You Are Depressed On The Internet
If you tend to surf the Internet obsessively you are probably depressed, says Science. Let's look at the numbers!
Psychologists at the University of Leeds in Britain evaluated the Internet use and depression levels of 1,319 people ages 16 to 51. Of this group, 18 people (1.2%) were classified as Internet-addicted. When these 18 people were compared with 18 similar people who were not Internet-addicted, the researchers saw striking differences in depression. The 18 non-addicted people were not depressed while the 18 Internet-addicted people were classified, as a group, as moderately to severely depressed.
Apparently the Internet addicts—all 18 of them—"tended to use the Internet more for sexual gratification, gaming and chat rooms, compared with the non-addicts." I think the real news here is that they managed to find 18 people who are so well-adjusted and content that they don't tend to use Internet for sexual gratification, but I guess it takes all kinds to make a world. [Via]
This post makes me so sad.
Define 'sexual gratification'
You have no idea how long I have been waiting for someone to ask me that.
A/S/L?
Chicken Vs. Egg, etc.
Yeah, way to draw conclusions from an insignificant sample, science. This is why they don't let you in schools anymore!
Also, "people with an addiction are more depressed than people without an addiction" is kind of a stupid finding. The nature of the addiction is, I think, irrelevant?
This post, um, gratified me. Then I cried.
Yeah, that was a great post.
*lights cigarette
"Oh yeah, it was a great post honey! Of course I did, don't be silly, sometimes I'm just really quiet."
Yep, sounds about right.
I don't think it's so outlandish to suggest the internet might make people depressed. I mean, have you *seen* the internet lately? Cripes!
I only let my boyfriend give me a hummer when I'm skyping with my parents and iChatting with my friends.
Then I tell him to get the fuck out of my apartment and text me when he gets home.
Wait, there's stuff on the internet besides sex, games and chat? I just use wikipedia for the pics +the discussion rooms…
(ps – did you mean 1,301 'people who are so well-adjusted and content that they don't tend to use Internet for sexual gratification'? requesting Point of Clarity from the assembly-room moderator)
OH IC now-you're referring to the latter 18 mentioned. I like these ESP-answers you send out
:(
"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO… SCARED!"
@brianvan: OH. MY. GOD. YOU. MADE. MY. DAY.
(I ONCE HELPED HER FIND A BOOK ON ART DECO MOVIE PALACES WHEN I WORKED IN A BOOKSTORE)
I like how the statistical result is absurd but the conclusion is completely obvious. "18 people who were hit by cars on a freeway had a higher rate of below-average mortality age than 18 people who have never been hit by cars on the freeway." I hope that they paid the school tuition to do this survey, and not the other way around.
BRIANVAN GET OFF THIS WEBSITE RIGHT THIS INSTANT. Sigh. Didn't we JUST talk about this???? AND DON'T GIVE ME THAT "I HAVE DOWNTIME" BULLSHIT.
Sometimes Science knows me better than I know myself.
I wonder how the introduction of ChatRoulette to this study would change things? I guess it would make everybody more depressed.
I should think Science would then pronounce the entire Internet on suicide watch, in that case.
How does Science reckon someone is "moderately to severely depressed," I wonder.
I was not depressed on the internet until I started getting into abortion debates on TheAwl over a creepy cartoon.