CONTACT US
Find out why a third of people feel anxious if they can't connect to the internet
People are so addicted to technology that a third feel anxious if they are unable to log on or use their mobile phone, according to a new survey.
The poll for Virgin Media found a third of people (35%) felt stressed about not being able to contact their family immediately.
One in three (31%) were most anxious about not being able to work online and more than a quarter (27%) said they were most concerned with not being able to communicate with friends.
Not being able to access online maps (25%), dating sites (21%) or shop for the best deals (15%) was also said to cause stress if technology was not accessible.
Switch on to switch off
Mark Schweitzer, chief operating officer at Virgin Media, said: "An 'always on' lifestyle may not be for everyone but the report highlights that there is a significant number of people for whom always being connected actually increases peace of mind."
Two-thirds of those surveyed said they felt more relaxed when they had immediate mobile or internet access available, a group dubbed Sosos - switch on to switch off.
The report, commissioned by Virgin Media and completed by trend analysts and ethnographic researchers at The Future Laboratory, found a large percentage of stay-at-home parents were Sosos.
Almost half (48%) said being connected at all times relaxed them and one in seven (13%) said they used online parenting forums.
Siobhan Freegard, co-founder of online parenting network Netmums, said: "Particularly for new mums, you are confined to the house for quite long periods, and it really is a link to the outside world.
"It's about reconnecting and more mums are using the internet to bring the community together and, in doing so, switching on to switch off, or feel less anxious."
