People who use the internet excessively may have more health problems read more at here www.spinonews.com/index.php/item/910-people-who-use-the-internet-excessively-may-have-more-health-problems

A new survey of internet users suggests that people who use the internet excessively may have more mental health problems.

Researchers evaluated internet addiction using the Internet Addiction Test, as well as newer scale of their own design, based on updated addiction criteria.

The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) is the standard test used to measure excessive reliance on the internet. "The IAT was developed in 1998, prior to the widespread use of smartphone technology. In addition, internet use has changed radically over the last 18 years, through more people working online, media streaming, social media, etc.

Professor Van Ameringen's group, from McMaster University in Canada, surveyed 254 students and correlated internet use with general mental health and wellbeing.

According to the Internet Addiction Test, 33 students met screening criteria for internet addiction, and 107 students met criteria for problematic internet use using the new screening tool.

The team also tests to see how the internet addicts compared to the others in the survey on areas such as symptoms of depression and anxiety, impulsiveness, inattention and executive functioning.

The ECNP Child and adolescent disorders treatment Scientific Advisory Panel said, Excessive use of the internet is an understudied phenomenon that may disguise mild or severe psychopathology. Excessive use of the internet may be strongly linked to compulsive behavior and addiction.