The Shrink Tank

The Leeds researchers have done a good piece of work, but it is entirely predictable. What they have found is that depressed individuals tend to lock themselves away in isolation. Tell me something I don't know...!

The research did not find any causative links between Internet usage and depression - indeed the study was not designed for that. What it did show was a relationship between the amount of time spent online and the degree of depression. Mildly depressed people tended to spend more time online. In other words, mildly depressed people tended to spend less time with other people in the "real world". As I understand it that's an influential diagnostic factor anyway.

It is more likely that depressed individuals withdraw and then go online, rather than being online makes you depressed. Indeed, other studies have reported elevated mood as a result of online activity and a reduction in stress levels following being online. Also, heavy users of social networking sites are the most active individuals socially in the physical world - again to be expected because they are sociable people...!

What concerns me is that people who hear about this research will make an association that was not made by the researchers, namely that the internet causes depression. This could influence people to use the web less, or prevent their children from access in a bid to stave off mental illness. This will be a shame; the internet has so many positive effects and benefits.

Just like the real world there is good and bad with everything. However, the plethora of studies focusing on the negative impacts of the online world are affecting attitudes to the internet itself. That, ultimately, may be more damaging.

What we need are more studies demonstrating the positive impacts of the online world. Why do we keep focusing on the negatives?

Isn't this obvious to anyone who has a brain that all these so called "addictions" are merely ways to ward off unpleasant feelings of sadness,depression,and feeling crappy about oneself.Do we need even more research to demonstrate the obvious?

People are not "addicted" to the internet.They,like all of us,try and use ways to distract ourselves from the unpleasantries of life and troubled relationships.What else is new? Nu?

Albert R.Levy,PhD
Licensed Psychologist

Isn't this obvious to anyone who has a brain that all these so called "addictions" are merely ways to ward off unpleasant feelings of sadness,depression,and feeling crappy about oneself.Do we need even more research to demonstrate the obvious?

People are not "addicted" to the internet.They,like all of us,try and use ways to distract ourselves from the unpleasantries of life and troubled relationships.What else is new? Nu?

Albert R.Levy,PhD
Licensed Psychologist