Teen net addiction linked to depression

INTERNET addiction could be making some teenagers depressed and anxious, research suggests.

Scientists investigated links between excessive internet use and mental health problems in more than 1,000 Chinese teenagers with an average age of 15. They suggest screening children at school to identify at-risk individuals who might benefit from treatment.

Study participants were asked questions designed to spot signs of anxiety and depression that are known to accompany addiction behaviour. They included the question: “How often do you feel depressed, moody or nervous when you are offline, which goes away once you are back online?”