Am I... normal?
“Normal” can be a damaging word, as we’re all different. But after this year, it’s easy to wonder if others share your health concerns, so we put the most-Googled questions to the experts
The coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on our lives (erm, duh),
but it also brought about a range of weird knock-on effects too: we saw home workouts regain ’80s levels of popularity, a nation become hooked on baking banana bread and don’t even get us started on those Zoom quizzes… But there was a more serious side, as the country’s collective health anxiety tipped over into all aspects of our lives and we were driven to ask Dr Google the answers to our body-related queries. It’s hardly surprising either: the pandemic left many of us feeling anxious and with a lot of extra time on our hands – a well-known lethal combination. Suddenly, we spent every weekend at home. When we drank, we panicked about alcohol allergies (should you worry if your face turns pink after a prosecco?). We sought out the answer to twitching eyes (why does that happen?) and whether or not it’s fine to want to eat the entire world when you’re on your period (the answer is yes – sort of). Then there are some more serious worries that a lot of us share too, like whether or not it’s OK to bleed after sex. With this in mind, we asked reallife experts to answer your mostsearched-for concerns. So step away from the online forums (let’s be honest, they don’t ease any fretting) and read this instead. And, remember, if you’re still worried, always consult your GP.