What is internet addiction

Internet addiction: definition, assessment, epidemiology and clinical management

Review

. 2008;22(5):353-65.

doi: 10.2165/00023210-200822050-00001.

Martha Shaw¹, Donald W Black

Affiliations

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.

PMID: 18399706
DOI: 10.2165/00023210-200822050-00001

Review

Martha Shaw et al. CNS Drugs. 2008.

. 2008;22(5):353-65.

doi: 10.2165/00023210-200822050-00001.

Authors

Martha Shaw¹, Donald W Black

Affiliation

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA.

PMID: 18399706
DOI: 10.2165/00023210-200822050-00001

Abstract

Internet addiction is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges or behaviours regarding computer use and internet access that lead to impairment or distress. The condition has attracted increasing attention in the popular media and among researchers, and this attention has paralleled the growth in computer (and Internet) access. Prevalence estimates vary widely, although a recent random telephone survey of the general US population reported an estimate of 0.3-0.7%. The disorder occurs worldwide, but mainly in countries where computer access and technology are widespread. Clinical samples and a majority of relevant surveys report a male preponderance. Onset is reported to occur in the late 20s or early 30s age group, and there is often a lag of a decade or more from initial to problematic computer usage. Internet addiction has been associated with dimensionally measured depression and indicators of social isolation. Psychiatric co-morbidity is common, particularly mood, anxiety, impulse control and substance use disorders. Aetiology is unknown, but probably involves psychological, neurobiological and cultural factors. There are no evidence-based treatments for internet addiction. Cognitive behavioural approaches may be helpful. There is no proven role for psychotropic medication. Marital and family therapy may help in selected cases, and online self-help books and tapes are available. Lastly, a self-imposed ban on computer use and Internet access may be necessary in some cases.

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The Relationship between Short Video Flow, Addiction, Serendipity, and Achievement Motivation among Chinese Vocational School Students: The Post-Epidemic Era Context.
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Problematic Smartphone Use and Social Media Fatigue: The Mediating Role of Self-Control.

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The relationship between social support and Internet addiction among Chinese college freshmen: A mediated moderation model.
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Genetic Addiction Risk and Psychological Profiling Analyses for "Preaddiction" Severity Index.
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Publication types

MeSH terms

Internet addiction - Better Health Channel

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Summary

Read the full fact sheet

Internet addiction is an umbrella term that refers to the compulsive need to spend a great deal of time on the Internet, to the point where relationships, work and health are allowed to suffer.
Medical opinion is divided on whether Internet addiction exists as a mental disorder in its own right.
Professional treatment, which may include cognitive behaviour therapy, aims to allow the person to use the Internet properly rather than compulsively.

Internet addiction is when a person has a compulsive need to spend a great deal of time on the Internet, to the point where other areas of life (such as relationships, work or health) are allowed to suffer. The person becomes dependent on using the Internet and needs to spend more and more time online to achieve the same ‘high’.

There is a range of behaviours that can be referred to as Internet addiction. Other terms for this addiction include Internet addiction disorder (IAD) and net addiction.

Generally speaking, surveys suggest that males who are addicted to spending time online tend to prefer viewing pornographic websites, while females are attracted to chat rooms for making platonic and cybersexual relationships.

Internet addiction is controversial

Medical opinion is divided on whether Internet addiction exists as a mental disorder in its own right or whether it’s an expression of pre-existing mental disorders or behavioural problems. For example, a person who compulsively trawls the Internet for online gambling venues may have a gambling problem rather than an Internet addiction.

More research is needed into this ‘chicken or the egg’ aspect of Internet addiction before any conclusive answers are known. A recent study in the USA showed that four per cent of college (university) students aged between 18 and 20 showed problematic internet behaviour.

College and university students may be particularly vulnerable to addiction, yet studies on internet addiction in students typically only use self-selected online surveys, with no control groups for comparison. Sometime survey studies do not give reliable results as they may only study a single class so the data cannot be generalised to a broader group or population, and the construction and use of surveys can produce results that are hard to interpret.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, Internet addiction can include three or more of the following:

The user needs to spend ever-increasing amounts of time online to feel the same sense of satisfaction.
If they can’t go online, the user experiences unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, moodiness and compulsive fantasising about the Internet. Using the Internet relieves these symptoms.
The user turns to the Internet to cope with negative feelings such as guilt, anxiety or depression.
The user spends a significant amount of time engaging in other activities related to the Internet (such as researching internet vendors, internet books).
The user neglects other areas of life (such as relationships, work, school and leisure pursuits) in favour of spending time on the Internet.
The user is prepared to lose relationships, jobs or other important things in favour of the Internet.

