Introduction
Over the past several years, Internet addiction has become accepted as a clinical disorder that often requires treatment (Young and de Abreu xv). Today, clinics and hospitals offer outpatient services for Internet addiction and even colleges have formed support groups in order to help those who are addicted.
According to the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery, Internet addiction is characterized by any compulsive behavior that involves the Internet and that “interferes with normal functioning, and causes stress on the addicts, as well as their family, friends, and loved ones” (Padwa and Cunningham 43). The Center for Internet Addiction estimates that 6% to 9% of people from the United States suffer from one form of the disorder or another.
With the exploration of Internet addiction starting only a decade ago, there are still no established behavioral patterns or diagnostic criteria for defining the disorder. However, some of the signs that have been determined by experts include the inability to stop using the Internet, hiding or lying about the nature or extent of online behavior, a preoccupation with being online, and compulsive use (Padwa and Cunningham 43). In some cases, persons who are addicted to the Internet claim that going online changes their mood in much the same way that drug addicts and alcoholics turn to drugs and alcohol, respectively, in order to feel better when they are depressed (Padwa and Cunningham 43). In addition, they claim that they need to regularly use the Internet to feel normal, which resembles the phenomena of withdrawal and tolerance that are experienced by users of psychoactive substances (Padwa and Cunningham 43). As well, more than half of Internet addicts claim that they’re also addicted to sex, smoking, alcohol, and drugs (Padwa and Cunningham 43).
Internet addicts usually spend about 38 hours every week online. Without any established criteria for determining whether a person is addicted to the Internet or not, Kimberly Young (Padwa and Cunningham 43) proposed that individuals could be considered addicts if they used the Internet to escape their problems or to relieve their feelings of depression or anxiety; if their jobs or personal relationships were jeopardized because of their Internet use; if they felt irritable or distressed when they tried to reduce their Internet use; if they achieved satisfaction only by spending more and more time online; if they have tried to reduce their Internet use but had been unsuccessful; and if they were preoccupied with the Internet even when they were not online.
In a survey conducted by Young (“Caught in the Net” 4), self-confessed Internet addicts claimed that they stayed online everyday for six, eight, ten or even more hours even when this was causing problems in their school work, work life, relationships, and families. The respondents also said that they felt irritable and anxious when they were offline and that they craved for the next time they would be able to go online (Young, “Caught in the Net” 4). The respondents further claimed that they could not control or stop their Internet usage even when it was causing them to get poor grades, lose their jobs, or get divorced.
Analysis of the Problem
The ubiquity of computers and the Internet has turned it into a popular hobby among many users (Duran). However, there are some people who spend an unusually large amount of time in it that it tends to lead to addiction, particularly to a newfound diagnosis that experts term as Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD).
There isn’t much research that’s available in this field as the craving for the unrestrained use of the Internet is a considerably new concept. There are many contrasting views on this, particularly on whether it exists or not.While some claim that it can become addictive to the point that it interferes with the important things in one’s life, others say that it’s not comparable to getting extremely drunk or getting high on drugs (Duran).Regardless, though, it remains that the excessive use of the Internet can have adverse effects on people, whether it is termed addiction or not.
According to Dr. John Grohol, people spend excessive time on the Internet because they do not want to deal with their problems (Duran). This can be likened to people who read a large number of books, watch a lot of TV, or go out regularly to drink. Moreover, Dr. Grohol suggests a model that indicates the phases that a person goes through in their discovery of the Internet and its many features (Duran). The first phase is called the obsession or enchantment phase, in which the individual is highly addicted to the Internet. The second phase is disillusionment where the individual loses interest in the activity they often engage in. Finally, the third phase is balance where the individual’s Internet usage becomes normalized. However, Dr. Grohol posits that the phases can be repeated if the client finds another activity that interests them (Duran).
One of the views on Internet addiction is that is real and can be as addictive as drug addiction (Johnson 9). Another is that it’s merely “a play on words, an inference with meaning that is questionable,” (Johnson 9), which implies that the usage of the word “addiction” may be incorrect. On the other hand, there are those who claim that Internet addiction does not exist as the Internet is an environment and not a substance, although it does allow people to act out their previous addictive tendencies or addictions (Johnson 9). Moreover, there are those who say that overuse of the Internet is not a problem as it may come with the job or is a lifestyle choice (Johnson 9). Similarly, David Greenfield (Duran), founder of the Center for Internet Studies, asserts that the activities performed over the Internet – including online gambling, emailing, and participating in discussion forums and chat rooms – are merely forms of socialization that are conducted over a different kind of medium. He states that the Internet is “a socially connecting device that’s socially isolating at the same time” (qtd. in Duran).
However, researchers agree that the Internet can be addictive and that the disorder can develop into a dependency for the individual where they undergo withdrawal and tolerance affects and become as isolated as other types of addicts (Duran). Internet addicts reject the real world and treat the Internet as an escape and as a way to make themselves feel better.
One of the most prevalent types of Internet addiction is the addiction to online gaming, which is especially popular among the youth (Padwa and Cunningham 44). According to researchers, people get addicted to online gaming in order to compensate for something that they lack (Padwa and Cunningham 44). Online games become attractive to them because these games allow them to make social connections with other users or players while still keeping their anonymity, which is especially enticing if they have a tendency to become anxious in social situations.
One type of game that draws people in are the MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). Such games allow them to express themselves in ways that they cannot do so in real life. Moreover, the gratification that they get from their interactions in the game keeps them compulsively coming back to the Internet. As well, these games have no end. The players are constantly given new tasks and goals whose achievement or completion makes the players feel powerful; thus, fuelling the addiction.
