A study claims internet addiction is rife.

[starrylizard]

Okay, so THIS article is killing me. Found it off science_beta.

Is it just me, or are they completely missing the point that for many people the internet is a very social activity. Calling it an addiction and throwing it in with drug and alcohol abuse seems a little over the top to me. These people really need to have better things to research.

Comments

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

The bit that got me

'Most disturbing was the discovery that some people hid their Internet surfing, or went online to cure foul moods.'

Oh, and like people who go and exercise for hours a day to make themselves feel better is any different?

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yeah exactly. It's the old thing that if you aren't outside in the sunshine then it's bad.

If you're in a bad mood, you go and do something you like to do to cure it. Yeah and that's bad how? The whole article is pretty ridiculous. It makes so many assumptions. They need a proper survey that asks you to divide up the time you spend amang different activities. IMing vs porn vs gambling vs socialising and talking about hobbies. I think they might be surprised by the responses.

And yeah, the whole sekrit thing is really an online phenomenon. I mean yeah, if you're writing fanfic or whatever, you do tend to do it quietly. So?

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

Well, if I was writing in a physical diary I'd do that in secret too.

It's funny, cause on the one hand we're being told not to get too much sun cause it's bad for us, and the other, don't spend too much time in doors cause people will think your an anti-social freak.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Totally. Plus, if I was writing short stories on paper, which I used to do a lot. You don't go around showing them to many people. Most people just make fun of them or whatever, yet because they are on paper it's ok. If I chat to people and share a hobby that's fine, but once it's online it's bad? If I wander around with my mobile attached to my head, that's okay, but if I email and IM I'm antisocial. I don't get it. *shrugs*

I love the idea, that if I go overseas or move cities, I already know people there. It's lovely. I learn so much. By their standards though, I'm well and truly addicted. *blows raspberries at them*

[lark_ascends]

I think the thing that people need to realise is that you can become addicted to ANYTHING. So, of course there are going to be people who are addicted to the internet, and if that's causing harm in their life, well that's an issue. Otherwise, it's as valid hobby as playing 15 sports.

[lark_ascends]

Oh, and people having trouble being away from the internet for several days? That's because we TALK to people on the net, and we're waiting for feedback on things, and it's a valid form of communication. And, I get most of my reading material off the net rather than books, hence a lot of why I find it hard to be disconnected, if I haven't saved stuff to read.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Me too. Like at the conference. I came back form the dinner and would normally have chatted to one of you before bed and come down from the evening. Just like someone living with housemates might chat to them. Plus I read online, watch most of my fave shows on my computer, keep in touch with family and friends via email and IM...

I do miss it, but for very different reasons than they are suggesting. It got me kinda angry.

[smuffster.livejournal.com]

Plus, how is it any different from people who have their phones attached to their head all day?

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Exactly!!
Most people would think walking is good for you, yet there is an American lady who won't stop walking and is killing herself. Proving ANYTHING can be addictive.

[kaaatie.livejournal.com]

What a load of bollocks! I'm sure that there are some people who use the Internet so much that it causes clinically significant impairment on their jobs or life --- which means that it is a problem for them --- but they would be in the extremely vast minority.

I think that it's extremely dangerous to start labelling things as 'addictive', particularly when the statistics that they report prove nothing of the sort. According to them, their average Internet user is spending about 4 hours a day on 'unnecessary' use --- 4 hours couldn't be enough to constitute an addiction.

I think it's either a really crappy study, or just some very bad reporting of it. Either way, stupid people.

Oh, and I loved the comment that someone left: "A new study finds that over-zealous scientist who waste hours upon hours studying people objectively as microscopic specimens spend too much of their life trying to prove meaningless facts about the human race."

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

The whole thing made no sense to me. It cetainly wasn't very scientific. You might call it a quick pilot study, but it's not a basis for labelling.

I saw that comment too and it amused me greatly. Hee!

[parisntripfan.livejournal.com]

One of the real problems with this study is that reponses only looked at how many people responded to one (or maybe two) of the "addictive" indicators. But in order to considered addicted to something a person as to repond yes to several of those indicators.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Sounds about right. I think we all agree that the study is just bollocks.