Different types of addiction

The categories of Internet addiction include:

Sex – the person uses the Internet to look at, download or swap pornography or to engage in casual cybersex with other users. This results in neglect of their real-world sex life with their partner or spouse.

Relationships – the person uses chat rooms to form online relationships (‘online dating’) at the expense of spending time with real-life family and friends. This could include having online affairs (‘cyberadultery’).
Games – this can include spending excessive amounts of time playing games, gambling, shopping or trading. This can lead to severe financial troubles.
Information – the user obsessively searches for and collects information.

Social networking addiction – includes the desire to constantly monitor social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. This includes constantly updating profile posts and checking messages to inform friends of what you are doing at the present moment.

A range of theories

The actual cause is unknown. The current range of theories for compulsive Internet use includes:

Personality issues – the user may have personality issues that make them likely to become dependent on a range of things – such as cigarettes, alcohol, gambling, other drugs or the Internet – given the right circumstances.
Shyness – people who are shy in real-life situations may be drawn to the anonymity of the Internet and believe they can be their ‘true selves’ when online.
Biochemical responses – the person’s brain responds to the online rewards with ‘feel good’ chemicals and this biochemical ‘high’ encourages dependence.
Escapism – the Internet is so absorbing that the user can forget about their problems or escape negative emotions while online. Because it makes them feel better, it encourages them to turn to the Internet more and more for relief.
Instant gratification – search engines help users find what they want quickly – for example information, gambling opportunities or pornography. This instant gratification encourages them to stay online.

Self-help suggestions

If you think you may be addicted to the Internet and you want to change your behaviour, you could try the following strategies:

Take note of your symptoms – for example, keep track of your behaviour, thoughts and feelings.
Think about why you use the Internet so much. What makes you go online? Is there a real problem you’re not facing up to?
Brainstorm (think about) other ways to cope with your problem that don’t involve the Internet. Choose some that will work and put them into practice.
Use relaxation methods like deep breathing or meditation to manage anxiety symptoms.
Rediscover the neglected areas of your life – for example, socialise with friends, make love to your partner, take your children to the beach, get out and be active.
Seek professional help if necessary.

Professional treatment

It isn’t necessary to quit using the Internet altogether. Professional treatment aims to allow the person to use the Internet positively rather than compulsively.

Internet addiction seems to respond well to cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). This type of therapy focuses on changing patterns of thinking and beliefs that are associated with and trigger anxiety. The basis of cognitive behaviour therapy is that beliefs trigger thoughts, which then trigger feelings and produce behaviours. Consult with your doctor for further information and referral. There are also internet addiction support groups available that may help treat your addiction.

Where to get help

Your GP (doctor)
Psychologist
Australian Psychological SocietyExternal Link Tel. (03) 8662 3300 or 1800 333 497

Is Internet addiction real? Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association.
Internet addiction disorder: causes, symptoms and consequences, Psychology Department, Virginia Tech.
Christakis DA, Moreno MM, Jelenchick L, Myaing MT, & Zhou C, 2011, ‘Problematic internet usage in US college students: a pilot studyExternal Link’, BMC Medicine vol. 9, no. 77. US National Library of Medicine.
Scherer K, 1997. ‘College life on-line: healthy and unhealthy Internet use’, Journal of College Student Development, vol. 38, pp. 655-665.
Anderson KJ, 2001, ‘Internet use among college students: an exploratory study’, Journal of American College Health, vol. 50, pp. 21-26. US National Library of Medicine.
Lavin MJ, Yuen CN, Weinman M, & Kozak K, 2004, ‘Internet dependence in the collegiate population: the role of shyness’, Cyberpsychology and Behavior, vol. 7, pp. 379-383. US National Library of Medicine.

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Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website.

Reviewed on: 31-08-2011

Internet addiction: concept, types, symptoms, stages and causes of development, treatment and prevention

Published: 23.01.2019 11:12

Over the past decade, the Internet has become an integral part of life for the majority of the population. Today, any modern person visits the World Wide Web at least once a day to communicate, work or simply search for the necessary information. Undoubtedly, the Internet is of great importance in the modern world and is of great benefit to mankind: as an inexhaustible source of information, an affordable way to acquire skills and knowledge, as an indispensable assistant in work and business, as a means of spending and planning leisure, as a place for dating and a way to keep in touch . The Internet facilitates the selection and purchase of the necessary goods and services, and also allows you to save on their purchase ...

