnosing a person now with a specific label, because that label can be all the person thinks of themselves as.

        Coons said she has seen firsthand how diagnoses can destroy a person.

        While getting her master's degree 25 years ago, she worked as an intern in a VA medical clinic in Menlo Park, Calif. at the admissions desk. This is the same clinic that was the basis for Ken Kesey's book, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

        "You think the big nurse (Nurse Ratchet) was bad. She wasn't the worst one," Coons said.

        Vietnam vets came in everyday. Most of them were just depressed, Coons said. However, schizophrenia was the "in thing" to diagnose a person with, so most of the vets were labeled as being schizophrenic. And the label made the vets worse.

        "They became objects instead of people," Coons said. "They were herded together like cattle."

        Arthur Sanchez, a psychology professor at Chico State University and coordinator of marriage, family and child counseling at the school, agreed that a label creates more harm than good. He also said once a label is attached, it is hard to undo.

        "I think it's dangerous," Sanchez said. "It creates more problems than it can solve."

        Sanchez said the way a person answers the questions to an Internet self-help test is completely out of context. The Internet tests don't go much deeper than yes or no or "I agree/disagree" questions. He said it is better for a person to go and see a therapist for their problems.

        And what if the person seeking help on the Internet took the test and is still unsure if they need to see a therapist? One way to find out is if the person does not feel like they can solve the problem on their own.

        Coons said, "If the problem seems out of your control, then it's time to seek help."

        Therapists spend years at school for a reason, and the easy access to the Internet does not provide a solution.

        Therapists can diagnose the verbal answers to the questions, like the self-help tests do, but they can also look at the person and see the nonverbal cues.

        Still, Internet shrinks seem to be here to stay. And Internet therapists seem to be happy letting their sites do the talking for them. In a recent press release, Russ Newman, the American Psychological Association's executive director for professional practice, gave his opinion about the APA site.

        "This Web site is a resource that helps consumers not only gain a greater understanding about when and how to seek help for problems, but also provides information about issues affecting psychological health," Newman said.

        Millions of surfers have shown that interactive sites such as these self-help ones are popular. It is obvious the sites offering free advice are going to generate traffic and controversy.

        The diagnoses are free, but they could be hazardous to your health.

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