Perceived Social Support

PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT AND INTERNET ADDICTION

Social support refers to the various ways in which we can help each other. It plays an important and positive role in positive health and well being of the individual. Social support is something which can be material and instrumental. It can be received from everywhere be it emotionally, financially or economically. Generally it protects the person from all stressful situations. The most common sources of social support for children are family members, peers and teachers. The social support is more complex among adolescents. As the children grew, for them their friends play more important roles than their families. Those who receive more social support in their lives are much more positive and

Internet provides them with a kind of support and conformity which they do not get from the people around them. Individuals time on internet increases due to which their social relationships are affected. This is basically when individuals do not get that adequate amount of support from their families and friends so they engage themselves into the virtual relationships.

Perceived Social Support is the kind of social support individuals believe to be available regardless that the support is actually available for the individual. It is much more important for individuals as it helps in improving health and well being. Especially it helps individual cope with stress. It also helps individual lighten emotional and psychological responses such as anxiety and depression. It also helps alter an individual’s behaviour while bringing more positivity to do things in

To continue making strong bonds with peers it is very important to stay connected with them and to be connected internet comes handy for each and every individual. Internet these days have become a fundamental need for everyone. Due to easy access to internet, every individual feels connected to the thousands of friends of the virtual world. Peer relationship is correlated to the enhancement of the individual’s self esteem. It is also related to a person’s physical and psychological well being. For adolescents, their peers have become much more important than their families. In a study by Gross (2004) it was found adolescents stay online to get in touch with their peers. Moreover it was found that they were more interested in talking to their friends living nearby rather than making new friends online or doing something related to