People who spend a lot of time to surf the Internet are more likely to show signs of depression, British scientists said on Wednesday.
It is not clear whether the Internet causes depression or whether depressed people who are interested to use it.
The psychologist from Leeds University found what they say as proof of "striking" that some people are enamored of using the Internet to develop the habit of encouragement to be in a network (online).
Through these activities, they can replace the real world social interaction with chat room "online" and social networking pages.
"This study strengthens the public opinion that the involvement in the network that serves to replace the normal social function may be associated with psychiatric disorders like depression and addiction," wrote the study's lead author, Catriona Morrison, in the journal Psychopathology.
"This kind of surfing addiction can have a serious impact on mental health," he said, Reuters reported.
In the first large-scale study of young people to study the West's case, the researchers analyzed the use of the Internet and levels of depression in the 1319 British people aged between 16 and 51 years.
They concluded, among those studied, 1.2 percent of "Internet addiction".
People who "Internet addiction" was finished, prominently, more time to surf on the network that satisfy them sexually, pages games "online" and the "online", said Morrison.
They are also more experienced events moderate to severe depression compared with the normal user.
"Excessive Internet use associated with depression, but what we do not know which is which occurs first - whether the depressed people interested in using the Internet or whether the Internet causes depression?" Morrison said.
"What is clear is that for a small group of people, excessive Internet use can be a warning sign for the tendency of depression," he said.
Morrison said although the amount of 1.2 percent for those who are categorized as "addiction" was small, it was still more than the gambling event in the UK, which amounted to as much as 0.6 percent.
It is not clear whether the Internet causes depression or whether depressed people who are interested to use it.
The psychologist from Leeds University found what they say as proof of "striking" that some people are enamored of using the Internet to develop the habit of encouragement to be in a network (online).
Through these activities, they can replace the real world social interaction with chat room "online" and social networking pages.
"This study strengthens the public opinion that the involvement in the network that serves to replace the normal social function may be associated with psychiatric disorders like depression and addiction," wrote the study's lead author, Catriona Morrison, in the journal Psychopathology.
"This kind of surfing addiction can have a serious impact on mental health," he said, Reuters reported.
In the first large-scale study of young people to study the West's case, the researchers analyzed the use of the Internet and levels of depression in the 1319 British people aged between 16 and 51 years.
They concluded, among those studied, 1.2 percent of "Internet addiction".
People who "Internet addiction" was finished, prominently, more time to surf on the network that satisfy them sexually, pages games "online" and the "online", said Morrison.
They are also more experienced events moderate to severe depression compared with the normal user.
"Excessive Internet use associated with depression, but what we do not know which is which occurs first - whether the depressed people interested in using the Internet or whether the Internet causes depression?" Morrison said.
"What is clear is that for a small group of people, excessive Internet use can be a warning sign for the tendency of depression," he said.
Morrison said although the amount of 1.2 percent for those who are categorized as "addiction" was small, it was still more than the gambling event in the UK, which amounted to as much as 0.6 percent.