According to OLGA (On-Line Gamers Anonymous), which has an online screening tool for determining addiction to MMORPGs, an individual can be considered addicted if there are occurrences when they confuse their real life identity with that of their character in the game; if they feel euphoric while playing; if they’re preoccupied with gaming even while doing other things, and if most of the people they know are those whom they play with (Padwa and Cunningham 44). Moreover, people who are addicted to MMORPGs often feel lonely, sad, fearful, anxious, angry, and depressed when they are not playing. In extreme cases, people who are addicted to MMORPGs but can no longer play may even become suicidal or violent.
Other types of Internet addiction are associated to behavioral addictions. Because the Internet allows users to remain anonymous, they are able to engage in other compulsive behaviors. One of the most common of these is cybersex, which is also a new form of sex addiction that is becoming more prevalent. According to researchers, 20% of Internet addicts engage in cybersex, although many of these users have never exhibited any signs of sexual addiction prior to their online sexual activities (Padwa and Cunningham 44). As with online games, cybersex allows people to remain anonymous and to conceal their job, race, marital status, age, and other things about their personality, which may make it hard for them to engage in sexual activity in real life.
Another prevalent form of Internet addiction, especially among the youth, is online gaming. In particular, the Internet allows individuals who may be too young to legally gamble or to enter a casino to engage in gambling activities. The Internet allows them to hide their true identity, enabling them to play online. Just like the people who are addicted to traditional gambling, online gambling addicts tend to feel that they need to keep increasing their bets in order to obtain emotional satisfaction and they also tend to hide their behaviors.
Likewise, the Internet is a conducive ground for shopping addicts as online shopping allows them the ease and anonymity of shopping, which going to a brick-and-mortar store does not afford. Moreover, the Center for Internet Addiction further identifies a sub-type of online shopping addiction, which is the addiction to online auctioning sites. These sites allow users to place bids on the items that are available for sale (Padwa and Cunningham 45). As such, winning bids for items give individuals a rush that is similar to that felt when winning in a gamble. Because of this, some individuals even bid on items that they don’t need just so they can feel the sensation of winning. This in turn can lead people to bankruptcy and can even make them steal from their loved ones and friends just so they can continue bidding on these auction sites.
Conclusion
Although Internet addiction is a new type of addiction that hasn’t been thoroughly researched yet and while the lack of empirical evidence on the subject has led to contrasting views on what constitutes Internet addiction or that it even exists, majority of experts acknowledge that it does exist. They agree that the common symptoms of the disorder include the compulsive use of the Internet such that it becomes detrimental to the person’s studies, job, or relationships. They also agree that Internet addicts experience withdrawal and tolerance affects and that deprivation of Internet usage makes them behave in negative ways.
Researchers also have classifications for the various types of Internet addiction where addiction to online gaming is the most prevalent type and other types include addictions to cybersex, online gambling, and online shopping.
It is important for this addiction to be treated as it can be detrimental to a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. According to researchers, cognitive therapy is the most effective treatment for Internet addictions that are related to behavioral addictions (Padwa and Cunningham 45), although twelve-step and self-help groups may also be helpful. In addition, hospitals and clinics have programs for the treatment of Internet addiction where extreme cases may require inpatient treatment at recovery centers.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as Internet addiction treatment was first suggested by Young (“CBT-IA” 304) based on the premise that CBT has been used to help patients recover from addiction in general. In Young’s (“CBT-IA” 304) treatment model, which she called the Cognitive behavioral therapy-internet addiction (CBT-IA) model, CBT is applied with harm reduction therapy (HRT). It consists of three phases where the first phase aims to reduce the amount of time that the patient spends on the Internet; the second phase aims to help the patient overcome their denial of their addiction and their justification and rationalization for their Internet overuse; and the third phase uses HRT to identify and treat issues that coexist with the Internet addiction.
In a study where the treatment’s efficacy was tested on 114 clients, the findings showed that “majority of the clients were able to manage their presenting complaints by the eighth session and symptom management was sustained upon a six-month follow up” (Young, “Treatment Outcomes,” 671). In a similar study conducted by van Rooij, Zinn, Shoemakers and van de Mheen (69) where an existing cognitive behavioral therapy was used with a motivational interviewing based treatment program for the treatment of Internet addiction, it was found that the intervention showed some level of progress among all of the patients who were treated and that the patients were satisfied with both the treatment and the actual behavioral improvements (van Rooij et al. 69).
On the other hand, in a case study conducted by Lee (208), it was found that a treatment program that was based on the 12-step program, on behavior modification, and on cognitive-behavioral therapy showed that the patients who participated experienced an improvement in their online gaming addiction. It should be noted that this was the first time that the 12-step program’s efficacy was tested on Internet addiction as this program is usually used in the treatment of drug addiction or alcoholism.
As well, support groups and group counseling have been found to be effective in the treatment this disorder (Jones and Minatrea 6). In particular, the insight, confrontation, and support gained from people who are going through the same emotions and cognitions can be helpful in facilitating recovery through therapy. Based on the success obtained by recovering addicts from their participation in 12-step support groups such as Overeaters Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Alcoholics Anonymous, it is deemed possible for Internet addicts to also achieve success through their participation in groups that are intended for people who excessively use the Internet.
Indeed, researchers continue to develop and test intervention programs that can help Internet addicts overcome their addiction. Although there’s still a lot of debate and confusion over this disorder, it still holds true that anything in excess is harmful to us and that goes for Internet usage, too.
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