Have you ever wondered how some members of your online community (or any community for that matter) can get so overwhelmingly caught up in online drama with people they hardly know? I know I have. Well, there could be a real, clinical reason behind it, according to a new study, that goes beyond them needing to “get a life.”
Psychologists from Leeds University say they’ve found “striking” evidence that some avid internet users develop compulsive habits in which they replace real-life social interaction with online chat rooms and social networking sites.
The lead author of the study wrote in the the journal of Psychopathology that the study “reinforces the public speculation that over-engaging in websites that serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction.”
WOW, THAT EXPLAINS A LOT.
What the study didn’t glean is which comes first: excessive internet use or depression. In other words… are depressed people drawn to the internet or does the internet cause depression?”
Here is one more interesting quote I just have to share:
“While many of us use the internet to pay bills, shop and send emails, 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.”
This is a really interesting study. Read more about it here in Science Daily, and come back and tell me what you think.Oh, you can also read the complete abstract with methodology and other pertinent information at Psychopathology.
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February 3, 2010 at 10:52 am
Sabine
I suffer from mild depression and I always know when it is starting to kick back in, as I suddenly suffer from excessive internet usage, to the point where I spend more time online than in “real life”. Before the internet, I just used to hibernate and be miserable. At least now I hibernate and learn new things and make connections. I know my usage is excessive, but the Depression definitley comes first. As soon as I feel better, the usage drops again.
February 3, 2010 at 11:32 am
Angela Connor
Hi Sabine: thanks for adding your perspective on this topic. I can imagine that pre-internet it may have been much harder for you and you raise good points on how it helps you cope with depression. I am no doctor but it sounds like you see it coming and work to reign it in before it consumes you. Good luck. And thanks again for your comment and honesty.
February 3, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Rosemary O'Neill
This is definitely a “chicken and egg” thing, isn’t it? I found the study fascinating, and have definitely observed over the years that some threads/posts turn into online therapy sessions! I am wondering, however, if there could be some skewing of the results, since the initial questionnaire was an online one…should they have sought out folks in RL to question?
February 5, 2010 at 2:46 pm
SiliconANGLE — Blog — Chicken or the Egg: Link Made Between Depression and Social Media
[...] Note: Angela cross-posted this at her personal blog. Incidentally, go congratulate her on the new gig! [...]
February 8, 2010 at 10:22 pm
Jill
I am sure that many of us have sensed that there is a reason why some people turn inwards and spend large amounts of time on the internet. The internet in and of itself is not necessarily a problem – the nature of the sites where time is spent might be a consideration if the site isn’t one that will assist someone with depression or some other emotional trouble to feel better. There are actually incredible sites available that are safe and useful spaces for people to seek out information, feel less isolated or connect with others. If these sites are visits, then there is already a range of research that provides some comfort that on line, anonymous, expression of feelings is easier to access, and has a therapeutic value.
Dealing with my own mental health challenges, I know that I need to be alert to how I am dealing with the time that I am active on the web – but it does help to have access to sites that are useful and credible.
I guess it helps to have a few signs within communities that might steer those who are aware of their mood to be able to find these sites. Maybe there could be a small area on community sites to provide the addresses of such sites?
I agree with Rosemary, that there are many in RL who are indeed dealing with emotional troubles who may not have been included. However, the focus of the study appears to be limited to people already engaged in internet use. The broader picture is sobering with statistics here in Australia showing that depression will impact on more than one in five for both genders. What I am not sure is whether the internet is a negative feature of useage and engagement, or whether it is a level of engagement that decreases the sense of social isolation due to mood or absence of RL people that those coping with depression might feel more comfortable in accessing. The old neighbour hood communities are fractured and support is less likely in a neighbourhood where we don’t know those living near us. It makes the on line communities an obvious alternative to those needing a space to express and not feel invisible.
So much to think about here from a community manager perspective.
Great post Angela