Brits getting discomgoogolated

A new disorder has been diagnosed, and nearly half of Britons are suffering from it - discomgoogolation.

That is the name which has been given to the stress or anxiety that a person feels because of an inability to access the internet, and 44 per cent of people in the UK are apparently sufferers, according to a YouGov survey.

It was also revealed that over a quarter (27 per cent) even admit to rising stress levels when they can't get their online fix, and broadband has been blamed.

"The proliferation of broadband has meant for the first time in history we've entered a culture of 'instant answers,'" said Dr David Lewis, the psychologist who worked on the study and discovered discomgoogolation by measuring heart rates and brainwave activity.

"A galaxy of information is just a mouse click away and we have become addicted to the web," added Dr Lewis.

"When unable to get online, discomgoogolation takes over.

"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 word comes from "discombobulate", meaning to confuse or frustrate, and Google.

Posted on: 2008-09-03, in: Broadband

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