Mental Health Perspectives

Featuring Dr. John Huber & Kristin Walker

he time we spend online may seem like harmless fun. But for those with an “internet addiction,” ending an online session may cause measurable increases in heart rate and blood pressure that mimic what addicts experience during withdrawal.

Scientists from Swansea University and Milan University had previously studied anxiety levels in people who overuse the internet. This time, they set out to determine what happens to people physically when they have an unhealthy attachment to their online time.

Struggling to disconnect? A new study finds that people with internet addiction suffer common withdrawal symptoms when they can’t log back on.

“We have known for some time that people who are over-dependent on digital devices report feelings of anxiety when they are stopped from using them,” explains Professor Phil Reed of Swansea University and the study’s lead author. “But now we can see that these psychological effects are accompanied by actual physiological changes.”

A cross-section of typical internet users — men and women ranging in age from 18 to 33 years of age — participated in the study. Most of the 144 individuals used the internet an average of five hours a day and spent the majority of that time on social media and shopping. Their heart rate and blood pressure were checked before and after a short online session.

Participants assessed their own anxiety and level of internet addiction. Those who admitted to spending too much time online (40%) had higher heart rates and blood pressure — and a matching anxiety level — following the end of the internet session.