Despite its undoubted advantages, modern technology also gives rise to many threats to humans. One of the relatively new and most useful yet dangerous tools is the global network. Almost all of us have access to the Internet, and it is possible to check any information or run necessary errands in a second. People around the world spend many hours online. At the same time, using the Internet can often lead to disturbed behavior patterns. Among other things, because of it, a person is exposed to numerous behavioral addictions, which are based on the fixed and repeated repetition of a given activity. Behavioral addictions include Internet addiction (a.k.a. network addiction) or phone addiction. However, the Internet and the phone have become common tools of people’s daily lives. In turn, addiction itself is a relatively new problem in society. All the time, however, it is gaining momentum and affecting more people. As a result, the science related to it is still developing and trying to answer questions about the subject. Who is the person struggling with this type of addiction? How is an addict supposed to deal with his problem in such a situation? How are Internet addictions diagnosed, how are they treated, how to stop harmful activities and can they be effectively prevented?
Internet addiction-symptoms and causes
Who is a person prone to web addiction? According to researchers, he is someone who is characterized, among other things, by an insufficient concentration of neurotransmitters in the brain. A genetic predisposition to all kinds of addictions may also play an important role here. The most important issue, however, is always to be aware of what causes Internet or phone addiction. What external factors make a person abandon his life and spend long hours in front of a screen?
On the web, modern man can find everything, the virtual world can satisfy a huge number of needs. It is at the same time his work environment, a source of entertainment, a place where to establish relationships, has a social character and a tool for dealing with official matters. Most issues, related to life in modern society, can therefore be organized with the help of the Internet. However, electronic devices are reached just as often, because they help to satisfy such feelings as longing for contact with another person or loss, loneliness. This emotional dimension, can carry the risk of Internet abuse. The Internet is also a source of entertainment, and is used as a tool to relax and unwind. That’s why it’s so easy to get used to going online frequently. New content to consume is constantly appearing there. They are calculated to keep a person on a particular device for as long as possible. A person addicted to the Internet feels a constant stimulus, a compulsion to use it. It also does not control the amount of time, the time spent online is more than 35 hours a week. The person needs the constant stimulation that the Internet gives him. The effects of Internet addiction result in a weakening of the reason for its contact with the immediate environment, one neglects one’s basic duties. The symptoms of Internet addiction can manifest themselves in problems such as mental discomfort, fatigue or sleeping problems, insomnia and even depression. So it translates into quality of life and leisure.
However, the Internet is not just about websites and entertainment. It is also social media, and anyone who uses it is exposed to hejt, or hate speech. This is because it is very easy to come across unfavorable comments online about one’s person or tastes. On the Internet, people often feel impunity – they think they can post any content or opinion there without consequences. As a result, they cause others to suffer. The hegemony experienced by people on the Internet can also result in problems such as social phobia or masked depression (one that hides behind symptoms indicating another illness). Unfortunately, there are still many people who do not realize the consequences of the words they post online. A person who is addicted and exposed to hate speech may feel constantly tired and irritated. This is because it has a significant impact on his or her mental well-being, which in turn affects physical issues such as relaxation and rest. It also happens that an online addict feels constant anxiety. Its source, in turn, may lie in the so-called FOMO syndrome.
What is the FOMO syndrome?
In a conversation about Internet addiction, it is also worth raising the issue of FOMO syndrome-what it is and how it manifests itself. It is closely related to web addiction. This is because FOMO is an acronym for fear of missing out, which in Polish means fear of what we are missing. This is because a person suffering from FOMO has the feeling that he or she is missing something irretrievably at any moment. After all, there is a myriad of information online at any given moment, and every second spent offline can mean missing something important. This has an addictive nature – so people begin to feel a compulsion to follow published content on a regular basis, which means their constant presence online. This is because they fear that while they are busy with something else: work, household duties, time spent with loved ones or developing hobbies – they miss something important online. They stop staying up to date, and as a result, they may feel rejected by the group, relegated outside of it due to their lack of information. They constantly feel that they should have just been doing something else, been in a different place. It doesn’t matter whether it concerns the next scandal in a celebrity’s life or the fact that a college friend had a baby. People feel a deep need to constantly keep up with all the current information. They are unable to turn off all notifications and log out of numerous apps. They constantly check devices such as their phone and computer when meeting others. This way they feel safe. They don’t fear being marginalized from the group due to their ignorance. This type of fear can easily lead to Internet addiction. A person experiencing it spends a lot of time online to keep track of what is happening there on a regular basis. He also lives in constant fear and anxiety. These take a toll on his physical and mental well-being. Time spent online can act as an escape from problems. People with all sorts of problems in different spheres of functioning are susceptible to addiction. Avoidance, cutting off does not change the realities of life, time spent online reinforces the difficulties.
