Researchers find potential link between Internet use and depression in teens

Research from the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that depression in teenagers could be caused by increased use of the Internet, according to Reuters.

In the study, researchers surveyed 1,000 high school students about their daily Internet use and about their current mental well-being. They found that 8 percent of adolescents who were tested developed symptoms of depression. Experts said that teens who exhibited unhealthy online use were two times more likely to develop depression.

Excessive use of the Internet causes students' grades or school work to suffer as a result of the amount of time that they spend online, or when users develop a fear that life without the Internet would be boring and empty, according to Young's Internet Addiction Scale.

Furthermore, 6 percent of students studied were found to have moderate Internet use, while only 2 percent were identified as having a severe addiction to being online. Analysts suggest that excessive Internet use by teens could be an early warning sign for parents that their child might be suffering from depression.

Experts say that addiction often causes social and family lives to crumble, which leads to depression. Researchers found that as people become addicts, their behavior and thoughts focus solely on seeking and satisfying their need.

According to PBS, approximately 4 percent of teens develop serious depression each year.