Internet addiction is a mental disorder accompanied by a large number of behavioral problems and generally consists in the inability of a person to leave the network in time, as well as in the constant presence of an obsessive desire to enter there.

Why Internet addiction is dangerous

Psychologists are sounding the alarm and comparing the phenomenon of Internet addiction to nothing more than an addiction to alcohol and drugs. There are indeed reasons for concern. The ongoing research on Internet addiction shows that with a long and uncontrolled stay in the network, changes occur in the state of consciousness and in the functioning of the brain. Gradually, this leads to a loss of the ability to learn and think deeply.

Nicholas Carr, a well-known American scientist and publicist, an expert in the field of information management and transmission processes, together with a group of psychologists he created, came to disappointing conclusions - fast and regular browsing of sites leads to the fact that the human brain loses the ability for in-depth analytical thinking , turning regular network users into impulsive and incapable of intellectual work people.

However, disruption of thought processes and memory impairment are not the only negative effects of the Internet on a person. Plunging headlong into the World Wide Web, a person gradually loses the skills of real communication, which leads to some asociality. Why meet friends when you can chat with them on Skype, why negotiate with someone live or call up, if you can just send a letter by e-mail, why look for and buy goods in regular stores when you can buy anything, not leaving the house . .. That is, previously described as advantages, all these amenities turn into a problem with long-term and uncontested use. This is how difficulties in communicating with new people begin to appear, and getting into an unfamiliar company for an Internet addict becomes a stressful situation. Further, a person closes in on himself, which affects work or study, he has problems with sleep (it is no longer possible for him to get rid of insomnia without the help of a specialist) and food intake. Some unhealthy attachment to information technology leads even to suicide.

In addition to mental and mental disorders, Internet addiction is dangerous and the occurrence of physical diseases. Spending a monstrous amount of time at monitor screens, we spoil our eyesight (you can learn more about this in the article “Vision Deterioration When Working at a Computer”), many develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Internet addiction, which is accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle, leads to various diseases of the spine and joints (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, etc. ), cardiovascular pathologies (tachycardia, arrhythmias, arterial hypertension, varicose veins of the lower extremities, etc.) and many other diseases.

Internet addiction can cause disruption of relationships in the family (between parents and children, as well as between spouses). Who will like the fact that a child or a significant other spends the day and sleeps near the computer? This worsens relations between relatives and close people, and even families are destroyed. Internet addiction is a problem of modern society!

Forms, types and causes of Internet addiction

Internet addiction occurs for a variety of reasons and can take many forms. Today, psychologists and researchers of Internet addiction problems identify five main types of this irrepressible craving for online immersion.

The most common type of Internet addiction is the need for continuous communication. It can be forums, social networks and various chats.

This risk group of Internet addicts includes people who experience problems in communication. The lack of social and communication skills immerses them in a virtual world that replaces their circle of friends. Researchers studying the phenomenon of Internet addiction have found that people who do not get into the “networks” of the Internet in the same way as those who got into them communicate with acquaintances and friends online (although their main purpose of being on the “web” is to search for information) , but this communication is mainly limited to maintaining existing contacts. Internet addicts tend to socialize through new acquaintances.

To a greater extent, this certainly applies to people of adolescence, and not only because they grew up in the age of the Internet. The reason for the emergence of Internet addiction in adolescents is a period of hormonal changes in the body, when it becomes problematic for young people to communicate, make new acquaintances, and establish contacts with the opposite sex (of course, this does not apply to everyone, but many).

Communication on the Internet provides adolescents with the opportunity to exist in the images of their dreams, and without going beyond the boundaries of these images, to carry out communicative activity that is necessary and desirable, and impossible in reality. This is the main cause of Internet addiction in adolescents, and the provoking factor that stimulates the development of this addiction is anonymity and the inability to verify how true the information provided about oneself is.

Another reason for the appearance of Internet addiction, closely related to the previous one, is the impossibility of self-expression. A person who has difficulty expressing his thoughts, unable to defend his point of view, experiencing fear of public speaking, afraid of condemning the real society, in general, an insecure person, can calmly express what has boiled over the network without fear of disapproval and misunderstanding.

