Depression in young people has been linked to high screen time
Excessive time spent on the Internet causes daytime sleepiness and depressive symptoms in adolescents. This conclusion was reached by scientists from the UK, Malaysia and Australia, having summarised data from different countries.
Internet addiction has not yet been recognised as an independent mental disorder, but it affects a person's condition, behaviour and quality of life. For example, phubbing - the habit of being constantly distracted by the phone during a private conversation with someone - has become almost the norm for young people. Because of phubbing not only distracts attention, but also worsens the contact with the interlocutor, there is a feeling of discomfort.
Specialists from the British University of Derby, Malaysian Taylors University and Sunway University, as well as Australian Monash University conducted a meta-analysis of 52 earlier studies and confirmed that screen time has a negative impact not only on social interaction, but also on the general well-being of a person. According to their findings, daily prolonged internet use causes drowsiness and also leads to symptoms of depression in young people. The corresponding scientific article was published by the journal Information Technology & People.
The authors of the work studied information about young people who at the time of data collection were between 10 and 19 years old. At this age, the scientists noted, the propensity to Internet addiction is higher due to the transition period in physical and mental development. The analysis showed that in the lives of the study participants, the Internet displaced many healthy activities, such as those related to social interaction and physical activity. This included sleepiness and increased symptoms of depression.
According to one of the study's authors, the time a person uses the internet is often not limited or structured. Some people try not to abuse computer games, but in many areas of life (study, work, other types of recreation) there are no "limits" on the use of the Internet.
Researchers are convinced that it is necessary to popularise the opportunities that people have outside the online environment. For example, encourage sleep hygiene, which includes avoiding the use of gadgets at night, engage children in active activities after school, and help them build face-to-face communication. In addition, according to experts, it is important to adopt a conscious use of the Internet, starting to limit the time spent on the Web, as well as to distribute it between work or study and leisure activities.