Facebook Said To Pose 'Mental Risks' To Teens

London, England (AHN) - Teens who are hooking up with the rising social networking sites face potential dangers, according to a psychiatrist.

Psychiatrist Dr. Himanshu Tyagi said that Facebook and MySpace could be dangerous. In the annual meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, he said that people who have active online activities are possibly giving less attention to their real lives.

Their involvement in social networking might even add up to the risks of hasty actions and suicide, Tyagi said.

According to Tyagi, people born after 1990 thrive in a world that's dependent on internet use. He warned that psychiatrists are not fully equipped to help youngsters with problems concerning the internet.

Though social networking has its benefits, it also has its downsides, he maintained. Social networking sites are "unstimulating" in a sense that people can easily get rid of relationships with just a click on the mouse. People who are not happy with who they are can make a different identity online.

Psychologist Graham Jones believes that the risks imposed by social networking sites have been exaggerated.

He believes that people who are active in Facebook or Bebo have healthy social interactions and social networking is just an extension of their social lives.