Information Internet addiction (online surfing), or an irresistible need for a constant flow of information, makes a person endlessly surf the Web.

Obsessive web surfing involves an unordered search for information, devoid of any purpose and meaning. A person wanders through sites, databases, reads articles, notes, comments to them one after another, endlessly follows links ... As a result, this meaningless wandering and the incessant search for information leads to loss of productivity and information overload.

Another type of internet addiction is gambling addiction. This is when a person sits down and cannot tear himself away from online games.

Why do people start playing online games? Someone seeks to fill the empty space formed in his life, someone just out of boredom. And there are people who try to achieve superiority without spending much effort on it. It will be difficult to become the first in athletics competitions, but in the Tanks game it is quite possible.

Many gamers even spend real money to somehow improve their characters (for example, in such RPG games as World of Warkraft) and achieve imaginary superiority. Having great fun, and seeing that they have reached level 25, while their closest competitor has not yet reached the 22nd, they continue to play for days on end and become Internet addicts in the process of this race.

By the way, this motivating factor of Internet addiction (the desire to be the best, to be the first) can find expression not only in online toys. For example, in the same social networks, on sites and forums where users are compared by rating (some points and levels for activity, virtual money, number of friends, etc.). The more points you have, the higher you are in the ranking. Of course, virtual superiority, unlike the real one, does not give complete satisfaction, but it is much easier to achieve it.

Let's get back to the games (although the pursuit of ratings can also be equated to some extent with the game). Another reason why Internet addiction is becoming a problem in modern society, according to Erin Hoffman, one of the developers of online games, is procrastination. Here is how she explains the reason for this addiction: "When we discuss the dependence on the Internet and in particular on online games - we are not talking about what people do, but about what they do not, replacing idleness with addictive behavior" . That is, a person is gradually drawn into and becomes a zombie due to the fact that he simply did not want to do an unloved job, fulfill his duties, solve complex issues and make difficult decisions? Maybe why not. But perhaps the main reason for the appearance of this type of Internet addiction lies in the exorbitant appetites of the bigwigs of the gaming industry and the fact that games are made in a special way that forces you to frantically play even at a time when the process does not give you real pleasure.

There are not isolated cases when a long game led to tragic consequences. For example, an hours-long online session of playing World of Warcraft in October 2005 brought a Chinese schoolgirl to exhaustion and death. And in 2011, an American housewife, carried away by playing the same Warcraft, forgot about her three-year-old daughter, who died of malnutrition and dehydration.

Here is what another of the developers of online games, David Wong, says (this person who works for Microsoft and defended his dissertation on the peculiarities of the human brain, knows how to make people of different ages Internet addicted): time and encouragement, and there are countless ways in which these three factors can be combined with each other in order for the player to show the pattern of behavior that the developer intended.

Online gambling addiction is similar in many ways to a regular gambling addiction.

Online casinos, of which there are a great many on the Internet today, luring tens of thousands of new users every day, recreate the seductive and realistic world of traditional casinos. The symptoms of this type of Internet addiction, as well as its causes and consequences, are similar to those of ordinary gambling (games for money). Unless there are some minor nuances. But the availability, and, accordingly, the involvement is many times higher than the performance of conventional gaming establishments.

A recent report by the American Psychological Association, which was devoted to the problem of online gambling addiction, states that this addiction draws people in much more than casinos or ordinary slot machines. It was also noted there that adolescents fall into the risk group first of all, among them dependence on games for money on the Internet is much more common.

Another type of Internet addiction is the so-called cybersex attraction - this is an obsessive craving for watching porn movies on the net and engaging in cybersex.

Although seemingly harmless at first glance, Internet sexual addiction is a serious problem that stands in the way of ensuring the socio-psychological safety of both an individual and society as a whole. Today, many couples break up or are on the verge of breaking up because of the inclination of one of the spouses to satisfy their sexual needs using the Internet. People suffering from this addiction have little time for ordinary communication, so an emotional break in relations with real people gradually occurs - family, children, friends, work and study go into the background.

Recently, the popular English newspaper The Daily Mail published the opinion of a number of scientists, which said that online pornography has created a younger generation unable to be aroused during ordinary sexual contact. The result of the publication was the conclusion that impotence is getting younger and is no longer a problem only for middle-aged and elderly men.

