Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Published : December 22, 2014 11:27 AM IST
Are you addicted to internet? You could be ruining your health as well as personal life, says a new study published in the Journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.
Conducted by researchers Cecelia Cheng and Angel Yee-lam Li, the study published in the article titled 'Internet Addiction Prevalence and Quality of (Real) Life: A Meta-Analysis of 31 Nations Across Seven World Regions,' revealed that about 6 per cent of the global population suffers from internet addiction that results in poor quality of life and health.
The researchers studied data obtained from over 89,000 individuals from 31 countries. They presented 164 internet addiction prevalence figures. The prevalence of internet addiction ranged from lowest of 2.6 per cent in Northern and Western Europe to as high as 10.9 per cent in the Middle Eastern countries. (Read: Every other 14-year-old s addicted to the internet!)
How does internet addiction ruins quality of life?
According to the authors, internet addiction is an impulse-control condition, It can promote a lot of things that interfere with personal life and health. A person addicted to internet for social media, surfing or for work purpose tends to spend lesser time with friends and family. Since, internet referral involved use of mobile phones, laptops and desktops, musculoskeletal problems have increased in the past few years. Social media use can lead to depression and anxiety in a people who are susceptible. It also encourages sleep deprivation since more people prefer internet use at night. Some studies even suggest that internet addiction is similar to drug addiction.
This study showed an inverse relationship between quality of life and internet addiction. But here was no evidence that accessibility to internet promotes this addiction, said Brenda K. Wiederhold, from Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, California and Virtual Reality Medical Institute, Brussels, Belgium.
So, how do you find that you're addicted to the internet?
Here are some symptoms
Image source: Getty images
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