By Carys Matthews

A recent study by Leeds University has revealed that obsessive internet usage can be linked to depression and may have a darker side.  

 According to the latest statistics by the Internet World Stats the number of people in the World who surf the net regularly has risen to 1,733,933,741 people - over a quarter of the world's population.  

 A team from Leeds University conducted an online survey of 1,319 people to find out their internet habits.

Lead author of the Leeds University study Dr Catriona Morrison said: "The internet now plays a huge part in modern life, but its benefits are accompanied by a darker side."  

Our lives now revolve daily internet use - whether for work, managing bills and bank accounts, or for leisure activities such as shopping and socialising.  

While the internet has made mundane tasks easier and vastly accelerated the speed we can communicate, for some users it has become an addiction and has a potentially darker side for those who obsessively use it.  

However, for many users the internet offers the chance to interact with others on a social level in a way that isn't always possible in the real world. Online dating and social networking sites such as Facebook have revolutionised how we communicate with each other.

Dr Morrison said: "Our research indicates that excessive internet use is associated with depression, but what we don't know is which comes first - adepressed people drawn to the internet or does the internet cause depression?"