Study links excessive internet use to depression

Study links excessive internet use to depression

www.news.com.au

* Internet addicts show signs of depression
* Not clear if one causes the other
* More people addicted to web than gambling

PEOPLE who spend a lot of time surfing the internet are more likely to show signs of depression, British scientists said today.

But it is not clear whether the internet causes depression or whether depressed people are drawn to it.

Psychologists from Leeds University found what they said was "striking" evidence that some avid net users develop compulsive internet habits in which they replace real-life social interaction with online chat rooms

(visit the link for the full news article)

Are you addicted to the www. I confess that I am. I must be... because I start every day with the simple act of turning on the computer. Then it's coffee, shower, TV, etc.
Am I depressed? Yes, sometimes I am, but I was sometimes depressed before I became an internet addict. Even when I'm supposed to be working, sometimes I'm surfing the web. I neglect going to the gym, going outside, interacting with friends to investigate yet another conspiracy or listen to another indy band on YouTube and spend untold hours answering email.
However I can see another component to this problem. Cross addiction; drinking or using could lead one to compound the problem and perhaps exacerbate both addictions.



www.news.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)





[edit on 3-2-2010 by whaaa]

I would tend to think that depressed people are more drawn to the Internet. Why? Well, depressed people prefer to withdraw from the world, to be alone, but still crave validation and emotional contact. What better way to get said validation than through an anonymous chat room? You're able to assume any identity you wish, say things you'd NEVER have the guts to say in public, and interact with folks who judge you on your words, not your appearance, finances, social status, etc. I can see how it would be addicting.

On a side note, I stayed at a retreat this summer for a week and there was no computer, television, or radio. I didn't mind the tv or radio, I rarely watch/listen anyway, but I had serious withdrawal issues with the internet!

Beware the establishment will likely begin the meme-generation....

The Internet is a "gateway" drug !

Frankly, excessive ANYTHING can lead to depression.... to say the least.

Wow. I can't tell you how much it bums me out to read that.

On a side note, don't addicts of #anything# show signs of depression? I need to find out how to get on this moneytrain doing studies of the obvious.

Maybe, "insomniacs show signs of sleep deprivation". That ought to be worth a few 100k

I concur with the above posts.

You have to have balance in all aspects of life.. an imbalance can definitely cause depression.

Personally, I have found myself depressed in the past, and aside from self medicating, I would spend hours upon hours online via video games like World of Warcraft, or just perusing the web.

It's used as a way to cope or escape from reality.

Hi, my name is Hithe and i`m an addict (after i found ATS)

But seriously....hmm i don`t feel myself depressed although i spend most of my time online. I do everything online, pay my bills, read newspapers, do my banking, file my tax returns etc.
For me the internet has made my life easier, not made me depressed, the "outside" world makes me depressed

cheers
HM

reply to post by whaaa


The question that always arises with technology is, "are we using it or is it using us?" The answer could be that until we step up and assert control, technology will weasel a home in our lives and our governments and soon we'll be addicted, unable to stop until the end comes.

reply to post by Hithe Merinos


What depresses me is Television, not the internet. When I used to watch a lot of TV, I was constantly depressed. Thank God I found an online therapist that helped me get over my television addiction.

reply to post by whaaa


I think it is down to what you are looking at or learning about on the internet, one minute you can be...



then one look at some things and you can be like...





The internet is what you make it.

I've been hooked up online in various forms for the last 20 years.

Ah - Good Ol' 300 Baud.

While I have less interaction with people right now, that has WAY more to do with the fact that I am a working wife and mother. Most of my time is spent in interaction with others - just not in the "fun" stuff of doing my own thing.

Electronics and internet surfing puts your brain into a "relax" pattern. Which would suggest to me that people with anxiety issues find being online and on the computer to be a form of self-soothing.

Frankly, when I was younger being online is probably what opened up my world and saved me from a couple of truly wretched years when I didn't fit into my peer group well.

Not sure if it is a cause or effect. Spending copious amounts of time on the internet means that you have the free time to spend on the internet. People that are physically, mentally or socially active are least likely to be depressed.

