Losing control?

INTERNET: Imagine this situation. Either your computer crashes or your telecoms provider decides to shut down your service. Suddenly your internet connection is lost. Do you feel unhappy, impatient and even worried? Now there’s a name for your discomfort.

Stress that is caused by an inability to access the internet is called “discomgoogolation”. You may not be able to pronounce it, but you, too, may be a sufferer. “The proliferation of broadband has meant for the first time in history we’ve entered a culture of instant answers,” British neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis told Reuters news service. “When unable to get online, discomgoogolation takes over.”

The word combines “discombobulate”, which means to confuse or frustrate, with Google. Lewis says that when users are cut off from the internet, their heart rate and blood pressure rise and brain activity increase, all of which are signs of higher stress levels.

According to a recent poll by YouGov, 44 per cent of Britons say they suffer from feelings of anxiety when they are not able to go online, and 47 per cent say it is more important to people than religion. Three of four people even say they could no longer live without the internet.

• Take the internet addiction test (IAT)