Term Paper on "Internet Addiction There Are Several Important Points"

Term Paper 5 pages (1544 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Internet Addiction

There are several important points in understanding the use of the Internet by a plethora of people. There are concerns that this growth of the Internet could be a medium of addictions that may lead to obsessive behaviors. Many researchers have come to argue that Internet addiction is a disorder, similar to alcoholic and substance abuse that involves withdrawal, psychological disturbances, and lack of social relationships (Freedman, 19-23).

The issues that are creating difficulties in diagnosing Internet additions relate to the importance of the Internet, since many of the people use the Internet for necessity as it can be a powerful medium of providing information, and knowledge resources. The problems occur when people become obsessed with the Internet. For example, if some of the people who go for vacations do not forget to take their laptop with them thinking that they miss the fun of browsing the Internet (Sue, D., Sue, D. And Sue, 74-75). When this kind of situation occurs, it begins to reflect an obsessive disorder toward the use of the Internet (Griffiths, 35).

Although we must understand that the Internet is a tool that offers people several opportunities for improving their knowledge and skills by providing a host of information, it becomes an addiction only because people who are using the tools become obsessive and forget the real reason of using the Internet (Young, 240). Some of these people browse the Internet aimlessly and some may browse pornographic sites for getting sexual pleasure, and while some may browse Internet for hours for reading gossips and community chats. Unlike other tools, Internet is ecologically sound and convenient, which makes lives of many people simpler. However, when people begin to use the Internet for an escape from reality and everyday problems, it begins to take the form of an addiction.

Let us take the example of Instant Messenger that allows users to hold simultaneous conversations. Though this program enables students to keep in touch with friends and family in any part of the world, it can lead to quick addiction among students. These students can become not only isolated, spending all their time chained to their computers, reemerging from their dorm rooms periodically to shower and eat, but also begin to loose their interests with everyday educational and social activities (Freedman, 96).

DEFINING INTERNET ADDICTION DISORDER

According to the American Psychiatric Association, to be diagnosed as having Internet Addiction Disorder, a person must meet certain criteria as listed below:

1. Tolerance: The person requires for increasing amounts of time on the Internet to Achieve satisfaction and his/her pleasure begins to significantly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of time on the Internet.

2. Withdrawal: The person begins to withdraw from his/her natural physical or mental activities through mindless browsing of the Internet.

The continued use of the Internet causes impairment of social, personal or occupational functioning.

3. The person accesses Internet quite more often for relaxation.

4. The person intends to do a number of things through Internet activities (trying out new World Wide Web browsers, researching Internet vendors, etc.).

5. The individual begins to loose reality and begins to risk the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of excessive use of the Internet.

EXPLANANTIONS of INTERNET ADDICTIONS

We still lack data which provide us sufficient information on why and which kinds of people are affected with the Internet addiction. Since addictions vary according to sex, age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, religion, however, so far there is not a succinct category through which Internet addiction can be discriminated.

The most common Internet activities for people are email exchange and chatting with others.

On average, a majority of users access the Internet for six to seven different activities. A majority of users begin to use the Internet for recording their schedules and product information. Using this excuse, these people often browse Internet endlessly and forget the real reason of accessing the Internet.

Although there are some explanation that make the use of the behavioral and operant conditioning, these explanations are tentative. According to this explanation, a person performs a behavior and is either rewarded or punished for the behavior. This can be related to Internet addiction as browsing of the Internet provides excitement and escape from the reality.

There is also research that supports the fact that Internet addiction is used for breaking loose from the social restrains. In this regard, the people make virtual engagement, change their identity, and use Internet for pleasure, fun, and excitement that provide them a sense of individuality and get them high as drug abusers get high with the use of the drugs.

PROBLEMS WITH the INTERNET ADDICTION

Many psychologists believe that the excess use of the Internet can become hazardous to one's mental and physical health. This may be visible in a few of the symptoms classified by the American Psychiatric Association as described above. An awareness of the basic symptoms becomes important before people feel that they are getting addicted to the use of the Internet.

In this regard, the Internet addicts should then ask themselves what is causing them to want to escape from everyday life? The third step is that they should devise and act out a plan to work through the problem, rather than escape it. Escaping from the problem through the Internet, and effectively ignoring it, does not make the problem go away. It usually only intensifies the problem. Finally, the addict needs to take steps to resolve the addiction itself (Young, 238).

Since people are spending the greatest amount of time online have to do with social interactions, it would appear that socialization is what makes the Internet so "addicting." That is probably the reason that the Internet use provides people a sense of companionship and hanging out with other people and talking with them. Whether it is via e-mail, a discussion forum, chat, or a game online, people are spending this time exchanging information, support, and chat with other peoples. We must understand that when we forget doing our everyday chores in order to socialize with others, it is referred to as the addiction.

In some cases, the online behavior becomes threatening to job or ruining marriage, because people begin to relegate these activities in comparison to the Internet use. Pathological gambling is considered the closest type of addiction to internet addiction because it involves failed impulse control without involving an intoxicant (Young, 238).

CONCLUSIONS

America is the most wired country in the world. With this, the country has become a virtual home of addiction for people ranging from kindergarten to old retired persons.

As the use of the Internet is growing, there is evidence that people are spending less time with friends and family, and often lurking and sneaking behind the computer. A key finding of research is that as people spend more hours on the Internet, the less time they spend with real human beings. Many people argue that they have stopped watching television and instead use that time for Internet browsing. Most Internet users utilize e-mail and undoubtedly, they make increasing use of their "conversations" with family and friends through this medium. E-mail is a way to stay in touch, but it is still "virtual" since one cannot share the physical contacts with the friends or family members. In this respect, the Internet could be the ultimate isolating technology that further reduces our participation in communities even more than television did before it.

One interesting point about the Internet addiction is that once people have access to the Internet, there are more similarities than differences in terms of how much they use it and the activities they use it. Blacks, whites, college-educated, male and female from various age groups tend to look homogenous in… READ MORE

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