Internet addiction: concept, types, symptoms, stages and causes of development, treatment and prevention article on computer science and ICT on the topic

The increasing convenience and accessibility of the Internet means that it is now possible to search for information, access social networking sites, shop and gamble from devices that can fit in your pocket or even on your wrist.

While this may be useful when learning information as part of your education or helping you perform your job, the increasingly instantaneous nature of the Internet means that forced use is more likely. Internet addiction may be diagnosed if your use of the World Wide Web becomes pathological because Internet use has a detrimental effect on your daily life, including your relationships and any educational or work commitments.

If you think you or someone you care about may be experiencing an internet addiction that is affecting various aspects of their daily life, treatment options at Narcohealth include self-help groups and behavioral talks aimed at abstinence and understanding. read more about why you may turn to excessive internet use. Internet addiction treatment may be provided through our 28-day addiction treatment program, depending on the length and type of treatment you receive, depending on your unique condition and the severity of your addiction.

Free addiction assessment at your nearest hospital

They also offer a free initial assessment , which looks at the specific issues you are facing with online addiction, after which you can create a personalized treatment plan.

Internet addiction can cover a wide range of problems, from social media addiction to shopping, gambling and pornography. Internet addiction has become widespread among the public over the past few years, thanks to a number of concerning headlines, including a recent study of more than 1,300 young people in Moscow which found just over 1% met the criteria for internet addiction.

Internet addiction, often described as an impulse control disorder, is a behavioral addiction that does not involve using substances to experience desired side effects. If you have an internet addiction, it will be similar to how a compulsive gambler feels with the desire to go online while giving priority to other aspects of your life.

Treatment of Internet addiction

The benefits of an increasingly digital world include communicating with friends and family via text, email and social media at any time of the day, making it easier to plan events and keep up with what's going on in each other's lives without having to physically meet.

While many people may find themselves disconnected from their daily use of technology, others may find it harder to disconnect and spend time with family and friends. If virtual worlds and online friends have become more important than your relationships in the "real world" and you feel anxious without them, then this is a sign that a period of abstinence is required to revive your life. ,

Internet addiction treatment at Narkozdrav is provided in several ways, including self-help groups, abstinence, and counseling. If you can't make progress with either self-help or individual therapy, there are also 12-step rehabilitation programs run by Narkozdrav.

How to get rid of Internet addiction

I think you already understand that Internet addiction should not be perceived as a disease. This term is not yet used in medicine, and treatment is not carried out almost anywhere.

Addiction primarily occurs due to a lack of goals, avoidance of problems, or the need for self-expression. Here are some tips for treating internet addiction.

Don't turn on your computer unless necessary

Usually we turn on computer equipment automatically as soon as we arrive home. This has long become a habit.

Before you turn it on, think about what things you still have left to do. If you're tired after work, instead of watching TV or playing games, find another way to relax.

Also, do not forget to turn off the device after work, and not just put it into sleep mode, let it rest too.

Get active

A good way to get rid of Internet addiction is to play sports.

After achieving success in sports, you will no longer need to express yourself on the Internet.

Find active friends

If it's not easy for you to start playing sports, then find a friend who will help you with this.

Build a new environment. Find friends who lead an active lifestyle. Together it will be much easier and more interesting for you.

Take up an interesting hobby

Find a business that you are willing to do for the rest of your life, or at least do something you like, except for computer games.

Read more: The benefits and harms of marijuana

Stop using the Internet for a few days

It may be difficult, but it is effective. During this time, communicate with people, engage in hobbies, take courses, get out of your comfort zone.

Don't eat at your computer desk

Firstly, digestion will improve. Secondly, you will be able to distract yourself and take a break from the network, and will not damage your computer.

See a Psychotherapist

If no advice helps, then in this case you should contact a specialist. He will help you understand the problem and identify the reason for your preference for the virtual world over the real one.

Signs of Internet addiction

Typical signs and symptoms of internet addiction include:

• Spend a lot of time on the Internet for reasons unrelated to work
• Irritability or bad mood if Internet access is blocked or restricted
• A pleasant expectation of Internet use is common, although many Internet addicts believe that excessive Internet use is a form of stress management
• Massively multiplayer role-playing games may also consider their use as a form of social contact
• As addiction becomes more serious, Internet use becomes more important than most other activities and serious social problems are likely to follow
• Isolation from family and friends to spend time on the Internet
• Hiding or downplaying the amount of time spent online
• Extreme fear of missing out means you have to compulsively check social media

Scientists have explained what happens to an Internet addict

Researchers at Novosibirsk State Technical University studied interpersonal relationships in people with different levels of Internet addiction.

In total, three levels were identified: independent (36 percent, dependent - 12 percent, prone to addiction - 52 percent).

Addicts and addicts were found to have higher levels of overall experiences of loneliness compared to independent users. What it is? The state of a person when it seems to him that in his “living” environment there are no people with whom he could communicate closely, he feels lonely. The Internet in this case is a compensation for such communication, but in reality it only contributes to the fact that real connections are increasingly broken and the feeling of loneliness intensifies.

