report: Internet Addicts More Prone to Depression

[Communist]

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Internet Addicts More Prone to Depression (http://www.everydayhealth.com/publicsite/news/view.aspx?id=635597&xid=nl_EverydayHealthDepressionandBipolarDisorder_ 20100204)

2/3/2010

(http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:%20_sendtofriend%28%27Internet%20Addicts%20Mo re%20Prone%20to%20Depression%27%29;)WEDNESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Internet addicts who devote much of their lives to browsing the Web are more likely to show signs of depression, British researchers have found.

Some people develop a compulsive Internet habit, socializing online through social-networking sites and chat rooms instead of meeting people in person.

The researchers found that people who did this were more likely to have depression than other Internet users.

"The Internet now plays a huge part in modern life, but its benefits are accompanied by a darker side," lead study author Catriona Morrison, of the University of Leeds, said in a university news release. "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."

The study, published Feb. 10 in Psychopathology, looked at 1,319 people, ages 16 to 51, and found that 1.2 percent were addicted to the Internet. Those that were deemed "Internet addicts" also had a higher incidence of moderate to severe depression, the researchers found.

"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 said. "What is clear is that, for a small subset of people, excessive use of the Internet could be a warning signal for depressive tendencies."

More information

More about depression (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/complete-index.shtml).


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[Invincible Summer]

Basically, they're saying they've found a correlation between internet use and depression, but they don't know why exactly?

[Communist]

It seems just common sense really. Of course if someone spends all their time in internet chat rooms instead of really meeting people and developing actual relationships it would be a problem. :(

[Incendiarism]

That sucks. I'm hardly on the computer these days and I think life is a toilet bowl and we're all just pissing our lives away.

[bcbm]

It seems just common sense really. Of course if someone spends all their time in internet chat rooms instead of really meeting people and developing actual relationships it would be a problem. :(

i think it makes sense that the depression could be pre-existing though. when you're depressed it is pretty common to lose motivation and its easy to just mess around on the internet for hours, maybe talking to people or just doing whatever. i'd bet in a lot of cases internet use just exacerbates an already existing problem.

[Communist]

i think it makes sense that the depression could be pre-existing though. when you're depressed it is pretty common to lose motivation and its easy to just mess around on the internet for hours, maybe talking to people or just doing whatever. i'd bet in a lot of cases internet use just exacerbates an already existing problem.

Excellent point. I don't know if any studies show a marked increase in the percentage of depressed people pre and post internet. Such a study likely does exist and would probably also include many other factors though.

[Dr Mindbender]

Basically, they're saying they've found a correlation between internet use and depression, but they don't know why exactly?

i think they're applying bourgeoisie logic and saying that its the internet addiction that causes depression, completely ignoring the fact that the status quo motivates people to find means of escapism such as the internet in the first place.

EDIT: So yeah, what bcbm says basically, lol.

[bcbm]

i think they're applying bourgeoisie logic and saying that its the internet addiction that causes depression, completely ignoring the fact that the status quo motivates people to find means of escapism such as the internet in the first place.


from the article:

"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?"


Excellent point. I don't know if any studies show a marked increase in the percentage of depressed people pre and post internet. Such a study likely does exist and would probably also include many other factors though.

i think our society in general breeds a lot of depression, with or without the internet. just from my own experience (not very scientific, i know, i know), i can say that i can't think of very many people i know who haven't dealt with some form of depression or related "illness" at one time or another. i think the internet is just moving into territory that was probably occupied by tv or alcoholism or something else before and is just a symptom, not a cause. the cause is more deeply tied to our current forms of social organization.

[Sogdian]

I suppose depression is embedded to the individualistic nature of capitalist societies. No wonder they drink or shop so much. It's just another form of religion, aka, escapism from the reality. Capitalists individualism causes depression. Communism (both in literal & political sense) cures it!

[Invincible Summer]

I suppose depression is embedded to the individualistic nature of capitalist societies. No wonder they drink or shop so much. It's just another form of religion, aka, escapism from the reality. Capitalists individualism causes depression. Communism (both in literal & political sense) cures it!

