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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Costea, I., Jinaru, A., Munteanu, A., Palos, R. (2009). Psychological and behavior aspects regarding internet addiction. Annals of DAAAM & Proceedings. http://www.freepatentsonline.com/article/Annals-DAAAM-Proceedings/224712930.html
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
Smith, D. (2008). Addiction to internet 'is an illness'. The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/mar/23/news.internet
As with any phenomenon, psychology must be interpreted to be understood (Burton, Westen and Kowalski, 2012, p. 3). Many physicians, physiologists and psychologists, such as Sigmund Freud, John Locke, Ivan Pavlov, and B. F. Skinner respectively, have developed and contributed to their own psychological perspectives which have carried on to the present day. This essay will explore the fundamental ideas, similarities and differences and strengths and weaknesses of both the psychodynamic perspective and the behaviourist perspective. This essay will then shift focus to internet addiction – what it is and how it can be explained. An intervention will then be developed for an individual suffering from internet addiction based on the behaviourist perspective.
Evidence by Subrahmanyam, Kraut, Greenfield, and Gross (2000) states “In this study, those who were lonely or depressed were not more drawn to the Internet. Rather, the HomeNet results suggest that using the Internet in itself caused the declines in social well-being” (p. 135). The conclusion of the studies provides supporting evidence that the internet will cause depression and loneliness, since depressed individuals were not already drawn to the internet. The isolation that comes with internet usage can too add to the less likelihood of face-to-face interaction. The more one is isolated the less contact of friends and family. Adolescents have to be mindful of their usage of the internet and the effects. Social face-to-face interaction skills are a key skill to have in the ‘real-world’ versus a fix virtual
Lash, S. J., Timko, C, Curran, G M., McKay, J R., Burden, J L.; (Jun, 2011). Psychology of Addictive Behaviors; Vol 25(2); 238-251. Doi: 10.1037/a0022608
According to Li, O’Brien, Snyder, and Howard (2016), problematic internet use may lead to serious psychosocial dysfunction and has resulted in a proposed diagnostic criterion for the DSM-5 in order to assess the disorder. In the United States, 6% to 11% of internet users are problematic internet users. Researchers, in fact, compare problematic internet use to the assessed criteria for gambling and internet gaming disorder. They have also concluded that college-aged teens and young adults are at most risk due to the availability of internet access around them and the direct relationship between the internet and education. Symptoms include impaired physical health such as obesity or sleep disorders, psychological distress, and behavioral problems. Students may also experience more interpersonal problems and worse school and work performance.
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.
Griffiths, Mark. “Excessive Internet Use: Implications for Sexual , Behavior.” CyberPsychology & Behavior. 3.4 (2000): 537-52.
...lot, and Lisa Hollingsworth. "Internet Addiction: a logotherapeutic approach." Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling 33.1 (2012): 18+. Gale Power Search. Web. 7 Feb. 2014.
According to a new study from the Pew Research Center over 92% of teens report going online daily, including 24% who say they go online almost constantly. ("Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015."). The use of social media is playing a big role in today’s society. Social media in some cases affects the children and adolescents psychologically, physically and socially. Social Media has always been a great tool for advertising, entertainment, education and communication between family and friends, but although social media has these benefits, for the past years its negative role has been affecting children and adolescents. As the years are passing by the development of technology is increasing, the use of social media is becoming more addictive to children and adolescents.
Humans are environmentally and genetically predisposed to developing a motivated addictive behavior. Addiction is a brain disease and a behavior. All behaviors are choices. Choices that adolescences make at a young age directly affect the outcomes of their futures. Many factors contribute to an adolescence becoming an addict or exhibiting a drug seeking behavior. Nearly all drugs of abuse increase dopamine release. Dopamine is an important neurotransmitter in drug abuse and addiction. Dopamine plays a role in reward motivated behaviors, motor control and important hormones. It’s known as the “feel good hormone” which is why people abuse drugs that increase the release of dopamine. Since life is unpredictable, our brains have evolved the ability to remodel themselves in response to our experiences. The more we practice an activity the more neurons developed in order to fine-tune that activity causing addictive behaviors to be detrimental.
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 is a big problem in our society today. Many people use internet without knowing it, even I use internet without knowing that I am using too much I consider myself as an addict because I check my Facebook at least 3 times a day and text every time while I eat too. In high school, I used to use my phone in the class because it was allowed in class and teacher didn’t mind but in college I have to tell myself to not use phone in class since it is very important to achieve my goals and get a degree.
When someone says the word “addict,” what is the picture that comes to mind? The most common response would be that the word “addict” refers to someone who abuses alcohol or some other drug. If someone smokes cigarettes they are also considered addicts because the materials inside of them are addictive. Tobacco is the most addictive recreational substance used around the world (Kleinjan, Engels, and DiFranza, 2015). The most addictive material is known as the internet. Millions of people are addicted to some form of the internet. This will almost certainly lead to problems in society and everyday life. Social skills will certainly start to decrease, because of people spending too much time on the internet. Internet
In the modern world internet access is a vital part of everyday life. It is important for education, and is a necessary skill for those entering the job markets of today. The internet is highly entertaining and informative. These qualities make the internet an attractive escape from the stress of everyday life. People can enter a different world and make the problems of the real world disappear. Anything is possible on the internet. Internet addiction has the same symptoms as an addition to drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or caffeine. When someone becomes addicted to the internet they will have increasing tolerance to the amount of time they spend online, withdrawal, mood changes between when online and off, and there will be an interruption of social relationships and activities. People with an addiction will need more time online to be happy. When access to the internet is not available people will show signs of anxiety, depression, irritability, trembling hands, and restlessness.
One consequence of overuse of internet could be failure to think critically. Some students use the internet to research for their school assignments and papers. They use it to improve their grades in schools and colleges. This could have a negative effect on their brain, they can lose their ability to think wisely and critically which would result in lack of knowledge and understanding. Second, Internet addicted people hardly talk to their families because most of the time they are either on the phone or on the computer. These people avoid going out for dinner or party with family or friends. They often neglect their personal relationships and love to spend time living alone. This can cause damage to their personal and social lives. Some people can lose their jobs because of the unprofessionalism. Excessive use may result in loss of sense of time, organization and poor performance at work. Major life events such as break ups and divorce could happen. In addition, internet addiction can cause physical health problems. Because they sit most of the time on computers, they might develop weak eyes, back pain and sleep disturbance. They become lazy and avoid exercises which lead to disorders such as obesity. At last, psychological health problems such as anxiety and depression may occur when a person is separated from his/her computer or when the internet speed is low and the computer gets
Impact of the issue related to gaming. The playing of online games impacts teenage gamers socially, educationally, ethically and psychologically. This issue involves numerous stakeholders. They are mainly teenagers, parents, friends, policemen, and the game company.