Family Life

07.25.11 | Sarah Harnisch

A new study shows that people say unplugging from the Internet, their Blackberrys, and smart phones is as hard as quitting smoking or drinking. Of the 1,000 volunteers studied, researchers found that 53% felt upset when denied access to the Internet and 40% felt lonely. They also found that people experience these feelings even if they are unable to be online for even a short time, such as 24 hours. Scientists reported the volunteers told of physiological and physical symptoms comparable to addicts trying to quit smoking or drugs, such as feeling fidgety, anxious and isolated, and even reaching out for their mobile phone, which was no longer there.