Information Withdrawal Syndrome
Turning off mobile phones and avoiding the Internet can leave people suffering from symptoms similar to those seen in drug addicts trying to go cold turkey, researchers have found.
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The scientists asked volunteers to stay away from all emails, text messages, Facebook and Twitter updates for 24 hours. They found that the participants began to develop symptoms typically seen in smokers attempting to give up. Some of those taking part said they felt like they were undergoing “cold turkey” to break a hard drug habit, while others said it felt like going on a diet. The condition is now being described as Information Deprivation Disorder. Dr Roman Gerodimos, a lecturer in communication who led the UK section of the international study, said: “We were not just seeing psychological symptoms, but also physical symptoms.”
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