A new report by Fix Britain’s Internet campaign claims that four million people in the UK have experienced anxiety and stress over slow or erratic broadband connections. Some even say that they have lashed out or been awash in tears over the experience. Fix Britain’s Internet, a joint program between several service providers and the Federation of Communication Services, based the study on a survey of 2000 adults in late July 2016.
The reports implies that prolonged periods of broadband-caused tension could affect one’s long-term mental well-being. “The tortoise-like speed of a poor broadband connection doesn’t just a waste our time, it can also be detrimental to our physical and mental health,” said neuropsychologist David Lewis. He went on to cite his own lab’s research, which found that slow internet connections can cause increased blood pressure and heart rate and even inspire incidents of “computer rage.”
