Summary and response - Essay Example

Internet addiction – Epidemic or Fad? The article by Jaffe and Uhls on internet addiction introduces the concept of addiction as it is commonly understood. There is usually a substance involved such as a tobacco, drugs or alcohol, or a behavior that is repeated over and over again as the victim of the addiction continually seeks emotional stimulation. Examples are cited of countries such as China and Korea were individuals have been known to indulge in internet use so much that they have suffered serious illness and even death.

Statistics such as the increasing average usage of multiple media such as tv, books, computers, mp3 players and video games by children in the United States are cited, and questions are raised regarding the proper response to such emerging issues. A short questionnaire is supplied, and readers are invited to test themselves against these questions to see whether or not they suffer from internet addiction. The authors conclude with some advice regarding early interventions and treatment and there is a reference list with useful sources for further reading.

This is an informative article which explains the relation between internet usage and other types of behavior which can be quite normal when carried out in moderation, but become pathological when taken to an extreme. It gives good advice on a rather simplistic level and this makes it suitable general public readership. The article describes what internet addiction is, how it can affect people, and what to do about it, but there is no consideration of the causes of this problem or any statistic on trends across countries and through time.

The authors asked the question whether internet addiction is an epidemic or a fad, but they did not fully answer this question. They admit that it is a problem “for at least as subset of internet users” (Jaffe and Uhls, 2011, p.1) but it is hard to tell how serious or widespread this problem is. I would like to have seen a deeper analysis of the reasons why people are so drawn to the internet and what the bigger implications are for American lifestyle and culture now and in the future.ReferencesJaffe, Adi and Uhls, Yalda T.

“Internet Addiction – Epidemic or Fad?: Can people really get addicted to the holy internet?” Psychology Today. November 17, 2011. Available at: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/all-about-addiction/201111/internet-addiction-epidemic-or-fad