The Internet and My Health

Too much of any good thing is said to still be bad.  The internet is no exception to this rule.  Although new, advancing technology is present to make our lives simpler, faster and more efficient, they do not fail at creating their own share of problems.  On that note there are a great deal of conflicting studies on the web based on whether the use of the internet has a positive or negative effect on well-being.  However, a meta-analysis published in November 2009 by Chiungjung Huang worked to compartmentalize many of these conflicting studies and has found that there is only a minimally negative effect on personal well being (Huang).   But even within this study there were short comings, including the fact that the purpose of the internet use, the gender of the participant etc.

With those short comings in mind, come in to play a report by researchers from the year 2010, upon which an article can be found in Time magazine stating that their is a positive link between internet use and well-being, namely in certain groups - including women.  No positive reasoning can be placed on why this occurs, but it is theorized that perhaps this is due to the fact that women tend to be the center of their family's social network, and online they are able to more easily connect with those family members and maintain ties, and organize their lives.  Possible.

But as said before, "too much of a good thing....", through the use of the internet it could be very easily to become overly dependent on impersonal ties to people rather than face-to-fave, or voice-to-voice which diminishes social skills in the "real world".  Let's just remember to keep a healthy balance ladies and gents.  Every once in a while lets close Facebook and walk across the street to see Sally.  It's good for you, and I'm sure it'll make you happy too.


Huang, Chiungjung. "Internet Use and Psychological Well-being: A Meta-Analysis."CYBERPSYCHOLOGY & BEHAVIOR. 12.0 (2009): 1-9. Print.

Kelly, Tara. "Is the Internet the Secret to Happiness? ." TIME05/14/2010: n. pag. Web. 20 Sep 2010. <http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1989244,00.html>.