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Technology has improved communication
Technology has improved communication
Online addictionin young adults
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Introduction
According to Addictions.com, the advancement in communications’ technology has generated another level of diagnosable addiction, Internet addiction (“What is Internet Addiction?”). As stated in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Internet addiction is caused by excessive computer use and Internet access, leading to irregularity in behaviour (Weinstein and Lejoyeux 277). Examples of websites that users are mostly addicted to include online gaming, chat rooms and social media sites.
This topic of interest is important and captivating to most, since the Internet has become an integral part in many people’s daily lives. A survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project shows that as of September 2013, 86% of American adults use the Internet, up from 14% in 1995 (“ Pew Internet and American Life Project”).
The term ‘addiction’ has previously only been used for drugs, smoking and alcohol. Due to this, many do not know what exactly is considered an ‘addiction’ to the Internet, why and who are the people that get ‘addicted’ and what are the effects on their lives. Hence, this is what we will be exploring more on in our literature review.
Literature Review
Causes of Internet Addiction
One can get addicted to the Internet if they are previously addicted to other substances or activities, for example, an addiction with drugs or alcohol. Most people use the Internet as a way to “self-medicate” themselves from feelings of isolation or stress, similar to how people who are addicted to alcohol and drugs would do (Tracy 5).
On the other hand, some use this virtual world to meet with real people through the Internet, as another form of human connection, maybe because they do not have relationships in reali...
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...e surveys have shown that more Internet addicts are men. It is very known that teenagers make up most of the Internet addicts due to the advancement in technology in our generation. Even so, the older demographic are slowly becoming more Internet savvy, leading to the increase in Internet addicts for adults.
There are many effects when it comes to the obsessive use of the Internet such as affecting one’s health, mental well-being and even their relationships with others. This shows that Internet addiction not only affects one adversely, but everyone else around the user as well.
With more research being done, we can keep pace with this evolvement of the Internet rather than being overwhelmed with it (Chou et al. 368). Finally, although most of these studies are not done in local situations, it will help us craft appropriate survey questions for our questionnaire.
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
In his article “internet addiction”, published in 2010 by Reason Magazine, Greg Beato tries to show how internet addiction, an excessive behavior brought up by the psychiatrist Ivan Gilbert, is an important issue for the society and why it should be considered as a behavior disorder. He supports his thesis by using a lot of evidence such as graphics, statistics, and researches. Although, Beato’s arguments about the causes of internet addiction and the reasons why it should add to the DSM are mostly true, some of his observations on the future are pessimistic.
Some people say that Internet Addiction is only an issue of self-control, maturity, and self-discipline. Not a real problem. Clinical studies also proved that being addicted to the internet is only for self-control, self-discipline and more, “ Psychologist are reluctant to classify internet addiction in and of itself as a real mental disorder. ‘Internet Addicts’ are addicted to specific activities involving the internet like online gambling.” (David Price) This evidence shows that it's not a real addiction but a real mental disorder. You can control it on your own and a lot people would go to online websites instead of going to the specific place like. Also, there is some research that addressed how being addicted to the internet is only by self-discipline and maturity, “ UCLA found that the part of the brain used for complex reasoning and decision-making was positively engaged by internet searches, causing scientists to believe that this may stimulate and improve brain functioning as we age.” (David Price) Being addicted can be controlled by the person and in this quote, it can be controlled by being mature and having self-discipline. But did you know there is also downside why this counterclaim is not convincing enough? Researchers proved that being addicted to the internet is a real mental disorder, not a real addiction. Being addicted to the Internet is a different thing like gambling or even
In their article, Janarthanan Balakrishnan, and Mark D. Griffiths discuss that “internet viewers online addictions are primarily about addictions on the Internet rather than addiction to the Internet, and that most of those with online problematic behavior are addicted to the online content rather than
Internet addiction is a depressing thing, people spend all the time on the internet and they don’t have real life connections or relationships. Internet addiction, even though not as bad as other addictions, is toxic. In the article “The association of internet addiction with attachment styles,
However, as time has moved on, research seems to support the proponents of the Internet, and can be explained by two changes in Internet use that have occurred since its manifestation. First off, an increase in the amount of Internet users has allowed for indi...
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.
Griffiths, Mark. “Excessive Internet Use: Implications for Sexual , Behavior.” CyberPsychology & Behavior. 3.4 (2000): 537-52.
The Internet has become a major tool for communication and access to information for over two and half billion people (Wright 121). Although Internet has become an unavoidable reality that is consuming our planet in a web of information. This process is being shaped by our actions and choices which ultimately drives us together (Deibert 11). Nowadays China has over 538 million netizens, the world’s largest online community (Feng & Guo 335).
The use of the Internet has exploded in the past few decades, and the age of the user is swiftly declining as well (Greenfield, Patricia, and Zheng Yan). “The spread of Internet access has been described as nine times faster than that of radio, four times faster than the personal computer, and three times faster than television” (Shields, Margie, and Behrman 5). The Internet has woven itself into people’s daily lives and has really changed culture in numerous ways. It has helped make education more accessible, especially to those in developing countries. Specifically, it has brought life-saving health practices and information to those who otherwise would have gone without it.
One argument is that the internet is not the addiction, but is a medium to the addiction. The other argument is that the internet itself is the addictive substance. The argument that has the most support and is more believable in the research that it does is that the internet itself is the addiction. This makes sense for multiple reasons. One of the reasons is that some of the addictions on the internet are not possible to be addicted to without the internet. Another reason is that people also need information, and people can get addicted to the internet because they want the information. These are only some of the reasons why the internet should be considered an addictive substance. It is also important to know the difference between being addicted to the internet and being addicted to something on the internet. According to an article written in 2012 titled Internet addiction: how to fight it, it is two different ideas to be addicted to the internet and to be addicted to things such as online gambling and online sex. These differences are another part of why internet addiction is a real thing and not just a
The addiction can lead to the inability to communicate in the real world by depriving the addict of the daily practices involved with interpersonal communication. The act of using facial expressions or certain gestures to really intended emotion or emphasize meaning decline as the addict substitutes keystrokes resembling smiley faces or avatars. Socially, subjects become more inclined to develop personality disorders in which they identify more with their internet representation than their real-life persona. Ultimately, an addiction to the internet can cripple one’s ability to maintain a healthy social life.” ( eHow pg
There are five types of internet addiction. The first is Net-Gaming. People with this addiction participate in online games, Multi User Dungeon Games (MUDs), will visit virtual casinos, and my become obsessed with e-auctions and online trading and shopping. Another type of internet addiction is Cyber-Relational Addiction. People with this tend to make chat room relationships more important than their relationships with family or friends. They may even try to meet someone personally after meeting him or her online. The third type of internet addiction is Information Overload. People become obsessed with tracking down certain information and organizing it.
For the past decade or two, Internet is a channel that promotes an access to information and communication in the global world. It is one of the most powerful tool. Now-a-days, an access to the internet has become easier than ever, whether we are using a computer, phone or tablets. There is no doubt that people are spending more and more time online. Because many people use the internet for their career and education, it is hard to differentiate between the normal usage and excessive usage of the internet. We all use web at a normal level, but when it becomes compulsory for survival it becomes an addiction.
This online article was useful for my research because it showed how over use of technology impact on people. This article also gives background information on internet addiction and internet dependence. The source is one of the best sources used in my research due to the fact that it had some of the basic information about the harmful effect of becoming so much dependent on technology.