This routine made the person feel “jealous and envious and more inadequate,” Wagner said.

“Students think, ‘Everyone is getting messages and updates,’” said Wagner. “If I am not, then what’s wrong with me?”

Ellie Harmon, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of California in Irvine, said she found that children who posted Instagram pictures would often delete them after several hours if they did not receive enough “likes.” She described one father who immediately “liked” his daughter’s newly posted pictures so she would not be disappointed by the possible lack of feedback.

Always being available can be personally disruptive, according to Harmon.

“When you are at a dinner with friends or on the way to a movie, and you get a message that takes you out of whatever situation you are in, you must deal with [it],” Harmon said.

Because online communication is constantly available, students can feel compelled to check postings frequently for fear of missing out on a communication or invitation, Harmon said.

According to Harmon, school and work can also demand that people stay in touch, making it hard for people to disconnect entirely. She described a situation in which a woman who responded to a customer’s email over the weekend was able to complete a sale because she responded first.

Harmon said people also feel obliged to respond promptly to avoid letting down friends.

According to Harmon, the desire to be responsive creates a dilemma.

“It’s hard for me to keep in touch with everyone I’m close to, and posting is a way we can see what’s going on in everyone’s life,” said Harmon. “However, we cannot maintain 200 relationships, and therefore have to cut ties with some people.”

Wagner said teenagers can be particularly susceptible to online stress because they need to have self-esteem and popularity reinforced. Teenagers are eager for quick gratification, so the lack of immediate responses to their postings and texts can be perceived negatively.

According to Harmon, the nature of this stress is not just anxiety.

“The obligation of [staying up to date] is not necessarily an anxiety,” said Harmon. “People can feel overwhelmed or overloaded.”

A person’s support network can affect how that person reacts to electronic communication, said Wagner.

“People who have less of a support network are more vulnerable to the negative emotional impact of online communication,” Wagner said.