http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/641735.html

A study has revealed that internet addiction can lead to depression. This adds to the already catalogued list of psychological problems associated with the condition, including ‘relationship problems, health problems, aggressive behavior and other psychiatric symptoms’.

The research results of the social science can be very enlightening, but sometimes they simply confirm what we all already knew. Excessive internet usage can lead to psychological problems.

The more important truth in this case is that a bad addiction to anything will lead to psychological problems. The problems associated with drinking alcohol, work addiction, gambling, comfort food, blackberry emailing and comfort buying are all well documented. Society’s virtues and vices are all in the same boat here. All result in social and financial problems to varying degrees as the semi-conscious obsession causes those suffering from it to neglect their friends, spend money unwisely and generally stagnate or slide backwards in life. Internet addiction is nothing special in this regard.

All of us have an addiction to something. It could be a mysterious need to update our Facebook page everyday, reading comics, playing games or drinking coffee. Satisfying our addiction emerges us in a familiar, comfortable world where we can relax and take our mind off other worries. Having an addiction to these things is not inherently harmful.

The important thing is not to let our addiction consume our lives. Through discipline and moderation, we are able to afford these diversions while still maintaining a healthy, socially active and financial stable lifestyle. Such actions, going against the grain of our weaker selves, are what seperate us from what society calls the ‘addicts’. Instead, we get to call our addictions ‘likes’ and ‘hobbies’.

Note: This article is not intended to encourage the use of illegal drugs in any way. Heroin, cocaine and their like will destroy your body whether you master your addiction or not.

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