“Between having a Blackberry, a laptop, a television, and an iPod, people have become unable to shed their media skin.”
University of Maryland student after giving up all media for one full day. The student also said “I clearly am addicted and the dependency is sickening.”
Researchers at the University of Maryland who asked 200 students to give up all media for one full day found that after 24 hours many showed signs of withdrawal, craving and anxiety along with an inability to function well without their media and social links. Susan Moeller, the study’s project director and a journalism professor at the university, said many students wrote about how they hated losing their media connections, which some equated to going without friends and family. Moeller said students complained most about their need to use text messages, instant messages, e-mail and Facebook. (Read the story here.)
Another student who participated blogged:
“Texting and IM-ing my friends gives me a constant feeling of comfort. When I did not have those two luxuries, I felt quite alone and secluded from my life.”
