Both specialists and parents are concerned about young people’s internet addiction.
(Mirror Daily, United States) Many parents are concerned about their children spending too much time in front of the computer. They are worried about being sedentary or damaging their sight. However, a new report from specialists says that there is another risk about internet addiction. The recent findings suggest that it may be the first step to several mental health issues.
The new research is mostly concerned with college students, as they stand as the primary age group that is linked to internet addiction. College students are old enough to escape their parents’ control regarding the hours spent in front of the computer. Moreover, they need the internet for their study projects and work.
Researchers were interested in various aspects, including those stated above. What they found is that college students use the internet excessively, and not only for work and study. Social media networks and gaming play important roles in the phenomenon too.
The study is based on the results of the Internet Addiction Test, which Internet users had to take. Researchers used other means of analyzing the data too. They found both people who used the Internet at normal rates, but also people who could be qualified as “Internet addicts.” Researchers are concerned about the effects of such a habit on the behavior and mental health of users.
Specialists think that Internet addiction can be linked with mental health issues. They have reasons to believe that depression, anxiety, impulsiveness and even ADHD can emerge with users who spent countless hours on the Internet. Users are qualified as addicts if they have a daily routine of using the Internet and find it difficult to deal with life and reality in the absence of the Internet.
According to researchers, the Internet addiction can trigger symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. The study also finds that people who can’t imagine their life without the online environment are more likely to lack social skills and deal with time management problems.
Researchers are aware of the fact that the Internet is very useful in our modern life and couldn’t be eradicated. However, they need to figure out the precise relation between mental health issues and the internet addiction. In other words, they intend to discover whether the Internet addiction is the real cause which triggers the diseases or it is a symptom of these conditions.
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