People who spend hours surfing the Internet are more likely to get caught in a web of depression, say British researchers. A study found that the more time people spent online, the more likely they were to be depressed.
"The Internet now plays a huge part in modern life, but its benefits are accompanied by a darker side," lead author Dr. Catriona Morrison from the University of Leads, said in a statement.
"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."
The scientists used the Internet to gauge the level of Internet dependence and depression in 1,319 people who ranged in age from 16 to 51.
"There was a high correspondence between the amount of time spent on the Internet and levels of depression," Morrison told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
Morrison found that the average depression score of Internet addicts was more than five times higher than those who used the Internet but weren't addicted. The addicts were also more likely to be moderately or severely depressed. The addicts also spent more time than non-addicts browsing sexual websites, online gaming sites, and online communities.
"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?"
Morrison, whose research appears in the journal Psychopathology, added: "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.
"We now need to consider the wider societal implications of this relationship and establish clearly the effects of excessive Internet use on mental health."
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