The reasons for this Internet addiction are sexual dissatisfaction (both in adolescents who begin sexual activity and people of all ages), deterioration in sexual relations with partners, lack of communication and disagreements in the family, and Internet features (accessibility, anonymity, permissiveness, lack of obligations and need psychologically adapt to a partner) only contribute to the emergence of dependence on this attraction.

The list of main types of Internet addictions can be expanded by adding: hacking; involuntary cravings for buying things at online auctions and online stores; endless downloading of video and audio materials from torrent trackers in order to create your own database, etc.

Internet addiction development stages

At the first stage, the user gets acquainted with the Internet, learns about its possibilities and chooses the variant of virtual reality that suits him. Gradually, a person develops his own style in the network, making up for the lack of communication or information that he lacks in real life.

Further, there is a distance from real life, the user begins to spend more and more time in the reality that he chose at the previous stage. The time spent online increases... Also, at the second stage of the formation of Internet addiction, when a person stops using the Internet to achieve life goals, these very goals are transferred to virtual reality. For example, some people use the knowledge gained on the Web in life, others share this knowledge right there on the Internet, using selfish goals (in a good way), they want to become famous or earn money, while others raise their ratings in social networks (reputation on websites and forums, etc. ) or simply express themselves. This is how addiction develops, when communication itself becomes the only, well, or preferred way to achieve the goal.

The third stage is stabilizing. The problem is obvious, the signs and symptoms of Internet addiction on the face, it gradually turns into a chronic form. After a while, the passion for the chosen interaction becomes less pronounced, the activity in the network goes out. A person returns to reality, but he does this without any desire. Dependence on the Internet persists, but in an inactive form, and increases with stress or when new interesting topics appear.

Internet addiction symptoms

The main signs that determine Internet addiction can be considered as follows:

You feel great joy before each new session, and without access to the Internet you experience sadness and despondency.

You cannot be dragged away from the monitor by the ears, and under no pretext can you be lured out into the street.

You do not go to visit, meet friends less often, i.e. slowly losing contacts with people offline.

You constantly update your page on social networks, often check your e-mail, account on a dating site, etc.

Discuss computer topics even with people who are barely knowledgeable in this area.

You lose track of time. Looking at what seems to be a case for a few minutes, you hang on the network for several hours and do not notice how quickly time flies.

While surfing the Internet, you forget about official duties, studies, household chores, meetings and agreements.

You visit the sites not to find the necessary information, but go to them aimlessly and mechanically.

Spend a lot of money on the Internet, as well as to ensure constant updates, both various computer devices and software. You also try to hide it from your loved ones.

At the physiological level, you feel the consequences of sitting at the computer for a long time: pain in the eyes, aching joints, disturbed sleep and diet.

Experience the influence of information from the network on your psychological well-being - negative news or messages cause you a storm of negative emotions, such as rage, sadness or anxiety.

You notice how people close to you are increasingly beginning to express their indignation at the fact that you spend too much time on the Internet. And this is a clear sign of Internet addiction. It can be difficult to notice the excessive enthusiasm for the Internet itself.

Internet addiction treatment

It is not surprising that the treatment of Internet addiction has become part of the income of psychologists and psychiatrists, because there are more and more people with an unhealthy craving for the World Wide Web. Internet addiction affects both men and women, both young (to a greater extent) and adult citizens, and their number is only growing every year. The inability to get rid of Internet addiction on their own leads users who were unaware of such negative consequences of online life to medical institutions, where they are treated for mental disorders that have become a manifestation of attachment to the Internet, and not from Internet addiction, since the diagnosis of "Internet addiction" in no worldwide practice yet.

The term "internet addiction" was first used by the American psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg in 1994. In this concept, Goldberg did not put a medical meaning, as if it were a drug or alcohol addiction, but such behavior that is accompanied by low levels of self-control, stress and threatens to crowd out a normal life. The term caught on, although it was originally introduced by a psychiatrist in the form of Hochma.

However, if the international community has not yet fully realized the scale of the disaster, in some countries Internet addiction is officially recognized as a disease and its treatment is sometimes carried out with very radical methods. So, for example, in China, where the first clinic for the treatment of Internet addiction appeared in 2005, patients are prescribed electric shock - a device that applies a voltage of thirty volts to the body.

