Social Networking Makes People Anxious: Study

A study carried out by the University of Salford on social networking sites reveals how services such as Facebook andTwitter can make users feel anxious and inadequate. Results from a poll conducted with 298 participants show that more than 50% have seen behaviour changes in themselves for the worse. Of the 53% participants who reported a change in their attitude, 51% found the impact to be negative.

The cause attributed by most people was that their confidence took a beating because they were constantly comparing their achievements with their friends online. Moreover, two-thirds of the pool found it hard to relax or sleep soundly after networking online, while one-fourth revealed that they had been left facing issues in their relationships or workplace after online face-offs. In an indication as to how addictive these services can be, 55% of people also said that they experienced discomfort when their Facebook or email accounts could not be accessed. What's worse, over 60% users needed to physically turn off their gadgets in order to take a break from networking online, since they were unable to ignore their beeping devices whenever somebody posted an update.

Do you too find it difficult to switch off completely from your social networking profile? if you're concerned that your behaviour can be classified into the "FB junkie" category, use the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale to rate yourself, and seek help if you end up with a high score.