Researchers Find Internet Overuse Leads To Mental Problems

Are you hooked to the internet all the time? Then there is some bad news for you.

A recent research conducted by scientists of Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN) along with doctors from AIIMS and neurobiologists, New Delhi have found that overuse of internet leads to neuro-cognitive dysfunctions and long-term behavioural problems.

Following a seven month long research, the study was recently published in the international journal - Current Psychiatry Reviews.

"Today people are spending a lot of time online seeking sensible information, and responding to updates and feedbacks. The neural networks of brain assigned to cognitive functions, get constantly irritated by incoming information and evoke mental reactions. The individual, as a result, becomes vulnerable to many neuropsychiatric dysfunctions" said Dr Muneeb Faiq, Clinical Neurobiologist and Co-Author of the Research Paper, AIIMS.

According to the study, internet overuse indeed has addictive influences, and its accumulating effects may lead to stress manifesting as neurocognitive dysfunction.

The research is based on empirical analysis of peer reviewed literature and explains the representative signs and symptoms, brain regions involved and plausible mechanism of consequent neurocognitive dysfunctions due to internet overuse.

Irritation, anxiety and obsessive compulsion were few of the neuropsychiatric dysfunctions that were manifested among the people during the study.

Meanwhile, the researchers also expressed their apprehension that if the problem goes beyond geographical boundaries and, if ignored, may mushroom as a "Disease of Human Civilization".