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The history of the internet and the world wide web essay
Introduction to internet addiction
Introduction to internet addiction
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The World Wide Web is an intriguing information highway. Its beginnings only date back to the 1990’s, but it has quickly become a major staple in our lives. As with anything there is a good and bad side. Americans and people around the world are becoming more and more reliant on using the internet for their informational, academic, social, entertainment, organizational, and connectional needs. Along with all of the good that this has brought a new disorder is arising, internet addiction disorder.
Although internet addiction disorder has not been added as of yet to the DSM hopes by the researchers are high that it will be added in the future editions. Much research has been done to understand the complexities of the disorder. Most of the research has been done on youth and young, college age adults because they seem to be the most vulnerable. Our young people are growing up with the internet and rely on it much more than older adults at the present. They seem to have more of an interest in things of a technological nature (Chou, Condron & Belland, 2005).
Through the research predictors of internet addiction disorder are being examined. Scales are being developed to help in diagnosis. Diagnosis criteria are being formulated. Patterns in and researched. There has been an international congress to discuss the disorder and what is being done for treatment around the world. This paper will review the information on research findings, diagnostics, and the treatments that are being used. It will also examine information as to the very nature of the internet what seems to give it the power to pull people into addiction.
Explaining Internet Addiction
Some researchers say that internet addiction is similar to gambling addiction (Chou...
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...2010). Internet addiction or excessive internet use. American Journal Of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 36(5), 277-283. doi:10.3109/00952990.2010.491880
Yen, J., Yen, C., Wu, H., Huang, C., & Ko, C. (2011). Hostility in the real world and online: The effect of internet addiction, depression, and online activity. Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 14(11), 649-655. doi:10.1089/cyber.2010.0393
Young, K. (2014). Reflections on the first international congress on internet addiction disorders- cultural and clinical perspectives. Retrieved from http://netaddictionrecovery.blogspot.com/
Zhang, H., Jiang, W., Lin, Z., Du, Y., & Vance, A. (2013). Comparison of psychological symptoms and serum levels of neurotransmitters in shanghai adolescents with and without internet addiction disorder: A case-control study. Plos ONE, 8(5), 1-4. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063089
The internet is used today for many reasons. It is a platform for people to stay in touch with others, entertain themselves and complete work tasks. In the following articles, “Internet Addiction Left my Brother Homeless” by Winston Ross and “The Pointlessness of Unplugging” by Casey N. Cep, the internet is discussed very deeply, but in two varying lights. In the article by Cep the author is writing from personal experiences and research. In the article by Ross the author is writing merely from opinions.
Addiction is one of the most common problems worldwide from a very long time. For centuries, people used drugs, alcohol, tobacco and struggled with the problem of physical addictions. Nowadays, the problem of addiction became larger including behavioral addictions like gambling, sex, shopping, internet addiction etc. However, there are still different views about its nature and classification. According to West (2013, p. 22), the reason for this uncertainty is that addiction is a multifaceted, socially defined concept rather than something physical that has clear and unique boundaries. Therefore, it is important to know what addiction actually is. Although there are different definitions of addiction, an objective definition that contains its basic features is:
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 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
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.
In her article “Friends Indeed?” Joel Garreau explains that for two decades, online social networks have been touted as one of the finest flowerings of our new era. But what is the strength of ties so weak as to barely exist? Who will lend you lunch money? Who’s got your back?” Technology has overtaken individuals by social media, allowing many people to communicate online rather than having face-to-face communication. Many “relationships” begin online, and end online. Although, true relationships are rarely created fast, it gradually grows and becomes stronger and stronger over the years. However, in our immediate society this is not the case. But the questions still remains, as Joel Garreau points out “Who would lend you lunch money?” in other words, who will help you physically not online. In our impatient society, technologies influenced the way individual communicate, and that often times leads to depression, loneliness and addictions.
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.
Pornography is becoming the most popular secret in all of America. Only 13.9% of young men don’t view pornography, and of those who do, 51% of male students and 32% of female students first viewed pornography before age 13 (Gilkerson). 21.3% of college males watch it daily or multiple times a day (Gilkerson).
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
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.
For many years, people have suffered many devastations about addiction. It has become a common killer in the United States just like murder. Addiction has affected over 23 million people from the age 12 and older. These addictions are wide ranging, they can include alcohol, drugs, sex, video games, food, pornography, and gambling. People like to keep quite because they view this disease as morally wrong. Addicts sometimes shut out their family member because they are afraid of the reaction if anyone knew their problem. The Nation Institute of Drug Abuse states Addiction is as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences.Today in 2016 addiction is spreading across
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.
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.
There are many causes for people are addicting on the computer. First of all, students have free access to the Internet and easily available at most schools’ computer lab. Because it is free and most school provide an e-mail account and have no limit the amount of time for student to log on. Second, anyone who addicts to Internet has a bigger problem with social life; especially, people who are easily bored, lonely, shy, relationship problem, lake of self-confidence and low self-esteem. They may rely on the computer screen to solve personal problems or meet their needs for companionship. However to ignore what cause people to addict on the computers, the endless new connections are that draws addicts to all of us.