The use of the internet has become essential to today’s world with the availability of all types of information found at the click of a computer mouse. For adolescents the internet can help with schoolwork, but it also provides a platform for communication and entertainment with the world. Because relationships, information and gaming are readily available, it is possible for adolescents to become addicted to the internet and what it offers. The desire to be connected to the internet can inhibit an adolescent’s social, school and personal life and the causes, symptoms, research, treatment and prevention of adolescent internet addiction are essential to understanding and treating the addiction.
The causes of adolescent internet addiction are outlined by a number of triggering factors. Help Guide (2008) outlines risk factors that can cause adolescents to become addicted to the internet. The first three factors are anxiety, depression and stress. The website states that adolescents may use the internet to distract themselves from the worries and fears that make them anxious and may also use the internet to escape from depression and stress which can further contribute to isolation and stress. The website also states that those who suffer from other addictions, lack of social support, unhappiness, becoming less mobile and socially active and stress can also contribute to the development of internet addiction in adolescents. Having other addictions such as gambling or alcohol are found in many adolescents who suffer from internet addiction. Having a lack of social support offline can cause adolescents to seek new relationships online in order to fulfill their social needs. This ties in with being unhappy and becoming more comforta...
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Grohol, J. (2012). Internet Addiction Guide. Psych Central. http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/
Help Guide. (n.d.). Internet Addiction. HelpGuide. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/internet_cybersex_addiction.htm
Pomerantz, J. (2008). When does Internet use become an addiction?. Drug Benefit Trends. http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA189047675&v=2.1&u=novaseu_main&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w
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Some participants say they use the internet the entire time they are awake. Tolerance is the increasing amount of a substance over time in order to achieve the desired effect meaning that subtle use was not enough. Craving is another symptom seen but not assessed in the DSM-5. Participants report craving internet use especially when the see that internet access is available to them. Loss of interest in other hobbies or activities was another sign seen in activities such as reduced either academic or project work, reduced socialization with friends and family, and reduced exercise because of the use of internet. The use of the internet in order to escape or relieve a negative mood was also observed among the participants, internet use is used as a distraction. The last symptom observed by the study was the “lying about the use”, individuals would lie to their family, friends, and therapist in order to conceal the extent of their involvement with the
According to Internet Live Stats, 40% of the world’s population has access to the internet today. In 1995, this number was less than 1%. The first billion was reached in 2005, the second billion in 2010, and the third billion in 2014. With these overwhelming numbers, it can be presumed that having access to the Internet has never been so easy. In fact, we are so conditioned to this technology that most of our tasks depend on it to be done. Nowadays, most of the school work is done online and when looking for a job a lot of times it is required to be computer savvy. Of course the internet is not all bad, but becoming so dependent on this can surely have severe consequences. CNN released an article evaluating internet addiction. According to this article, “A 2014 study determined that about 16% of 18- to 25-year-olds are involved in compulsive Internet use” (CNN, Adair). Psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair further explains:
Addiction to the internet has negatively affected psychosocial aspects of teens and young adults. This addiction causes teens and young adults to prefer social media outlets over normal face-to-face conversation. High use of the internet has also led to the development of social disorders that may affect one’s ability to interact properly with peers. Anti-social behavior is also a prevailing issue in teens addicted to the internet. Social media can also affect teens ability to empathize and connect with issues in politics and society.
In Greg Beato’s article “Internet Addiction” originally published in august, september 2010 in to Reason magazine he argues that internet addiction is a problem in our society today. Internet addiction should be reported in the Diagnostic and statistic manual of mental disorder (DSM). It is a huge problem, he also says that internet is like narcotic drugs and very addicting. He states that if ones use Google for few minutes only it leads us to spend more than a few minutes on the internet and it turns in to spending hours. Beato refers that University of Maryland did a group study for 24 hour and all the students went crazy without their phones and iPods, one girl admitted that she is an addict. The students were anxious and miserable. He also says that one kid killed his parents because they took away his Xbox. Internet also leads to death of people, therefore it is a problem and we should put it on to the DSM.
Morrison, C., & Gore, H. (2010). Relationship between excessive internet use and depression: A questionnaire-based study of 1,319 young people and adults. Psychopathology, 43(2), 121-126.
Psychiatric disorders may predict Internet addiction in teens. (2009). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 21(39), 4-5.
