The COVID-19 outbreak introduced self-isolation and social distancing as measures to reduce the spreading of the pandemic. As a consequence, internet usage has increased globally. The current study aims to show whether internet worked as a resource for well-being or as an amplifier of psychological distress and problematic internet use (PIU), considering the role of gender, age, motives for using the internet and online/offline relational resources. Five hundred and seventy-three adult participants (M: 40.28; SD: 16.43; 64% women) completed a form on sociodemographic characteristics and Internet use, and completed standardized measures on loneliness, online social support, well-being and PIU. A principal component analysis was computed to identify the main motives Internet use; ANOVA and Pearson’s r correlations were computed to examine (dis)similarities in motivational components with respect to gender, agegroup and psychosocial measures. A multivariate multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the contribution of the hypothesized predictors on overall well-being and PIU.Three principal motives for Internet use were detected: leisure and social interaction, knowledge, learning/working. Significant differences were found among them with respect to gender and age group and online/offline relational resources. Differences were found in the likelihood of PIU and well-being related to all the variables considered, with the exception of online social support for PIU and gender and age for well-being. These findings call for further research aimed to disentangle the correlates of PIU in a time of physical distancing, as well as for innovative efforts tailored to blunt the impacts of social isolation and bolster social connectivity.