Web-Addicted Chinese Teens Prone to Depression

The pathological use of the Internet can trigger depression in teens, according to a new study that tracked more than 1,000 Chinese youths to determine how their relationship to the Web affected their mental health.With teens' lives increasingly playing out online -- from socialization to schoolwork -- it's no surprise that many spend hours a week surfing the Internet. But research has already indicated that some teens are at risk of compulsive overuse and dependency. Anywhere from 2 to 18 percent of teens are estimated to be addicted to the Web, with higher rates in Eastern countries.

Internet addiction is usually characterized by an inability to cut back on Internet usage, a fixation with the Web that affects day-to-day activities and withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and irritability. The condition has also already been linked to mental health problems. A study of Taiwanese teens, published last year in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, found that Internet-addicted participants were more likely to exhibit symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression, as well as suffer from anxiety and hostility.