Social Network Addiction may Adversely Affect Health

A new study published in the journal Psychological Studies once again warned of social networking addiction and suggested that social networks may be as addictive as a cigarette or alcohol. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago who fitted over 250 people with devices that logged a participant’s every day desires and found that while sleep and sex were the two things that participants thought during the day, the need to log on to their Facebook or Twitter accounts was also constant.

The researchers found that the desire for “traditional” addictions such as alcohol or cigarettes were low when compared to the need to check their social network accounts.

Lead researcher Dr Wilhelm Hofmann said that the ability to exercise willpower became diminished as the day wore on. “As a day wears on, willpower becomes lower and self-control efforts are more likely to fail”, he said.

Source-Medindia