When contacting a clinic, Chinese specialists first diagnose whether a person has addiction. Further, drug treatment, acupuncture and mandatory physical activity are prescribed. In such clinics, a strict routine is established for patients: for 10-15 days (this is how long the treatment lasts on average), a person gets up at six in the morning, goes in for sports, sings songs of praise, drinks antidepressants and receives electric shocks. Also in China, there are special barrack-type camps for teenagers under 18 years old. Their parents bring them there for up to six months. All this time, teenagers addicted to the Internet are on the territory of the centers, study construction preparation and, like adults, are treated with electric discharges.

Such treatment of Internet addiction does not find understanding in the world, and even some local doctors are against the use of electric shock, especially when it comes to treating children: “Such methods are too cruel and, on the contrary, inflict deep psychological trauma on children, however, they are used everywhere. Today in China there are many clinics for the treatment of Internet addiction. Most of them are practically not controlled by anyone and are not professional,” says Tao Hongkai, a well-known Chinese psychologist from Beijing.

In Finland, Internet addicts are treated more indulgently, even given a deferment from conscription: “For teenagers who play online games day and night and have only Facebook pages instead of real friends, serving in the army can be a big shock,” says one of the military leaders of Finland, Jirki Kivela.

The world's first support center for Internet addicts was the center created by the most famous and authoritative researcher in this field - Kimberly Young, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh (Bratford), the author of the book "Caught in the Net" translated into many languages. Created by her at 19In 1995, the Center (Center for On-Line Addiction - Netaddiction.com) provides advice not only to ordinary people, but also to corporations, educational institutions and psychiatric clinics.

In Russia, the treatment of Internet addiction is also carried out, but the list of clinics involved in the rehabilitation of such patients is limited to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The thing is that units go to be treated. Because the majority of addicts either do not consider themselves as such, or try to fight their addiction on their own. Here is what Konstantin Blokhin, a psychiatrist at the Mental Health Clinic, says about this: “Even though I have not been working in the clinic for very long, I don’t remember a single appeal from people addicted to the Internet.” The doctor also explains that with such a diagnosis, the same methods are used as in the treatment of drug addiction - psychotherapy, active physical exercises and reflexology.

“Today, Russian centers use two methods of treating computer addiction: psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy. If the first involves treatment without medication, then the second is taking psychotropic drugs (antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs) and using droppers, ”says Dmitry Fedotov, psychiatrist at the SPO Center clinic.

If your city does not have specialized medical facilities that treat Internet addiction (although in most cases a qualified psychologist will help), or if you simply think that you can throw off the shackles of Internet slavery on your own, you need to know where to start. Tips on methods of getting rid of Internet addiction will be useful for the prevention of this unhealthy attachment.

Internet addiction prevention and recovery

To start fighting Internet addiction, first of all, you need to admit that the problem exists and understand that no one will help you get rid of it (if you decide that you will not resort to the help of a psychologist, rely only on yourself).

The most effective way to fight Internet addiction is to return to real life and forget about the existence of the Internet for a few days. Where there is an entrance, there is an exit! Go out into nature more often, meet friends, attend various events, remember a long-forgotten hobby, start playing sports, read an interesting book, etc. Do you want to stop spending so much time online? Then stop! This is exactly what you want, right?

If now you can't imagine your life without social networks at all, it will be difficult for you to immediately give it up. To begin with, you can reduce the time spent in them, and then, gradually curtailing activity, you can minimize your presence there. As for people who check their mail every now and then, it can be advised to set certain hours for checking it and strictly follow this schedule.

Fighting Internet addiction, like any other addiction, is considered by some psychologists to be a pointless exercise. In their opinion, working with obsessive addictions is not about fighting as such, but about solving the problems of existence - the formation of new connections, new interests, in the end, in the search for the meaning of life.

Speaking about the causes of Internet addiction, we found out that often people "escape" to the Internet from some kind of dissatisfaction and problems. Therefore, it will not be enough to simply limit the time on the Internet; at the same time, it is necessary to deal with the causes of these problems. Take Internet sex addiction, for example. If a person plunges into sexual online slavery (women mostly choose virtual sex, and watching porn is already the prerogative of men) due to the lack of a partner, therefore, he needs to find a soul mate. If you do not have enough communication, stop going gray on the forums, look for it in real life. If you are a shy person, start fighting your shyness by enrolling in public speaking classes.

Do you use the Internet for work, but notice that you gradually forget about business and switch to stupid pastime? Start recording and analyzing the time spent on the Internet. Calculate approximately how many minutes or hours you spend on something important and necessary. Let this time be your daily minimum. Every day, accessing the Internet, try to meet this time period. This will give you the opportunity to allocate working time in the most efficient way. Also, for the purpose of productivity and prevention of Internet addiction, I recommend making a list of sites (possibly in your mind) that you need to visit and those that need to be considered.