It is interesting that for Internet addicts, when the obsessive desire to visit the Internet increases, the joy of being alone increases and the need for communication decreases. “This observation suggests that for an addicted person, satisfaction of their own need for Internet activity comes first, rather than the need for communication.” - emphasizes the author of the study Tatyana Levina. “Living” people are an obstacle for an addict.

Internet addicts are cautious about establishing close relationships, focus on their own interests, can demonstrate rudeness and harshness, and are more prone to demonstrating aggression. Trust in close relationships is very rare for them. Dysphoria is characteristic of addicts and addicts. And this, for your information, is a mood disorder, tension, as well as melancholy and angry irritability, which can turn into an explosion of anger with aggressiveness.

Addicts and those prone to them are also characterized by the presence of compulsive symptoms (such people follow obsessive rituals, unnecessary rules, they may have constant anxiety that the Internet will disappear or the battery in the gadget will run out, they are not able to concentrate on a really important issue, are unable to make a decision at a crucial moment, often appear clumsy and rude).

Another unpleasant consequence of Internet addiction is withdrawal syndrome - a sharp deterioration in well-being, physical and psychological, if you are suddenly deprived of the opportunity to surf the Internet. In such a situation, a person cannot think about anything else at all.

Check if you have an Internet addiction

Select and write down the answer that best suits you for each of the following questions.

Possible answers:

1. Not suitable at all (1 point)

2. Poorly suitable (2 points)

3. Partially suitable (3 points)

4. Completely suitable (4 points)

***

1. I have been told more than once that I spend too much time on the Internet.

2. I feel uncomfortable when I am not on the Internet for a certain period of time.

3. I notice that I spend more and more time online.

4. I feel anxious and irritated when the Internet is down or unavailable.

5. I feel full of energy while online, despite preliminary fatigue.

6. I stay online for a longer time than I intended, even though I planned to “visit for a while.”

7. Although Internet use negatively affects my relationships with people, the amount of time spent on the Internet remains unchanged.

8. Several times I slept less than 4 hours because I was stuck on the Internet.

9. Over the past six months (or over the past year) I have begun to spend a lot more time on the Internet.

10. I get worried or upset if I have to stop using the Internet for a period of time.

11. I can’t overcome the desire to go online.

12. I notice that I go online instead of meeting friends in person.

13. My back hurts or I experience some other physical discomfort after surfing the Internet.

14. The thought of going online comes first to me when I wake up in the morning.

15. Being on the Internet has caused me some trouble at school or at work.

16. When I'm online for a certain period of time, I feel like I'm missing something.

17. My communication with family members is reduced due to the use of the Internet.

18. I get less rest because of using the Internet.

19. Even after disconnecting from the Internet after completing work, I cannot cope with the desire to log on to the Internet again.

20. My life would be joyless if there was no Internet.

21. Spending time on the Internet has negatively affected my physical well-being.

22. I try to spend less time on the Internet, but without success.

23. It is becoming common for me to sleep less in order to spend more time on the Internet.

24. I need to spend more and more time on the Internet to get the same satisfaction as before.

25. Sometimes I can’t eat at the right time because I’m on the Internet.

26. I feel tired during the day because I spent late on the Internet.

Points (answers) are summed up.

From 27 to 42 points - minimal risk of Internet addictive behavior

From 43 to 64 points - a tendency to develop Internet addictive behavior

Over 65 points – formed and stable Internet addictive behavior

Symptoms and consequences of Internet addiction

The following effects will become apparent to a person who suffers from Internet addiction:

• Associated depression, anxiety and mood swings
• Social isolation and isolation, feelings of loneliness
• Feelings of low self-esteem and fear of disapproval
• Relationships and sexual problems
• Employment or education issues that may lead to financial problems

Other symptoms that may indicate internet addiction will be evident when you or someone you care about stops using the internet for a period of time or is unable to access apps or social media due to a holiday, for example.

Symptoms of quitting smartphone or internet addiction when trying to reduce use may include:

• restlessness
• Problems with concentration
• Intense craving for access to your smartphone and the Internet
• Difficult dream
• Anger and irritability

What causes internet addiction?

Internet addiction can be compared to other forms of addiction, such as alcohol or drugs, in that for some users it can be a kind of escape or "high".

This is especially true when you consider the release of your brain's "happy chemical," dopamine, which is released when playing computer games, interacting with people online, or getting "likes" on content you've posted on social media. This mood altering effect thus increases your desire to repeat the process to achieve the same feeling.

As with drug and alcohol addiction, heavy and repeated use can build up a tolerance to the pleasurable effects of using the Internet or playing an online computer game, causing you to feel the urge to spend increasingly longer periods of time. achieve the same effect.

