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Pathological Internet Use Linked to Depression in Teens, Study Shows
Filed under: In The News, Media, Gadgets, Teen Culture, Development: Tweens, Social & Emotional Growth: Tweens, Behavior: Tweens, Research Reveals: Tweens, Development: Teens, Social & Emotional Growth: Teens, Behavior: Teens, Research Reveals: Teens
Your child's depression might be linked to his Internet use. Credit: Corbis
Teens whose Internet use is uncontrolled or unreasonable -- deemed "pathological" -- are more likely to become depressed than those whose use is more moderate, a new study indicates.
Pathological use of the Internet has long been associated with the behaviors and symptoms of addiction, including relationship problems, ill health and aggression, the study, to be published in an upcoming issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, says.
Researchers from Australia and China looked at more than 1,000 teens in China who had an average age of 15. The kids were screened for depression and completed a questionnaire to help the researchers identify pathological Internet use and identify typical addiction behaviors and feelings, such as nervousness when off-line that disappears once back online.
When initially assessed, 6.2 percent of the teens were found to be moderately pathological in their Internet use, and 0.2 percent were severely so. When they were reassessed nine months later for anxiety and depression, 0.2 percent had "significant anxiety symptoms," according to the article, and 8.4 percent were depressed -- and the occurrence of depression was two-and-a-half times higher in those who used the Internet pathologically.
The researchers found no relationship between pathological Internet use and anxiety.
"This result suggests that young people who are initially free of mental health problems but use the Internet pathologically could develop depression as a consequence," the authors write.
They recommend that schools screen for kids who are pathological in their Internet use and provide them counseling and treatment.
Related: New Program to Teach Parents Internet Safety
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
8-03-2010 @ 9:42PM
Jane said...Hey Parentdish, why don't you screen these messages more.
All of the other messages are pushing sites and have nothing to do with the article. I get sick of reading this junk from solicitors that have nothing to do with the story.
About the story, unfortunately a lot of parents work and can't monitor computer time for their teens. My teen's friends all have both parents working. I'm lucky that I can stay home with mine and keep an eye on the computer time.
Reply
8-04-2010 @ 5:52AM
CATHERINE FARR said...ITS ONLY NORMAL FOR A TEENAGER TO GET DEPRESS,ANXIETY,THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE. SOMETHING THEY FEEL IS GOING WRONG.FEELING OF NOT LOVED.
CAN'T COPE WITH SITUATIONS.TEENS OFTEN HOLD
PROBLEMS IN INSTEAD OF DEALING WITH THEIR PAIN AND TALKING .THEY GO ON LINE AND SAY THEY ARE DEPESS.
THE WRONG PERSON ON THE COMPUTER INSTEAD OF HELPING TEENS .THEY CAUSE MORE HARMFUL TO THE TEENS
BY TELLING THEM TO HURT THEMSELVES.
SOME PEOPLE IN OUR WORLD IS CRUEL AND DON'T HAVE RESPECT FOR SOMEONE. I KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I TO HAVE DEPRESSION ,ANXIETY, SLEEPING DISORDER.I'M SEEING A DOCTOR FOR MEDICATION.
I CARE FOR TEENS.I WOULD DO ANYTHING IN MY POWER TO TALK AND HELP TEENS AS I CAN RELATE TO THEIR PAIN.
ANY TEEN UPSET THEY COULD TALK TO ME .I CARE.
I'M SENITIVE. I WANT TO HELP TEENS .THATS MY GOAL.
AMEN. CATHY
8-03-2010 @ 10:49PM
... said...I'm a teen, and I use the computer non- stop.... I do suffer from clinical depression, which was diagnosed before I started using the computer. I normally go on sites like the cheezburger network which is a non- stop laugh. I am the happiest when using the computer... this post made me lmao.
Reply
8-03-2010 @ 11:20PM
Christine said...One leads to another. Computer use increases dopamine in the brain, relieving depression temporarily. Kids with ADD can focus on the computer. Their brain waves change in use.Internet provides relief for issues, but then makes real time that much harder. It needs to be a category of addiction for people, because its just that bad for some teens. But its become like food, everyone expects you must have internet access. Unlike drugs or alcohol which can be eliminated. It will be a huge problem for the next generation of adults, bad as it is now...
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8-03-2010 @ 11:23PM
warren said...Ok, first of all MOMs, YOU HAVE FAILED, especially with your daughters, God you've failed big time. You know, back in my day it was the 1 or 2, maybe 3 bad girls in the school that you knew would and had taken on the entire football team and fk'd 'em, not anymore. You'll be lucky to find just 1 or 2 that has not, or would not. Tell you what mom, sign into the music program that I use to get my music for my inter net radio stations and DJ work called IMESH, unless you already know about it. Put in a guys name, and then sit back. BAM! 5 minutes or less and it starts. "do you have a big dk?", "im' in your area wanna fk?", "I
Reply
8-03-2010 @ 11:25PM
warren said...damn, should have told me that space was limited, I would not have wasted my time on a full post
Reply
8-04-2010 @ 12:21AM
csi8299 said...You want an UNPOPULAR fix for 1/2 of America's problems: MOMS, get your a$$ses back into the home and raise your children. The Dads talk a good game but they're not good enough and you know it. It takes a strong woman to raise the kids and without her chaos will result. It's the most important, most difficult, most under appreciated job in the world but it must be done or we have no future. Moms of America, please save our nation and it's values. Help us!
Reply
8-04-2010 @ 12:27AM
Amara said...Pathological Internet usage? Please! This is just another way psychiatry has of embedding itself in our lives but naming yet another soon-to-be disorder for which drugs can then be prescribed. To find out more about how psychiatry is medicalizing every aspect of out lives check out the website of Citizens Commission on Human Rights - CCHR.org
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8-04-2010 @ 1:03AM
Krystle said...Couldn't one look at it the other way? The teen's depressed and looks to the internet for comfort and escape? It certainly works that way for me. I haven't been diagnosed with any sort of depressive disorder, but from a young age I was never what one could consider "happy," and years of bullying in school and a bad home life have done severe damage to my self-esteem and outlook on life in general, so close enough, right? The internet has always been my babysitter, my psychiatrist, my best friend, my shoulder to cry on, as lame as that sounds, when no one was around. I hated life long before I became a "pathological user of the internet." Another stupid article.
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9-13-2010 @ 5:56AM
haldirect said...Did the researchers take into account that the participants had something in common besides their pathological Internet use? For instance, they were all Chinese!
I mean, not to disparage an entire country, but these kids probably grew up playing with toys that were covered with lead paint, if they could afford toys at all. That's pretty sad. Plus, they're like one of the few remaining Communist nations on Earth. Do you know how sad it must be to be among the last of your species? And, most depressing of all, I understand that they cannot get General Tso's chicken in their country! That's right–they exported it all to America!
So how can they blame the eternal sadness of the online mind solely on the Internet?
Of course, the bright side of Web weepiness is that you're online anyway, so it's easy to get Zoloft or Paxil from one of those Canadian pharmacies that are always sending me e-mail. (more at laughs4dads.com)
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