by James Maycock

Created on: February 07, 2008   Last Updated: April 09, 2011

The Internet is a modern triumph. This step in technology has enabled countless people to communicate, to trade and to learn more effectively than ever before. Modern life has seen the Internet develop and evolve quickly. It has in some manner integrated itself into most people's daily lives. For youngsters in their teenage years, they have never known a world without it. Recent figures for 2007 put the UK usage of the Internet at 38,512,837 out of 60,363,602 people (Nielsen Net Ratings). This figure is just under 64% of the population.

It is not surprising to find that social use for the Internet has become popular. Chat rooms, forums, fan sites and e-mail provide users with a chance to express themselves and experience a wider audience. The Internet has in many ways filled the void created by diminishing communities with a larger virtual one. The relatively faceless nature of this interaction allows users to be viewed without initial physical perception weighing the scales. Online 'blogs' allow everyone to publish their opinions and views for the masses. With some sites such as Second Life the virtual world can nearly replace the real one. With such a wealth of accessible interaction, education and entertainment, usage can become excessive.

According to a report in a U.K newspaper (The Guardian 29/Nov/2006) it was claimed that in Europe social use of the Internet averages about 11 hours per week. This had increased from previous reports and the trend was set to continue. With so many people spending their free time on the Internet, social or otherwise, concerns have been raised about long term implications.

In a UK study reported by the BBC in 1999 (BBC Online 29/Sept/1999) the results were compelling. It claimed that prolonged Internet usage was in essence a contemporary addiction. The Director for the Center of Online Addiction, Dr. Kimberly Jones identifies Internet Addiction to lead towards mental illnesses. According to the Center's blog site, research by the University of Connecticut has identified that in the U.S.A. online gamblers were more likely "to suffer from health and emotional problems such as substance abuse, circulatory disease, depression, and risky sexual behaviors". These results were not as common in gamblers who did not use the Internet to place bets. Ultimately the report seems to try and identify that the Internet is clearly the non-beneficial aspect of the addiction.

This has been received within the Psychiatric community with doubt. The main issue is in identifying the Internet as the proponent of depression or other illnesses. The predicament that this faces is that essentially the addiction is the issue. Whether a person suffers ill effects from social networking, online gambling or Internet shopping cannot be attributed to the method that this media was made available. It is likewise illogical to blame a pub drinkers alcoholism on the bus route passing his home.

There is however a stronger link between the two. Time. In reference to the statistics that Europeans spend on average of 11 hours per week using the Internet, the problem points more to excess. Alcohol, Smoking, Fast Food are all unhealthy and yet pleasurable past times for those who enjoy them. Excessive use of any of them, like most things, can certainly lead to health issues both mental and psychological.

Perhaps the bitter pill which is hard to swallow is that the real blame lies at the door of the afflicted. The Internet, the websites or instant messengers have little effect away from the PCs, mobile phones and laptops which are needed to view them. The user has the responsibility to themselves to turn the power off.

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