Friday, February 20 08:10 am

A psychologist is urging people to get off Facebook and other social networking sites, and get a life instead.

Dr Aric Sigman says the amount of time we spend with each other has slumped dramatically and in turn is damaging our health.

He says our devotion to such sites could alter the way genes work, upset immune responses, hormone levels, and the function of arteries, and influence mental performance.

Levels of hormones such as the "cuddle chemical" oxytocin, which promotes bonding, altered according to whether people were in close contact or not.

This could increase the risk of health problems as serious as cancer, strokes, heart disease, and dementia.

Dr Sigman spells out his warning in the latest issue of Biologist, the journal of the Institute of Biology, and maintains that social networking sites have played a significant role in people becoming more isolated.

He said: "Social networking is the internet's biggest growth area, particular among young children.

"A quarter of British children have a laptop or computer in their room by the age of five and they have their own social networking sites, like the BBC's myCBBC. It's causing huge changes."

Dr Sigman said 209 "socially regulated" genes have been identified, including ones involved in the immune system, cell proliferation and responses to stress.

Electronic media is also undermining the ability of children and young people to learn vital social skills and read body language, he said.

Dr Sigman continued: "One of the most pronounced changes in the daily habits of British citizens is a reduction in the number of minutes per day that they interact with another human being.

"In less than two decades, the number of people saying there is no one with whom they discuss important matters nearly tripled.

"Parents spend less time with their children than they did only a decade ago. Britain has the lowest proportion of children in all of Europe who eat with their parents at the table. The proportion of people who work at home alone continues to rise.

"I am worried about where this is all leading. It's not that I'm old fashioned in terms of new technology, but the purpose of any new technology should be to provide a tool that enhances our lives.

"Social networking sites should allow us to embellish our social lives, but what we find is very different. The tail is wagging the dog. These are not tools that enhance, they are tools that displace."

Research suggests the number of hours people spend interacting face-to-face has fallen dramatically since 1987 as electronic media use increases.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090220/tuk-get-off-facebook-and-get-a-life-dba1618.html

he has a point. i mean the part about cancer sounds like a slippery slope to me, but what he's saying about excessive internet usage causing social/mental health problems is true. people may think he's full of it just because it hasn't happened to them or because they don't see the connection between the two, but it's there, it isn't just a theory. the science of psychology isn't always obvious.

Dr Aric Sigman says the amount of time we spend with each other has slumped dramatically and in turn is damaging our health.

He says our devotion to such sites could alter the way genes work, upset immune responses, hormone levels, and the function of arteries, and influence mental performance.

If he strongly believes this to be the case then he'll create a reality for himself in which this happens.

Seth, the spirit channelled by Jane Roberts, went into detail about how people create their realities with their thoughts, beliefs and emotions. If Dr Sigman continues to hold the belief that spending a lot of time on social networking sites will have adverse affects then he'll create circumstances that appear to support this in his reality.

If he changes his belief, though, he'll change his reality.

So what am I saying? I think it depends on someone's beliefs. If someone believes that spending time on a social networking site is affecting them negatively, then they'll attract this to them and it will. If they change this belief then it won't.

Everything in moderation, I say. :) As long as it's kept in good balance the time spent on Facebook and other discussion boards, I see no harm.

I've gone through most of my life without the internet and networking sites, but I wonder how computers, texting, and dependency on the gizmos we use now will affect youngsters (like my neices and nephew) who don't remember a time when these things weren't around.

I agree. I think people have to strike a balance between their online and offline life. When I first stopped working in 2001 and found SO, I was going through an incredibly difficult period in my life. I found that this place offered an escape as well as friendships with some really wonderful people. The problem began when this place started to replace friends and relatives. I'd find myself not answering my phone because I was posting. I'd write incredibly long e-mails, and just got too involved.

Also, I believe that the long hours I spent online contributed, in part, to my neck problem. The drama and stress didn't help either. I had problems in my neck since 1998, but I'd find that after marathon internet sessions, my neck would flare-up in pain. Time away from the computer would make it better. Then, in the summer of 1996, I had a flare-up, only this one didn't go away and has since become a major health problem. Enter the world of MRIs, doctors, specialists, injections, on and on. I'm certainly not blaming the web for my cervical spine (neck) issues, as I believe the losses I suffered are the main culprit. I feel that too much time on the web isn't healthy, from both a physical and mental standpoint. I don't spend hours online anymore, or do so very rarely.

I hope that just one person takes something away from my story and learns from my mistakes.

He's probably right, but it's not going to change my habits any. It's not like my online life interferes with my offline life, anyway. I strike a good balance. The internet is just a nice place for me to escape at the end of the day, or when I have nothing else to do. If I have the opportunity to hang out or whatever with people offline, it's not like I'm going to be, "Sure-oh, wait...no, I can't...I have a date with the internet." However, I do believe it can be very unhealthy if it does get to that point for some people. I will admit it keeps me up later at night because that's the time of day I go on.

What the hell are 5 year olds doing with laptops?? That's ridiculous.

Everybody I talk to on Facebook I talk to offline. And what I usually type about is what we did early in the day or are doing soon. If anything for me it makes me more connected. Beats talking on the phone.

Everything in moderation, I say. :) As long as it's kept in good balance the time spent on Facebook and other discussion boards, I see no harm.

I agree. Many people use their online time in moderation and they really don't hurt themselves. Many people use Facebook and MySpace as an extra way to communicate with loved ones who are far away which isn't a bad thing. I talk and visit my close friends and relatives a lot. Ocassionally I will send people close by comments on Facebook and MySpace. Social networking sites have helped reunite people who lost touch with friends and relatives. I joined MySpace in late 2005 and a few months after joining one of my friends from high school found me through the school listings. My friend's mom was really unstable and a few months after our freshman year in 2000 they suddenly moved to Florida and I lost contact with my friend for 6 years. I'm so glad we found each other. My boyfriend also reconnected with friends he had from his old middle school.

Like others have said, everything in moderation. There have been periods where my time on the computer was more than it should have been, but that was because I was avoiding chores I didn't want to do. Anyways, this is the only site I post on & I don't get too carried away anymore.

I totally agree with Janice. I don't know about the "younger" members here, but when I was going nuts back in 2004/2005 here and even now, my neck, shoulders and back just get killing me. I know I don't have great posture to begin with, but even after sorting out all the "ergonomic" stuff at my keyboard, etc., I find I have to take more and longer breaks away now.

When I'm working, I definitely have an "outside" life and still do now. But I do come here more often and especially when I'm not well. And heck - who knows about my tumour even....anything's possible I suppose. Afterall, there is a small amount of radiation from all computers.

My problem is that I have to use the computer to find a job too so I'm on it from the time I get up most of the day, with short breaks until the evening and then back on before bed. Night's like tonight when I didn't sleep a wink, I'm on it.

I do worry about the younger generation though who are growing up being on it a lot. There's too much to miss in face to face friendships.