Excessive Internet use fuels depression in teens
Internet ‘addiction’ could fuel depression in teenagers
Teenagers who show signs of being ‘addicted’ to using the internet have double the risk of getting depression, a new study says.
The students whose internet use was classed as ‘pathological’ (meaning it could be seen as addictive) were twice as likely to develop symptoms of depression during the study. Internet use seemed to have no effect on anxiety symptoms.
In total, 8.4 percent of students had symptoms of depression by the end of the study, after not having them at the start. Only 6.4 percent of students showed ‘pathological’ internet use.
Read the full article at WebMD
Study:
Lam LT, Peng Z. Effect of pathological use of the internet on adolescent mental health: a prospective study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010;164:901-906.
