Why an obsession with the internet is linked to depression

Mike Waites Health Correspondent

INTERNET addicts have a higher risk of depression, a major study in Yorkshire concludes today.

In the first large-scale study of its kind, psychologists from Leeds University found striking evidence some people have developed compulsive internet habits which have a serious impact on their mental health.

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They had replaced real-life social interaction with online chat rooms and social networking sites and spent proportionately more time browsing pornography and gaming sites.

Psychologist Catriona Morrison, who headed the study, said: “The internet now plays a huge part in modern life but its benefits are accompanied by a darker side. While many of us use the internet to pay bills, shop and send emails, there is a small subset of the population who find it hard to control how much time they spend online to the point where it interferes with their daily activities.”

Internet addicts also had a higher incidence of moderate to severe depression than non-addicted users.

“Our research indicates that 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?” she 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.”

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Incidents such as the spate of suicides among teenagers in the Welsh town of Bridgend in 2008 led many to question if social networking sites could contribute to depressive thoughts in vulnerable teenagers.

In the Leeds study, young people were more likely to be internet addicts than middle-aged users, with an average age in the addicted group of 21.

“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,” Dr Morrison added.

The study is the first to examine the relationship between internet addiction and depression in the West.

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Internet use and depression levels among 1,300 people aged 16-51 were examined, and of these, 1.2 per cent were classed as being internet addicted. The figure remains small but is larger than the proportion of gambling addicts in the UK at 0.6 per cent.

The research will be published in the journal Psychopathology.

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