Suffer from discomgoogolation?
2008-09-01 14:55
John Joseph
London - Feeling stressed or anxious at an
inability to access the internet? Don't worry, you're not alone
and now there's a word for it: "discomgoogolation".
Nearly half of Britons - 44% - are
discomgoogolation sufferers, according to a survey, with over a
quarter - 27% - admitting to rising stress levels when
they are unable to go online.
"The proliferation of broadband has meant for the first time
in history we've entered a culture of 'instant answers,'" said
psychologist Dr David Lewis, who identified discomgoogolation by
measuring heart rates and brainwave activity.
The term comes from "discombobulate", which means to confuse
or frustrate, and Google.
"A galaxy of information is just a mouse click away and we
have become addicted to the web," added Lewis. "When unable to
get online, discomgoogolation takes over.
Can not live without internet
"It was surprising to see the stress this led to brain
activity and blood pressure in participants both increase in
response to being cut off from the internet."
The survey also found 76% of Britons could not live
without the internet, with over half of the population using the
web between one and four hours a day and 19% of people
spending more time online than with their family in a week.
Forty-seven percent of those polled believed the internet
was more important in people's lives than religion, with one in
five people paying the internet more attention than their
partner.
Commissioned by information service 118118, the YouGov poll
questioned 2 100 Britons during the first week of July.
- Reuters