Excessive Internet Use -> Depression

[NickV]

updated 6:25 p.m. CT, Tues., Feb. 2, 2010

LONDON - People who spend a lot of time surfing the Internet are more likely to show signs of depression, British scientists said on Wednesday.

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 and social networking sites.
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"This study reinforces the public speculation that over-engaging in websites that serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction," the study's lead author, Catriona Morrison, wrote in the journal Psychopathology.

"This type of addictive surfing can have a serious impact on mental health."

In the first large-scale study of Western young people to look at this issue, the researchers analyzed internet use and depression levels of 1,319 Britons aged between 16 and 51.

Of these, 1.2 percent were "Internet addicted", they concluded.

These "Internet addicts" spent proportionately more time browsing sexually gratifying websites, online gaming sites and online communities, Morrison said. They also had a higher incidence of moderate to severe depression than normal users.

"Excessive Internet use is associated with depression, but what we don't know is which comes first — are depressed people drawn to the Internet or does the Internet cause depression?," Morrison said.

"What is clear is that for a small subset of people, excessive use of the Internet could be a warning signal for depressive tendencies."

Morrison noted that while the 1.2 percent figure for those classed as "addicts" was small, it was larger than the incidence of gambling in Britain, which is around 0.6 percent.

Views and opinions? TL;DR Version: People who spend large amounts of time on the net are very inclined to depression, because the internet tries to replace society in a way.

 

[P3ace]

I think depressed people are drawn to the internet. The internet is like a whole other world you can live in, with new friends, hobbies, and even spouses. When people become depressed, or are no longer happy with the life they live in the real world, the internet would seem like an escape to them, a way to live the life they always wanted to.

 

[Awezum]

Bullshit, you make yourself depro.

The internet allows me to have fun on rainy days or when i am waiting for something to happen, maybe this doesnt apply to everyone.
Chat rooms and shit are quite usefull considering you dont have to waste credit/cash on a phone bill you can just chat instead, other sites are good ways to keep in touch with people IE facebook/myspace. Perhaps people get a bit excited about these sites and spend quite some time on them maybe?...

 

[NickV]

Bullshit, you make yourself depro.

The internet allows me to have fun on rainy days or when i am waiting for something to happen, maybe this doesnt apply to everyone.
Chat rooms and shit are quite usefull considering you dont have to waste credit/cash on a phone bill you can just chat instead, other sites are good ways to keep in touch with people IE facebook/myspace. Perhaps people get a bit excited about these sites and spend quite some time on them maybe?...

Define the word excessive, please.

 

[Plznate]

I think depressed people are drawn to the internet. The internet is like a whole other world you can live in, with new friends, hobbies, and even spouses. When people become depressed, or are no longer happy with the life they live in the real world, the internet would seem like an escape to them, a way to live the life they always wanted to.

Pretty much agree with this opinion. I would venture that people who lack sufficient social interaction/relationships vainly turn to the internet to try and fill that void. So I doubt the internet is some all powerful creature that makes you depressed. Excessive use of the internet is more likely a symptom, not a cause of, depression.

 

[NickV]

Pretty much agree with this opinion. I would venture that people who lack sufficient social interaction/relationships vainly turn to the internet to try and fill that void. So I doubt the internet is some all powerful creature that makes you depressed. Excessive use of the internet is more likely a symptom, not a cause of, depression.

Think of it this way:
Person becomes depressed in real life, starts using the internet to seek comfort.

Take the possibility of there being no internet to turn to.

Person becomes depressed, doesn't seek an escape, faces problem, solves it.

Internet is the root cause.

 

[Swan]

I've felt depressed only because of my social inabilities around my friends, subsequently I feel paranoid that perhaps they aren't actually friends, or perhaps I'm merely an annoyance to them. For the majority if the time before it, I had replaced my social life with the internet, so I agree with the article.

 

I agree with the article. I've been using the net lately to forget about family and the little friends I have.

 

[Kavero]

I agree, the net can ruin some lives if addicted to it.

 

[Luuke]

I think depressed people are drawn to the internet. The internet is like a whole other world you can live in, with new friends, hobbies, and even spouses. When people become depressed, or are no longer happy with the life they live in the real world, the internet would seem like an escape to them, a way to live the life they always wanted to.

I agree.

 

[morttt]

So basically they found 16 Internet addicts and most of them were depressed.

They need to do a much larger scale study than that.

 

[TragedyBound]

I think its more of whats going on in your life while on the internet back when I was doing gaming tournies I would play 9-16 hours a day on one game and I never felt depressed because if i wanted to I could go to a party or hang out with a girl . But If going on the internet is all you have to do around you then yes i would see them getting depressed

 

[MegaMatt]

It varies with different people I guess. Some people turn to the internet at a young age with a completely normal mindset and it can impair the mindset in later years because of it.

 

[PublicityFtF]

These are some stramge findings, but I agree with some earlier posters thinking that the depressed are drawn to the internet.

 

[FearitSelf.]

if you spend time on the internet and maintain your social life, and other activities you should be fine

 

[NickV]

So basically they found 16 Internet addicts and most of them were depressed.

They need to do a much larger scale study than that.

It was large scale.

if you spend time on the internet and maintain your social life, and other activities you should be fine

Define: Excessive.

 

[JDK]

I think depressed people are drawn to the internet. The internet is like a whole other world you can live in, with new friends, hobbies, and even spouses. When people become depressed, or are no longer happy with the life they live in the real world, the internet would seem like an escape to them, a way to live the life they always wanted to.

I agree with this. People use things like the internet as an escape mechanism from reality. Although I also think that there are other things that are used, the internet is not only to blame. I've seen this happen a lot with tv, people will sit there literally all day zoned out watching tv/movies like a zombie.

 

[Guineapigcal]

I completely agree. I almost cry every month when I get CAPPED! on my 2gb plan.