The study found that more than half of respondents surveyed saw their behaviour change negatively when using social networking sites on a regular basis.
Spending too much time in front of a computer, comparing themselves to others, online confrontation and have trouble disconnecting were reasons found to cause anxiety.
45% of respondents who were not able to access their email or social networking accounts became worried or uncomfortable as a result.
60% of respondents said they have to switch off their technology devices in order to have a break. One in three reported switching their devices off several times a day.
"We were surprised by the high proportion of people who found that the only way to ensure a break from the demands of their devices was to switch them off, as they were not capable of simply ignoring them," said Nicky Lidbetter, Anxiety UK’s CEO.
Lidbetter pointed out that five years ago, using a phone or computer for social reasons would not have been prevalent as it today.
"If you are predisposed to anxiety it seems that the pressures from technology act as a tipping point, making people feel more insecure and more overwhelmed. These findings suggest that some may need to re-establish control over the technology they use, rather than being controlled by it."
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