Spending time on the web is not heavily taxing a person's ability to be physical, mental or social the way mountain biking, writing a book or trying to be the life of the party are. But then again the internet will appeal to the more socially withdrawn and less athletic. While the internet does have a large share of intellect among its users, chatting and facebook checking are not exactly stretching the mental muscles the way conducting research, composing music or painting would be.

In a sense, watching movies or TV is less depressing because the mind does try to make sense of what it is observing and does try to tie into what i going on. Much like escaping into a book or identifying with an actor. Perhaps the internet is not actively engaging enough to a user that has a predisposition for depression.

I am often on the net and work with websites for a living.

I am a generally very happy person always joking around
i'm not depressed!

in fact i'm barely ever depressed i'm pretty much always happy and laughing

this study sucks

reply to post by Hithe Merinos


Hi Hithe,

I agree with you. I think it depends on what is meant by 'internet use'. I broadly group my usage as follows;

1) Work - I often work from home or on a client's site and the internet it critical for me to keep in contact with the company I work for, my colleagues and friends.

2) Functionality - pay bills, transfer money (usually to the kids...), book flights, holiday, make purchases., send more money (to the kids...)

3) Learning - often use it to quickly look up something or even to plan holidays - it's amazing what I would have missed without it.

4) Fun - participating in forums like ATS...

I actually found that TV drove me to the computer and internet. I found so many of the shows so depressing, so negative or mindless that the internet was a sanctuary.

But as the OP fist stated - I must be addicted as first thing is usually, internet, kettle, shower.....

Peace!

The thing to remember with this study (and all studies) is that correlation does not imply causality.

In other words, just because there is a correlation in depressed people and the internet, does not mean that one causes the other.

I think depressed people are drawn to the Internet for the reasons I stated above. And I agree, obsession about anything is unhealthy. The best way to avoid this is to make time for everything in your life; exercise, interactions with others, volunteering, leisure time, etc.

Someone else mentioned escapism....that's a wonderful way to put it. Many depressed people seek to escape their current situation. Which is why they withdraw from the world, tend to sleep all the time, etc. Being online, excessive reading or television watching can all be forms of escapism.

But I don't think that being online will cause someone to become depressed.

Coming next, to an ISP near you:

You're only allowed 2 hours of surfing a day

You will not visit sites like ATS ... Reality can be too depressing.

You will only visit sites approved by the Surgeon General.... 'Happy' sites

Remember folks. Online Surfing can Kill!'



Anyone else get the impression they are slowly laying down some groundwork for future limiting/curtailment of the web?

Paranoid?... Moi?

I have slight depression, and having had america online for 10 years now, this has become more important than sex almost, or hanging out with old friends. its sad. Ut for me, its becuase it drew me in* became a way of life i guess. then agian, i get home from work at 11 pm so im a late night owl online.
the main reason, at least for me, i go online is too check out women* and come here to ATS! at least, the ATS is the good part sometimes research stuff on how they work, as i like reading things like that, how to make things, ect.

My husband has battled clinical depression throughout the majority of his life, and the majority of his therapy comes from the internet and online activities.

Whoever is conducting these internet-depression corrolation studies is either looking for validation of their thesis hypothsies or else they're heavily biased to what the term "normal functioning" is.

It's like saying all people who wear red shoes are more inclined to take unnessecary risks.

This "study" is infantile at best.

It takes more than one environmental factor to create depression, and that doesn't even take into consideration chemical imbalances.

I used to think people could become addicted to the TV or Computers because of subliminal messages contained within programming or websites. Now ive come to realise there could be a distinct correlation between the rhythmic pulsation of the screen-bar effect (where the screen is in continous motion of light/dark shadows going up and down the screen in the form of a bar), and the same phenomenon seen in Tibet where Monks can become entranced through rhythmic drumming, another would also be scrying aswell (seeing something in a mirror that actually physically isnt there.)

People could unintentionally become entranced into this rhythm and find it hard to break the cycle, its a obession where the mind enters a relaxed state. Almost as if we scarily "become one" with the Computer/TV itself.