Impact of Excessive Internet Use on Adolescents - Research Paper Example

The original concept of the Internet is associated with research facilities for academic agencies. However, the manner in which the young generation uses this tool can adversely affect their mental and physical health. Research has shown that excessive Internet users suffer from similar psychological problems like any other kind of addicts. Such users experience “technological addictions that involve excessive human-machine interaction” (Griffiths, 2008, p.232). This paper focuses on the addiction to the Internet which is becoming increasingly a major issue among the adolescents.

Studies have shown that in the United States, 6 percent of the Internet users experience strong addiction to the tool (Young, 2004, p.402). The popularity of social networking sites involves participation of millions of Internet users all over the world, mostly younger people. Since these sites are becoming rapidly more popular among adolescents to enhance communication and relationships, therefore the need is to focus on the impacts of these sites on the psychology of the users, and the factors that develop addictive tendencies in them (Wilson et al., 2010, p.173).

However, studies also prove that the use of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace does not always have adverse effects on adolescents since they use these sites mainly for the purpose of intensifying real life relationships, who are geographically separated, by facilities like instant messaging (Reich et al., 2012, p.356). 2. Literature Review Internet is rapidly gaining popularity among the young population especially for communication with peers. Although it can broaden the social circle of users, the risk remains high regarding.

Internet is rapidly gaining popularity among the young population especially for communication with peers. Although it can broaden the social circle of users, the risk remains high regarding Internet addiction. Excessive use of the Internet strongly affects personal relationships of adolescent users as they begin to prefer online communication to face-to-face interaction. As observed by Smahel et al. (2012), adolescents consider friends as a greater social support even more than their families, therefore interaction with online friends can have a strong impact on their daily lives.

The popularity of the Internet as channel of communication with peers is same among the youth in every country although the pattern may differ. Internet is used by youngsters not only to maintain contact with current friends or to renew communication with old friends, but also to establish new contacts. As per a survey conducted in 25 European countries, 30 percent of young Internet users communicate with previously unknown people (Smahel et al., 2012, p.382). The growing tendency among the youth to use online services to maintain relationships is becoming an issue of concern since it can lead to psychological problems like Internet addiction disorder.

It has been seen that young users of virtual chat rooms are more susceptible to Internet addiction as for them Internet becomes the main source for maintaining social life.