Do you find yourself obsessively checking your e-mail late at night or switching rapidly between Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Spotify? It could be a sign of depression.
A recent study conducted by associates at the Missouri University of Science and Technology found a strong correlation between internet habits and depression in college students.
The researchers of the study observed the web surfing habits, such as downloads, time spent online, and file sharing, of 216 undergraduate students at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Thirty percent of the students surveyed had depression (the national average is between 10% and 40%).
According to a Mashable article, the study found that depressed students are connected to the Internet more frequently than healthy students. They are also more prone to excessive online gaming and share more content (such as music, photos, and videos) online. Depressed students were found to excessively check their e-mail, switch between internet applications more frequently, and spent a lot of time online late at night. Many depressed subjects spent a lot of time in internet chat rooms “to overcome their feelings of isolation.”
The study’s researchers say the results could be used to develop software for cell phones and computers that could track students’ internet usage and warn counselors and parents if depressive behavior is suspected.