In today’s world, internet use is becoming more and more common and is becoming the main form of communication. As internet use is rising so is mental illness. In a time where internet use is at an all-time high, research shows, in no uncertain terms, a clear connection between internet use and mental illness. In the article “The internet and social life” by John Bargh and Katelyn McKenna bring forth evidence that there is a correlation between internet use and mental illness steadily rising together.
In “The internet and social life” Bargh and McKenna declares that internet use is increasing at a rapid rate. The internet “bridges great distances and reaches a mass audience” (Bargh and McKenna) which is why so many people are now using it. There were “73 million people in the world using the internet in 1996” and there were “3.2 billion people in the world using the internet in 2015” (Murphy and Roser) which increased approximately 3.1 billion people in 19 years. The internet use by young adults went up from “75% in 2000 to 99% in 2016” (Murphy and Roser) which young adults are the ones mostly using the internet. As there is a rapid rise in internet use there is also damage being done to mental health.
In “The internet and social life” Bargh and McKenna suggest that the prevalence of mental illness is on the rise. In the U.S there have been a few community-based studies that show the prevalence of mental illnesses in adults “rose from 3.33% to 7.06% between 1991–92 and 2001–0” (Hidaka) which is approximately a 4% increase in 10 years. The prevalence of mental illness in young adults rose from “8.5% in 2011 to 11.1% in 2014” (Mental Health America) which is approximately a 3% increase in only 3 years. The rate at which young adult’s prevalence of mental illness is rising is alarming. As time goes by our internet use and our mental illnesses are increasing.
Internet use and mental illness are both rising at a startling rate. The over use of “internet communication shows that the reduction of social cues, compared to richer face-to-face situations, must necessarily have negative effects on social interaction” (Bargh and McKenna) which can lead anxiety due to not knowing how to react in face-to-face social interactions. This can also lead to depression due to not missing out on social cues and not making friends in real life. “Internet use leads to negative outcomes for the individual user, such as increases in depression and loneliness, and neglect of existing close relationships” (Bargh and McKenna) due to being on the internet. As internet use is rising, social media is being used more often which “Teens who use Facebook more often show more narcissistic tendencies” (Rosen) which are causing symptoms of mental illness which lead to a diagnosis. Research shows that “Young adults who have a strong presence on the internet show more signs of other psychological disorders, including antisocial behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies” (Rosen) as “majority of internet users are teenagers or early twenties” (Murphy and Roser) which shows the correlation of the internet use rising which means more young adults using the internet. In young adults, the internet use can be seen to cause mental illness.
Mental illness and internet has been increasing rapidly over the last 20 years. Internet use can lead to symptoms of a mental illness. The rise in mental illness is alarming as it can be a rise in deaths by suicide or homicide. The correlation in the article “The internet and social life” by John Bargh and Katelyn McKenna is seen through the data of internet use and through the date of mental illness.
- Bargh, John A., and Katelyn Y.A. McKenna. “The Internet and social life.” Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 55, 2004, p. 573+. Academic OneFile, ezproxy.aacc.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=aacc_ref&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA114167290&it=r&asid=76fc18099ad55a33990e80d412bd6998. Accessed 8 May 2017.
- Rosen, Larry D. “Social Networking’s Good and Bad Impacts on Kids.” American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association, 6 Aug. 2011. Web. 08 May 2017.
- Murphy, Julia, and Max Roser. “Internet.” Our World In Data. Our World In Data, n.d. Web. 08 May 2017.
- “The State of Mental Health in America.” Mental Health America. Mental Health America, 31 Oct. 2016. Web. 08 May 2017.
- Hidaka, Brandon H. “Depression as a Disease of Modernity: Explanations for Increasing Prevalence.” Journal of Affective Disorders. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 12 Jan. 2012. Web. 08 May 2017.
