Facebook, Twitter leads to low confidence

A recent poll has revealed that social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can make people feel anxious and low-confident.

The poll also suggested that due to these social networking sites the users show altered behavior, particularly suffering from a negative impact from social media. Two-thirds of the participants of the poll accepted that they were unable to relax or to doze off after spending time on the sites.

Moreover, one quarter of those polled told that they are facing difficulties in their relationships or in their workplace after being acquainted online, the Telegraph reported.

The poll was conducted by Salford Business School at the University of Salford, for the charity Anxiety UK in which a total number of 298 people participated. Out of the total poll, 53 percent said their life and behavior has change after the launch of these social networking sites and 51 percent has claimed the effect to be negative.

The research also showed the addictive effects of internet, with 55 percent of people saying they felt "worried or uncomfortable" if they did not get access to their Facebook or e-mail accounts.

In addition to that, More than 60 percent of people confirmed that they feel compelled to turn off electronic gadgets in order to have a break, with one in three of those surveyed saying they switched the devices off several times each day.

The findings regarding the behavioral changes after accessing social networking sites is a result of a smaller in-depth research that was then carried out by Anxiety UK.

Nicky Lidbetter, the charity's chief executive said: "If you are predisposed to anxiety it seems that the pressures from technology act as a tipping point, making people feel more insecure and more overwhelmed."

Linda Blair, a clinical psychologist said many people suffered increased anxiety as a result of their failure to take charge of the demands being placed on them. She said: "I think one of the key things is that people have begun to behave as though technology is in control of them, instead of the other way round. We can switch the gadgets off but a lot of us have forgotten how to."

(With Inputs from IANS)