On many sites, advice on how to get rid of Internet addiction contains, in my opinion, rather strange recommendations: “Ask your relative or friend to “password” your page on a social network or messenger and let him allow you to go there only once a week”, “Ask your ISP to ban you from accessing sites where you are just wasting your time. ” If these tips suit you and do not seem strange, then use them.

In the difficult process of getting rid of Internet addiction, the support of loved ones is important. The more family communication that will replace your excessive Internet use, the better. And you should not justify your weakness and unsuccessful attempts to fight Internet addiction by the fact that an increasing number of people fall into these "networks" and there is nothing to worry about. Try to swim out, even if everyone around you is drowning.

Additional tips:

Make a list of reasons why you should stop using the Internet excessively.

If you do not currently need to go online, turn off your computer.

Do not eat while sitting at the computer, so you can distract yourself from the online mode.

Disable automatic email notifications for new emails unless you really need them.

Copy to a separate file or print pages that contain information that you often use, for example, it could be an article on how to properly relax after work. This way you will reduce your Internet visits and you will be less tempted to surf the web.

If you decide to get rid of your Internet addiction, you should adjust your sleep patterns.

In fact, the Internet is of great benefit, and this article is only a warning, so one should not conclude that the Internet is unequivocally dangerous and harmful. Cultivate a culture of Internet use in yourself, make this realm of limitless possibilities a means to achieve goals and solve real, not virtual, tasks. Use the World Wide Web to acquire necessary and important skills (for example, to learn English or to learn fast typing, etc.) and to obtain information of practical importance.

Source: http://cont.ws/post/713682

Internet addiction: how to protect yourself?

Internet addiction is a kind of psychological addiction. It manifests itself in the desire to connect to the Internet and spend as much time as possible on the World Wide Web, while social, family, and material values are lost.

There are 6 main types of Internet addictions:

1. Obsessive web surfing (information overload) - endless "journeys" on the World Wide Web, searching for information.

2. Predilection for virtual communication and virtual acquaintances, large volumes of correspondence, participation in chat rooms, web forums, redundancy of acquaintances and friends on the Web.

3. Gaming addiction - an obsessive passion for computer games on the Internet.

4. Obsessive financial need - online gambling, unnecessary purchases in online stores or constant participation in online auctions. 5. Addicted to watching movies over the Internet.

5. Cyber addiction. The cause of Internet addiction is the receipt of a kind of psychological encouragement, namely:

social support through participation in various virtual societies, groups;
sexual satisfaction;
an interesting colorful life as opposed to a boring and bleak existence in real life;
the feeling of being different, much better, because in the Internet space you can introduce yourself as anyone. Most internet addicts have the following personality traits:
weak willpower;
fear of public opinion;
the need for the approval of their behavior by others;
hypersensitivity to criticism;
unwillingness to take responsibility, to make a choice;
low self-esteem, etc.

Internet addiction symptoms (in order of increasing severity):

Checking mail too often.
Reducing the time for eating, eating in front of the monitor.
Logging on to the Internet during an unrelated job.
Complaints of others about excessive sitting at the computer for a long time.
Loss of sense of time on-line.
More frequent communication with people on-line than in person.
Constant anticipation of the next on-line session or memories of the previous one.
Ignoring family and work responsibilities, social life, scientific activities or the state of one's health due to the depth of the Internet.
Inability to shorten the time spent on the Internet.
Skipping meals, school, meetings, or cutting back on sleep to be able to surf the Internet.
Accessing the Internet to get away from problems or to numb feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression.
The appearance of fatigue, irritability, decreased mood when you stop browsing the Web and an irresistible desire to return to the computer;
"Secret" access to the Internet at the time of the absence of other family members, accompanied by a sense of relief or guilt;

6. Denial of addiction. Specialists distinguish not only psychological, but also physical symptoms of Internet addiction, which include:

dry eyes;

migraine headaches;

back pain;

irregular meals, skipping meals;

neglect of personal hygiene;

sleep disorders, changes in sleep patterns.

Internet Addiction Prevention Tips:

Make a list of reasons why you should stop using the Internet excessively.
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Internet addiction: concept, types, symptoms, stages and causes of development, treatment and prevention

Internet addiction: how to protect yourself?