People with other pre-existing addictions or mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, may be more predisposed to internet addiction. The solitary behavior of internet addiction may actually increase the unwanted symptoms of co-existing mental health conditions, as social interaction is essential for increasing self-confidence, relieving mental distress and improving mood.

Treatment at Narcohealth will primarily involve treating the symptoms of mental health-related conditions, in the hope that this will address the severity of the internet addiction.

Other useful articles on the topic:

Treatment of substance abuse

August 20, 2019

Find out the main symptoms of substance abuse in order to provide timely support to the addict.

Duration of rehabilitation

August 18, 2019

Find out how long it will take to recover from drug addiction and alcoholism?

How does addiction affect the brain?

August 19, 2019

The main five types of Internet addiction. material on the topic

The main five types of Internet addiction

Cybersex addiction is an irresistible attraction to visiting porn sites and engaging in cybersex.

Addiction to virtual dating – predominant virtual communication in chats, forums, etc.

An obsessive need on the Internet is making purchases in online stores and participating in virtual auctions, lottery competitions.

Information overload (obsessive web surfing) – endless travel on the Internet, random search for information.

“Game addiction” is an addiction to computer games.

Internet addiction is often understood much more broadly; it includes: computer addiction, i.e. addiction to working with a computer (games, programming or other activities); “information overload”, i.e. compulsive (from English: compulsive - irresistible) navigation on the WWW, searching in remote databases; compulsive use of the Internet, i.e. pathological addiction to gambling, online auctions or electronic shopping on the Internet; dependence on “cyber relations”, i.e. from social applications of the Internet - communication in chats, group games and teleconferences, which can ultimately lead to the replacement of family and friends in real life with virtual ones; addiction to “cybersex”, i.e. from pornographic sites on the Internet, from discussing sexual topics in chat rooms or special teleconferences “for adults”.

Researchers note that the majority of Internet addicts (91%) use Internet services related to communication. Another part of addicts are attracted to network information services.

Internet addiction can arise as a dependence on a variety of forms of Internet use; in its manifestations it is similar to already known forms of addictive behavior (for example, as a result of using alcohol or drugs). According to various studies, about 10% of users today are Internet addicts. Other studies put the figure at 2-6%.

The peculiarities of Internet addiction are noted - it is not a chemical addiction, i.e. does not lead to the destruction of the body, in terms of its effect on the body it is closer to addiction to gambling, etc. It is noted that if traditional types of addiction take years to form, then for Internet addiction this period is sharply reduced: according to K. Young, 25% of addicts acquired addiction within six months after starting to work on the Internet, 58% - during the second half of the year, and 17% soon after a year. Addiction is usually noticed by the addict’s relatives and friends by changes in his behavior and daily routine.

The mechanisms of Internet addiction are carefully examined. Thus, the statement of J. Suler is very interesting: “Cyberspace is one of the ways to change the state of consciousness. As in an altered state of consciousness in general, cyberspace and everything that happens in it seems real - often even more real than reality." This statement allows us to draw a parallel between Internet addiction and addiction to mind-altering chemicals.

Most Internet addicts surf the Internet for the sake of communication. Internet addiction becomes possible due to the differences between real and virtual communication. The main factor due to which the phenomenon has become widespread is the anonymity of the individual on the Internet.

Thus, the Internet is attractive as a means of escapism due to the possibility of anonymous social interactions. Of particular importance here is a sense of security and awareness of one’s anonymity when carrying out interactions, including the use of e-mail, chats, and ICQ. Secondly, this is an opportunity to realize some ideas, fantasies with feedback. And the last point is unlimited access to information - information vampirism.

The phenomenon of Internet addiction can and should be understood not just as an exclusively pathological addiction, which should be gotten rid of at any cost, but also as a cognitive activity rich in internal motivation, rewarding the so-called addicts with a feeling of flow. By the latter, researchers understand the emotions that appear in users while on the Internet.

It is believed that if Internet addiction is subsequently recognized as a disease (as, for example, a so-called “cyber disorder”), then the number of people suffering from it will be significantly less than it currently appears. Mental health specialists and researchers of this phenomenon are currently interested in expanding the symptoms.

Typically, those who become Internet addicts change their personality. This is no longer the harmonious personality that she may have been at the beginning, but an addictive personality. Firstly, addicts are characterized by a change in addictive implementation. Today he is an Internet addict, tomorrow he is a love addict, the day after tomorrow he is a pathological gambler, and after a short time he turned to drugs or alcoholism. That is, it is not excluded. Secondly, the danger lies in the fact that very often, sooner or later, addictive individuals become socially maladjusted.

Manifestations of Internet addiction often hide other addictions or mental disorders. Internet addiction is not considered an official diagnosis and is often a symptom of other serious problems in an individual's life (for example, depression, communication difficulties, etc.).

Obviously, there is a problem with Internet addiction. Perhaps its importance is somewhat exaggerated in the media. The help of a psychotherapist is needed by those who ignore everyday worries and whose everyday life is disrupted.

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