Internet Linked to Depression

I know that there's an article like this every single day, but I was actually open to the idea this morning and wondered whether the BBC might have been reporting something with scientific understanding and proof. But read this shit... really...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8493149.stm

  Quote

'Internet addiction' linked to depression, says study

 

Any direct causal link between internet use and depression remains unclear. Within two lines they've already gazumped themselves.

There is a strong link between heavy internet use and depression, UK psychologists have said.

The study, reported in the journal Psychopathology, found 1.2% of people surveyed were "internet addicts", and many of these were depressed. 1.2% still seems pretty low, and 'many' of that small percentage are depressed? Very analytical.

The Leeds University team stressed they could not say one necessarily caused the other, and that most internet users did not suffer mental health problems.

The conclusions were based on 1,319 responses to an on-line questionnaire. LOL

Recruitment was via links on social networking sites. People were asked how much they used the internet and for what purposes.

They were also asked a series of questions to assess whether they suffered from depression. Yes, let's canvas social-networking sites. Sites designed to keep you locked in religiously, and which are usually populated by young people

The respondents were aged 16 to 51, with an average age of 21. See above.

The authors found that a small number of users had developed a compulsive internet habit, replacing real life social interaction with online chat rooms and social networking sites. Duh

They classed 18 respondents - 1.2% of the total - as "internet addicts". 100% divided into 18 groups would equally give each group 5.555r%, as a matter of interest

This group spent proportionately more time on sex, gambling and online community websites. Internet

 

'Darker side'

 

Lead author Dr Catriona Morrison 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 e-mails, 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." Paying your bills and shopping isn't interfering with daily activities?

The internet addicts were significantly more depressed than the non-addicted group, with a depression score five times higher.

The average score of the internet-addicted group put them in the category of moderate-to-severe levels of depression. Dilution. 1.2% vs 98.8%

 

"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?" said Dr Morrison.

"Now we need to investigate the nature of that relationship and consider the issue of causation." You don't need to do anything.

Critics of the research say that internet addiction cannot be diagnosed reliably, and the recruiting method could have resulted in a biased sample. Here I am.

 

'Not a big surprise'

 

Dr Vaughan Bell, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London said that by definition, those identified as "internet addicts" are emotionally distressed, so the conclusions are "not a big surprise".

In terms of cause and effect, he pointed out that previous research has suggested that people who are depressed or anxious may be more likely to use the internet rather than the other way round.

He added: "There are genuinely people who are depressed or anxious who use the internet to the exclusion of the rest of their lives, but there are similar people who watch too much TV, bury themselves in books or go shopping to excess.

"There is no good evidence that the problem is the internet itself." Bravo

Mental Health charities said the way people spend their time and the kind of social interaction they engage in could well impact on mental wellbeing.

 

"Social connections"

 

Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, pointed out that, in some ways, the internet can be helpful.

He said: "To the extent that the internet encourages meaningful friendships and social connections it can be a very good influence on people's lives.

"However, social interaction online should not usually replace an offline social life. We should take note of this study's findings - it suggests that further research in the area is needed."

Sophie Corlett, of the mental health charity Mind, said: "Evidence suggests that active pursuits such as exercise and socialising with people face-to-face are among the factors that help us stay in good mental health. A fair point

"Although excessive internet use can't be said to cause mental health problems, if a web addict is substituting meaningful friendships and socialising with virtual contact on the internet, this might have an adverse affect on their mental wellbeing."

Bah, I'm just fucking depressed, nevermind.

The guy in the middle says that essentially, and that's the chain of thought I'd be more inclined to go down.

Depressed people build the internet. Proactive, happy, people are too busy having fun lives and getting laid and being rich.

  On 2/3/2010 at 11:15 AM, Mesh Gear Fox said:

it's a bit much. what if depressed people are just inclined to internet use? that would make sense, depression often stems from boredom, and the internet is a good place to kill boredom.

Look at that, you've sussed the problem that's got scientists "gazumped" straight away.

You know what would improve happiness and get more people away from the internet? An underground bicycle highway, that's what.

By the way, I really dig this "gazumped" word!

It should be pretty fucking logical that modern people who are depressed and seek escape from everyday life will spend more time living a different life through the internet than happy Joe Simple. Grats scientists, you are smart.

depression linked to internet

i was pretty depressed after my internet dumped me.

Depression linked to WATMM.

The internet raped me and now I'm depressed, falling a sleep in a crying fetus position every night. Damn you internet!

I was more annoyed that it was the fucking BBC that has published this silly tripe. I'd expect something this dumb and pointless from a more sensationalist news-site or portal.

But maybe I'm overestimating Auntie. Generally I've begun to despise most forms of 'news' this year. But it's not news, it's general interest filler. Gah!

Watmm linked to internet depression ring.

cnn has started being written by 10 year olds and I'm not even exaggerating. BBC is our last best hope.

  On 2/3/2010 at 11:34 AM, Gary C said:

I was more annoyed that it was the fucking BBC that has published this silly tripe. I'd expect something this dumb and pointless from a more sensationalist news-site or portal.

But maybe I'm overestimating Auntie. Generally I've begun to despise most forms of 'news' this year. But it's not news, it's general interest filler. Gah!

Did you hear about Jade Goody? SHE DIED!

online trading of mp3s linked to eternal damnation, industry expert says.

Fake autechre & analord internet releases linked to "black hole collapse" in cern systems.

Obel linked to underground bicycle highway.

AIDS linked to black people

WATMM linked to general interest filler.

Wanking linked to crying

that's not what gazumped means. < all i have to add.

I meant it in the sense of a rip-off. In that they made their own argument invalid within the first two lines.

Media representation of "science" and "scientific studies" is just absurd.

As my scientist granny used to repeat endlessly "correlation does not imply causation!"

Just another scare story to make us afraid of the world with the result that we turn more and more to the media which feed our fears in order to sell us advertising space. Sigh.

  On 2/3/2010 at 11:14 AM, Gary C said:

  Quote

Lead author Dr Catriona Morrison 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 e-mails, 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."

LOL, stupid bitch has a twitter: http://twitter.com/c_morrison

And she had this blog until 2007: https://elgg.leeds.ac.uk/psccm/weblog/

breakdancing linked to breakdancing

Food linked to hunger: story at 11!

Ambient Sausage Rolls linked to mild confusion.