Uh, oh. Oh boy. No further comment.
Source: New York Times – How Depressives Surf the Internet. Some choice excerpts:
…IN what way do you spend your time online? Do you check your e-mail compulsively? Watch lots of videos? Switch frequently among multiple Internet applications — from games to file downloads to chat rooms?
…your pattern of Internet use says something about you…research suggests it can offer clues to your mental well-being.
…There were two major findings. First, we identified several features of Internet usage that correlated with depression…the more a participant’s score on the survey indicated depression, the more his or her Internet usage included… high levels of sharing files (like movies and music).
…Our second major discovery…styles of Internet behavior that were signs of depressive people. For example, participants with depressive symptoms tended to engage in very high e-mail usage. This perhaps was to be expected: research has shown that frequent checking of e-mail may relate to high levels of anxiety, which itself correlates with depressive symptoms.
…Another example: the Internet usage of depressive people tended to exhibit high “flow duration entropy” — which often occurs when there is frequent switching among Internet applications like e-mail, chat rooms and games.
…Other characteristic features of “depressive” Internet behavior included increased amounts of video watching, gaming and chatting.
Related Posts:
- Can’t. Take it. Any. More.
- Should I check E-Mail?
- Are you an Internet Addict?
- Things to do when the internet is down…
- Which Way Are You Dysfunctional?
- Tip For Getting More Organized: Don’t
- How well do you manage distraction? Take this three minute quiz…
- 3 Skills Every 21st Century Manager Needs…Multi-Inspiring v. Multitasking
- Internet Friendships…
Live & Learn 
I’m on the computer a lot but for a writer, what’s the alternative? A typewriter? Anyone under twenty-five is saying, “What’s that?” And no, I’m not depressed. But I wish I couldn’t remember what a typewriter is/was.
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:). I happen to agree although trending towards addiction as others have stated here in their comments.
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So where does blogging addiction fit in??? Not depressed – just insatiable lust for travel and photography! 🙂
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Hmmmmmmmm. Sounds like spin Anita. (joke) 🙂
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No worries. Soon, we’ll have own own 12 Step program.
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Laughing. And you are just the right person to right a clinical post. I’m waiting Susan. I’m waiting.
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What you said!
Not seriously worried about depression – no – but addiction – possibly.
IT KEEPS ME FROM GETTING BORED!!!
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Hmmmmm. OK. I’m with you.
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I am nominating you for a Very Inspiring Blogger Award….http://makebelieveboutique.com/2012/06/19/2842/
Enjoy!
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Thank you In Blue. I appreciate your nomination and your kind words.
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This suggests that some of us are going to have to step up and say “Hi I’m Mimi, and I’m a blogaholic” (well, each person would have to say their own name; saying mine defeats the purpose)..And we’ll applaud and listen to the tales of Internet usage gone out-of-control…”I started with an hour a day…I thought everything was ok, until that day when….” Therapists love studies like this – and arguably they spend a great deal of time studying things that may or may not be of any help in the future. It doesn’t take a genius or a jim Carrey visual to understand that the Internet can represent the biggest curtain behind which to hide, the place to feel like you are participating, albeit from a distance, etc…
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Yes. Agree. Back to emails. 🙂
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I believe NOTHING in this universe is completely right until and unless you put your Faith in it. I loved these lines from a book called “The Power by Rhonda Byrne” it said, “No one can come into your life and affect you negatively, unless you are already on the same negative feeling frequency. if you are on a feeling frequency of love, it wouldn’t matter how tough or negative someone is, they will not and cannot affect you.” So if someone had a feeling that he or she is depressed then this means that person already was having the thought in their subconscious mind.
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Hi Sonia. Believe Rhonda Byrne is in the same camp as Abraham (Jerry Hicks et al), U.S. Andersen…and others. I’m coming around to this line of thinking and more importantly acting (trying) on it. Thanks for joining in the conversation. Appreciate your thoughts.
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Hello David ! Yes, they are all part of The Secret. Hehehe like your “Acting – Trying” 😀 even I am trying to be on the line. Thank you and you are most welcome =))) Stay Blessed !
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This study was brought to you compliments of the drugs industry, please now head to your local doctor and support your drugs industry. I am now off for intensive therapy and medication (joke).
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Laughing. Thanks Alex for bringing my first chuckle of the day!
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Yikes, I’ve got “flow duration entropy!”. And here I thought I was just a bit ADHD!
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Now, this is FUNNY. Who knew we had all of these problems…
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Reblogged this on My Perspective on Loving, Living, Learning and Laughing and commented:
I clicked the link and did a search in the article for blog and bloggers. Apparently we escaped unscathed in this assessment, David…
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Very insightful post. I am compulsive and have been warring against anxiety & depression for years. In order to keep a level of self-control I fast the things I am compulsive about. Before I quit Facebook I would fast it for a week, or a month, of a few days depending on how bad I thought I was getting. For someone with anxiety the technological age makes it too easy to become complusive in the areas mentioned in your post. I mean, come on, I have an app in my pocket for everything, and I didn’t even want a smart phone, my network forced it upon me! (lol) I love my wordpress app, but I have to admit it is bad for my condition. In fact I have just come off my first 3day blogging fast. I didn’t write, read comments or check my stats. I didn’t touch that app and it really does help to keep breaking cycles that can suck us into the quicksand of thechnology. Really glad I stopped by. 🙂
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Claire, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think I could use some of your medicine…but wonder if I could make it even 24 hours. 🙂
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10:00 last night. Decided this was an awesome idea and I would fast from the blogoshpere till 10:00 Friday morning – 36 hours. Obviously I didn’t make it. I only lasted 12 hours – 8 of which were spent sleeping 😦
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Oh No, Lol. Don’t worry If at first you don’t succeed….Try, try again.. 🙂 I guess it works so well for me because first I admit to God that I am loosing self control and being sucked into something because of my own weakness. I ask for His strength to help me break the cycle. I promise Him I will stop for however long, then everytime the urge to break comes I think of Him and the promise I made, I ask for help again. It really works this way. It is how I stopped smoking, and facebook. Fasted on and off for a few years then bam! just stopped and never needed to go back! Amen! 🙂 I wish you the very best of luck for next time.
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Ah see I have faith and so I just promise God that if He helps me break the cycle I promise to not touch it for how ever long I can agree to. 3 days is good amount because it is do-able but not ridicolously long. Quitting facebook was easy when I had fasted for long times. I don’t even miss it….Just replaced it with blogging lol!
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🙂
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