Abstract— This research examines three questions: Does Internet addiction really exist? If it does exist what criteria does one have to meet for them to be labeled as an Internet addict? And lastly an ethical evaluation of Internet addiction. The questions are explored by investigating the fundamentals of addiction (i.e., Compulsion, Obsession, living problems, lack of satisfaction) and then correlating them to excessive Internet use. This research concludes that whilst the concept of Internet addiction cannot be completely ruled out, the majority and most probable explanation when it comes to Internet addiction is that the Internet is being as a medium to engage in different types of addictions.
Smahel, D., Brown, B. B., & Blinka, L. (2012). Associations between online friendship and internet addiction among adolescents and emerging adults. Developmental Psychology, 48(2), 381-388.
Becoming addicted to social media can be very unhealthy for teens. Addiction can cause teens to get disorders, become bipolar, or change their personality. Dr. Jim Taylor, in his article, “The Bad, the Ugly, and the Good of Children’s Use of Social Media,” states that,” Internet addiction scored higher for obsessive-compulsive behavior, depression, generalized and social anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, introversion, and other maladaptive behaviors”(1). Therefore addiction can cause many disorders. Also, becoming addicted to social media can be time consuming and get in the way of important thing. Another consequence of bec...
While on the Internet, it is probable that one will get carried away and lose track of time. Since being on the Internet is so time consuming, it is possible for anyone to get addicted. Any parent that values his child’s mental and physical well being should avoid this.
In this generation, everyone, mostly young adults, are glued to technology. We see people walking around, looking at the ground as if they have a ball and chain dangling from their necks. We see people sitting on their chairs and looking at their computer screens long enough for their backs to hurt and their eyes water from the bright screen. People addicted to the Internet are those who pay attention to a virtual world more than their own lives. Internet addiction has corrupted people’s social lives, prevented their maturation, and induced negative behaviors. In “Internet Addiction,” Greg Beato expresses how the Internet has corrupted lives and should be added to the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Behaviors.” If we continue our
In more severe cases, users often lose complete desire for person to person interaction, causing a gradual descent in necessary social skills most often furnished by extracurricular activities ranging from book clubs to marching band. Teenagers are the largest group affected by internet addiction. Often the targets of bullying and group think, teenagers see the greatest decline in social skills. Some teens cope with feelings of uselessness and the disapproval of their peers by forging internet relationships with like-minded people countries away and creating outlets for creativity through music, design or fashion. When used conceptually, the internet is a great resource for a wealth of information right at your fingertips, and also a place that provides safe harbor for the individual. Even so, a number of internet addiction cases still have a majority of teens refusing to cope with the reality of the world we live in and they find themselves perpetuating a vicious cycle. Wilderness Therapy
Our society is becoming more technology advanced every day. It seems like new flips and gadgets are coming out every month. The latest phone is being updated, new software is available for download and we all have the urge to poses it. It's safe to say that technology and the use of the internet is becoming more and more widely spread throughout our world today, but being attached to the internet can have negative side effects and be harmful to ourselves. That's where the word "internet addiction" comes in. Internet addiction is a slightly growing problem that’s becoming a huge issue in our world today. Internet addiction can cause people to lose sight of focus and affect their work productivity. The internet is easily available in many countries especially since Internet connectivity speed is increasing and access is rising as well. Some of the websites that cause people to be attached to the internet are social media, gaming, porn, internet surfing, gambling and a few more. If we use the internet wisely, it will benefit us as opposed to harming us in the long run.
The internet is an essential tool in everyday life. The age of a person does not matter, because whether they are a teen, an adult, or an elderly person in order to stay in contact with others they will need the internet. However, the internet is dangerously addictive. Some studies say that the internet is not the addiction, but the means of getting to the addiction. The more believable of the two studies are the ones that discuss the internet being the addiction. Curtis stated in 2012 that reports on the brain are showing that people who excessively use the internet show abnormalities similar to people who suffer from substance addiction. Curtis also stated that internet addiction was becoming
Internet addiction is a growing problem with more and more people. The internet is much more accessible to people now than it was just a few years ago. The internet provides people with entertainment, loads of information, and an escape from everyday life, but like anything else, too much a good thing can be addictive. This paper will cover what internet addiction is, warning signs of internet addiction, problems caused by internet addiction, who develops internet addiction, preventing and treating internet addiction, and safety guidelines for internet users.