Internet Addiction May Increase Risk of Suicidality, Meta-Analysis Finds

People with internet addiction appear to be at a higher risk of suicidal behaviors than those with healthy internet use, according to ameta-analysis in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.“We suggest screening individuals with internet addiction for the risk of suicide even if they do not have depression, as other factors may increase the risk of suicide in those with internet addiction,” Yu-Shian Cheng, M.D., of Tsyr-Huey Mental Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and colleagues wrot e.While internet addiction disorder is not included as a formal diagnosis inDSM-5, the consequences of pathological internet use continue to attract increasing attention, according to the study authors. (Internet gaming disorder —the persistent and recurrent use of the internet to engage in games, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress—is listed as a condition for further study inDSM-5.) Several studies have suggested that internet addiction is associated with higher rates of suicidal behaviors, but whether this association is driven by other factors, such as depression, remains unclear.To examine the strength of the association between suicidality and internet addiction, as well as the influence of other suicide risk factors, Cheng and colleagues performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies that investigated the association between internet addiction and suicidality. A total of 23 cross-sectional studies (n = 270,596) and two prospective studies (...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: AJP Residents ’ Journal depression internet addiction internet gaming disorder Journal of Clinical Psychiatry suicide suicide attempts suicide ideation Yu-Shian Cheng Source Type: research