Internet Addiction: A New Challenge to Modern World - Research Paper Example

Internet Addiction: A New Challenge to Modern World Introduction Internet has been explosively growing over the last decade changing the way people interact with each other. Internet has become the integral part in every phase of daily one’s life. However, this technology has many adverse effects on individuals and society as a whole. The negative impacts involve excessive computer use that may interfere with one’s a daily life. This is a medical condition termed as Internet Addiction or Compulsive Internet Use (CIU). Volumes have already been written on the issue yet leaving room for further research as the technology is growing day by day. Unlike the past, people especially children are highly vulnerable to the bad sides of internet. Several incidents indicate that many children across the world are affected by internet addiction. This involves behavioural problems like Cybersex Addiction, Cyber-Relationship Addiction, and Net Compulsions. This paper will perform a cause and effect analysis of the over use of internet from a socio-psychological perspective. This will also review available literature on internet addiction in order for exploring the intensity of the issue and the scope for reducing the impacts. Literature Review Internet provides people with a common platform to communicate with each other at very cheap rates. Internet based applications such as Google talk, Yahoo messenger, and Skype allow people to interact with others more livelily from different parts of the globe. Today, internet is considered as the most convenient channel of communication because nearly half of the world’s population has access to internet. Small and movable devices like ipads and tablets make internet browsing more easy and convenient. Since internet supports technologies like video conferencing, multinational corporations and other global organizations can meet their communication needs more cheaply and effectively. However, as Reuters (2012) reports, many children today maintain Facebook or Google Plus accounts by misrepresenting their age, and they spend their time in this virtual world with unknown friends and newer modes of entertainment. The report points out that children today are more interested in chatting with friends from a far distant place than talking to their schoolmates or neighbours. According to Byron Review (n.d.) children today lack helping mentality, and this could be attributed to their increased exposure to the internet world. In addition, children are likely to become addicts if they spend long time on the internet. Thousands of porn websites and other sexually explicit contents are easily available to anyone on internet. Undoubtedly, such websites can drastically influence the mental development of children as they may not seize those contents in the right sense. A recent report caught the attention of people all over the world. The news revealed the opening of a hospital in the US that would treat internet addiction. According to the news reported by Neporent (Sep 2, 2013), this will be a voluntary, ‘10-day in-patient treatment program’ that will admit up to four people having severe internet addiction. The patients will “undergo an extensive evaluation and a "digital detox" that prohibits phone, tablet or Internet use for at least 72 hours” (Neporent). This will follow therapy sessions and educational seminars that may bring internet compulsion under control. This indicates the intensity of the issue in the present society. According to Wilder (2006, p. 204), one of the most noticeable effects of increased internet usage is that it promotes socialization, which is a dynamic learning process whereby, individuals and organizations change over time. Since internet influences cultural transitions, this global network significantly contributes to socialization. However, sometimes internet promotes a negative socialization process due to its unfair usage. Bax (2013) points out a number of incidents from China where youth is highly affected by the compulsive use of internet. The consequences of the disorder range from depression to suicidal attempts. For instance, a youth Xiao Cai tried to kill himself several times, for his regular exposure to online games had affected his mental state. The author compares the incident with workplace strain, and blames it as the result of the ‘disproportionate attention given to the relation between the youth and technology’ (pp. 27-28). According to Johnson (2012), unscientific application of computers in schools is one of the major causes of compulsive use of interne among children. According to the author, the belief that ‘adding technology and computers’ to schools will improve education has contributed to the issue to a great extent. In order to reduce the negative impact of computers on children, teachers have to be given professional development so that they will learn how to incorporate students’ ownership and use of computers into academic programs (pp. 29-30). According to the findings of Young (1998), people with certain common characteristics are highly vulnerable to internet addiction. Individuals who are lonely, and show low self esteem, anxiety, and insecurity tend to develop internet addiction. Those who fail in their family and social relationships also constitute this group. When it comes to teenagers, those who are misunderstood by parents find internet as their last solace. According to the author, such people escape into a ‘fantasyland’ where they can easily make friends and communicate with them whenever they like (pp. 20-21). Although researchers are deeply at odds regarding the addictive symptoms of internet use, majority of them converge at the point that excessive use of internet is a clinical disorder often requiring treatment. Young (2010) presents a questionnaire (Internet Addiction Diagnosis Questionnaire) that contains eight criteria for the diagnosis of the disorder. However, the researcher admits that the diagnosis is difficult as the ‘legitimate use and personal use of internet often mask the addictive behaviour’. Therefore, a clinical practitioner should be very careful while evaluating one’s answers to the questionnaire (pp. 20-21). Evidently, high rate of internet usage has greatly benefited people to be independent as it helps them attain knowledge without any external assistance. However, at some particular levels, the negative effects of internet outweigh its positive effects. To illustrate, the growing popularity of social networking websites like Facebook causes time wastage, and hence the overall productivity of individuals declines. As Lukoff points out, “exposing children and youth to video games and the internet often does not engage their major learning style that is through their sensorimotor system, and thus have negative effects on their cognitive development” (Lukoff, 2003, p. 104). Recommendations and Conclusion Internet has become the hub of entertainment and at the same time a potential threat to human relationship and development. Internet allows people to watch movies and matches online, play online video games, and make friendships worldwide. The increasing popularity of social networking sites intensified the use of internet worldwide. Some negative elements such as porn websites, online sex selling, and many more pose new behavioural problems like Cybersex Addiction, Cyber-Relationship Addiction, and Net Compulsions in people. Reports from all over the world indicate that internet addiction has grown to be a major social problem. Treatments including cognitive-behavioural therapy can help individuals to stop compulsive internet behaviours to a great extent. Therapy in this regard should address an individual’s stress, depression, and all other emotional constraints to overcome the addiction. The addict should be encouraged to take up new hobbies and activities. Someone should monitor an addict’s use of computer by setting time limits. In the case of children, parents should limit their children’s screen-time to save them from internet addiction. Awareness programs can bring great results in people regardless of their age or gender. Parent should inform their children about the negative effects of the use of internet. And, if they find that children need further assistance in this regard, parents should approach experts or clinical practitioners to address the issue. References Byron Review – Children and New Technology. (n.d.). Safer Children in a Digital World The Report of the Byron Review. Retrieved from http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/7332/1/Final%20Report%20Bookmarked.pdf Bax, T. (2013). Youth and Internet Addiction in China. US: Routledge. Johnson, N. F. (2012). The Multiplicities of Internet Addiction: The Misrecognition of Leisure and Learning. US: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Lukoff, D. (2003). “Health Issues”. In H. Bidgoli (Ed.). The Internet Encyclopedia. US: John Wiley & Sons. Neporent, L. (2013). Hospital First in US to Treat Internet Addiction. ABC News, Sept. 4. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/hospital-opens-internet-addiction-treatment-program/story?id=20146923 Reuters. (2012). Under 13 Year Olds On Facebook: Why Do 5 Million Kids Log In If Facebook Doesn't Want Them To? Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/under-13-year-olds-on-facebook_n_1898560.html Young, K & Abreau, C. N. (2010). Internet Addiction: A Handbook and Guide to Evaluation and Treatment. US: John Wiley & Sons. Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the Net: How to Recognize the Signs of Internet Addiction--and a Winning Strategy for Recovery. John Wiley & Sons. Wilder, E.I. (2006). Wheeling and Dealing: Living with Spinal Cord Injury. US: Vanderbilt University Press. Read More