A recent study found that quitting the Internet is as difficult as quitting drugs.
A recent study found that quitting the Internet is as difficult as quitting drugs.
If you’ve tried to do a social media detox before, only to log back on a mere three days later – take heart, it’s a lot tougher than simply just switching off. A group of researchers found that people with problematic Internet use actually showed physical withdrawal symptoms – similar to that of cannabis, alcohol and opiate users – when they were made to go offline for two hours.
"The Internet is possibly used to relieve or escape stress and/or reduce anxiety,” writes the researchers in their study findings, which was published in PLOS ONE in May. Ironically, they also pointed out that this dependency can lead to physical and mental health problems. Uh oh. BRB, logging off now.
“I’d wake up and look at [Instagram]... I’d go to bed and it’d be the last thing I looked at. I felt a little too dependent on it.” – Kendall Jenner
Images 123RF.com Text Sophie Hong.