I wouldn't go that far... depression can be extended and worsened by the capitalist system, yes, but I'm sure even in a communist society there will be depressed individuals. It's a psychological condition that can be pre-existant.

Making statements like "Communism will cure ____!" makes communists seem dogmatic

[Communist]

Depression also often results when particularly strong emotional bonds are shattered, like deaths of family members and pets and the end of romantic relationships. Maybe most people can bounce back from such personal tragedies, but not all, and no society could fix a broken heart.

[ZeroNowhere]

Probably these guys read about the internet addiction camps on the internet and lose faith in humanity.

[Sogdian]

I wouldn't go that far... depression can be extended and worsened by the capitalist system, yes, but I'm sure even in a communist society there will be depressed individuals. It's a psychological condition that can be pre-existant.

Making statements like "Communism will cure ____!" makes communists seem dogmatic

One person's depression is illness, but when it is widespread it's endemic. This endemic is the permanent illness of the proletariat in capitalist society. Saying depression is cured in commune isn't dogmatic when you look at the bigger picture.

[Invincible Summer]

One person's depression is illness, but when it is widespread it's endemic. This endemic is the permanent illness of the proletariat in capitalist society. Saying depression is cured in commune isn't dogmatic when you look at the bigger picture.

What I'm saying is that depression will happen for various reasons, in a capitalist society, in a socialist society, in a communist society. Even if people aren't exploited, get anything they need, etc, there are still a multitude of facets of life that can trigger a depressive episode, especially if one is prone to having depression.

Telling people that their mental health is in such a state because of capitalism is much too simplistic and no one will take you seriously. And it's insulting to those who have gone through relationship abuse/losing loved ones/etc.

[bcbm]

I wouldn't go that far... depression can be extended and worsened by the capitalist system, yes, but I'm sure even in a communist society there will be depressed individuals. It's a psychological condition that can be pre-existant.

i don't think you can separate psychological conditions from the societies that produce them. in developed, capitalist societies depression is extremely widespread, much more so than in developing nations where capitalist relations are not as strong. given that its an illness that can be treated with very basic (http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/851310/psychologist_seeks_stone_age_solutions_to_depressi on/index.html) lifestyle adjustments, i don't think its outlandish to suggest that in communism it will be virtually nonexistant because communism will involve massive positive changes in the way humans live.

and i don't think what sogdian is saying is that capitalism is the "trigger" for all depression but rather that it creates the conditions in which a personal tragedy can become depression. the way society is organized fosters isolation, both physical and emotional.

[Sogdian]

What I'm saying is that depression will happen for various reasons, in a capitalist society, in a socialist society, in a communist society. Even if people aren't exploited, get anything they need, etc, there are still a multitude of facets of life that can trigger a depressive episode, especially if one is prone to having depression.

Telling people that their mental health is in such a state because of capitalism is much too simplistic and no one will take you seriously. And it's insulting to those who have gone through relationship abuse/losing loved ones/etc.

Depression is a form of illness that happens in every society, I'm not denying this. But financial problems, unemployment and poverty are the main causes of depression of those 10%+ Americans. Capitalism causes permanent endemic depression!

[Autodidakt]

I can speak form experience on this one. I have a form of seasonal depression. So, if I don;t get enough sun light, I'm hit with depression. before I knew I had it after I moved to the northern US, I spent a huge aamount of time online, usually reading and writing. Almost 5 hours a day. Now, I have treated my depression through the use of an ingenious lamp and I still use the internet a lot. The diffference however, is that I can quit what I'm doing at any time without having the desire to go back ot the computer. I believe theree is a correlation between depression and computer use but depression is probably what causes increased computer use.
-Anecdotal evidence.

[The Red Next Door]

i think they're applying bourgeoisie logic and saying that its the internet addiction that causes depression, completely ignoring the fact that the status quo motivates people to find means of escapism such as the internet in the first place.

EDIT: So yeah, what bcbm says basically, lol.
i use the net to escape from some of my reactionary friends.

[The Red Next Door]

I probably might be an internet addict because in the chats, i can talk to people who relate to me more than my friends, then when i am not on the computer. i get sad