Teenagers who log at least five hours a day online are one and one half times more likely to become depressed than those who use the web moderately, according to a study in China that was reported on Reuters.
Young people who spend excessive amounts of time surfing the web grew agitated when not in front of the screen and had a decreased interest in social interaction, according to study co-author Lawrence Lam of the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame in Sydney.
"Some (teens) spend more than 10 hours a day, they are really problematic users and they show signs and symptoms of addictive behavior...browsing the Internet, playing games," Lam told Reuters. "They can't get their minds off the Internet, they feel agitated if they don't get back on after a short period of being away."
Teens who log excessive hours online don't want to spend time with their family, don't want to see friends, and aren't interested in attending family gatherings, Lam said.
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SOURCE: New York Daily News
