Only the lonely?

By Richard Reeve

“Lonely individuals used the Internet and e-mail more and were more likely to use the Internet for emotional support than others. Social behavior of lonely individuals consistently was enhanced online, and lonely individuals were more likely to report making online friends and heightened satisfaction with their online friends. The lonely were more likely to use the Internet to modulate negative moods, and to report that their Internet use was causing disturbances in their daily functioning.” Loneliness ans Social Uses of the Internet

Internet addiction as it pertains to those who live in social isolation is a subject that does not get much attention, especially with the rapid growth of social media websites over the past five years.

The ability of addiction to seize almost any human behavior should not be underestimated.  It’s interesting to see how the topic is relevant to current users in this twitter search.  While comments range from humorous and dismissive to questioning and concerned, is the ability of the new media to grip our behaviors in unhealthy ways surprising?  Are not billions of dollars being spent to keep us “signed in”…i.e. hooked?

This internet addiction assessment tool is an interesting survey to evaluate where you might be on the internet addiction spectrum.  Of course, the accuracy of the results depend on the accuracy of the answers provided, and all that work with addictions know how difficult it can be to elicit an honest answer.