Excessive internet usage.

Excessive Internet use may be
linked to depression

Excessive Internet use may be linked
to depression. Spend a day offline
and connect with friends and family.
But they' re all online !

Your Internet use could be telling you
something about your mental health .
If you keep up with friends via
Facebook or spend more time
chatting online with strangers than
with family , it might be time to
disconnect the computer for awhile —
and check in with yourself .

The researchers analyzed internet use
and depression levels of 1 ,319 Britons
aged between 16 and 51. An online
questionnaire was used to measure
participants' Internet use , the
functions for which they used the
Internet, and their depressive
tendencies . Of these , 1 .2 percent were
"internet addicted. "
"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?"

Using the Web to replace your usual
social circle could be a red flag .
Instead of spending hours on
message boards , pick up the phone
and call someone.