Types of Internet addiction
The addiction to incessant use of the Web can have many sources and faces. Thus, it is divided into several categories. One of them is the need to use pornographic and erotic sites. Internet addiction then is directly linked to a person’s sexuality and an attempt to satisfy needs from this sphere of life. Another category relates to the feeling of compulsion to use tools that allow contact with another person. These are, for example, chat rooms or social media. These can affect difficulties with similar contacts in real life. An addicted person may also seek online gambling or games of chance. Compulsive online shopping falls into the same category. There is also an emerging addiction to news constantly published online. Still another type of addiction is addiction to the computer itself or computer games, at which one can spend up to thousands of hours. Each of these addictions satisfies a person’s needs that are not realized in real life. Before dealing with an addiction, therefore, it is worth finding out what lies at the root of the addiction. Is the addiction related to the need for companionship, or does it rather touch the sexual sphere? This will allow you to start working with the specific problem right away, which will speed up the process of recovering from addiction.
Internet addiction, how to treat it once it occurs?
Once the addiction is diagnosed and the symptoms recognized, it is important to consider how to overcome Internet addiction. The earlier you take steps toward a cure, the easier it is to get the addiction problem under control. The first step in treatment is to see a specialist who will know how to work with the addict. It’s best to approach someone who has experience working with addictions. After all, in the case of Internet or phone addiction, the situation can be compared to addictions such as alcohol or drugs. The brain of the sufferer reacts in a similar way to too much contact with the network. In the case of such addiction, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy can be helpful and effective. It involves a combination of two methods of working with the sufferer. The first is based on the assumption that each person creates his own reality. Thus, his behavior is influenced by his own interpretation of reality. Assistance in this case consists in changing some of the patient’s assumptions. This modification makes him begin to perceive reality differently. The second method, on the other hand, assumes the belief that a person’s environment and experiences apparently influence his behavior. Working with the help of behavioral therapy involves changing some of the patient’s erroneous habits and mechanisms. This allows him to develop new, healthy habits. The combination of modification of the patient’s thinking and mechanisms is expected to lead to his freedom from addiction. This is because he is able to cope with everyday life differently, without resorting to the net. Keep in mind that Internet addiction in adults may manifest differently than in children and require different treatment.
Internet and phone addiction, how to prevent them effectively?
Several factors are important in effectively preventing Internet or phone addiction. First of all, it is important to control how much time is spent using these tools. In the case of children, they should not be left alone with a computer in a locked room. Adults also should not isolate themselves from others while using the device. When loved ones begin to signal that the network is beginning to play too important a role in a person’s life, it is worth leaning in and analyzing one’s habits and behavior. The environment plays an important role in prevention. The environment at home or at school should be aware of the risks of such addiction. It should also work with the person who is struggling with addiction and facilitate his or her recovery. This is an important factor for the recovery process. After all, if the patient continues to function in an environment that, in its own way, encourages him to continue his addiction, his chances of recovery decrease. Relatives of the patient should show understanding and empathy. It is also worth remembering that the emergence of addiction is fostered by stressful situations. Avoiding them can be one way of prevention. Parents should monitor how much time their children spend in front of the screen and react when it alarmingly begins to increase. It should be remembered that prevention does not mean completely cutting oneself or one’s child off from the web and computer. Rather, it should be based on education, learning how to use these tools in a safe and controlled manner. This is because an addicted person will always find a way to access the net. Taking away his device or disconnecting the Internet can therefore do little in this regard. It’s better to develop healthy habits of responsible Internet use in yourself or your child beforehand.
Internet or phone addiction can therefore be a dangerous addiction. Many factors influence its formation, such as genetic or environmental conditions. People are also susceptible to it because the web and computer are often their primary work tools. The Internet also provides entertainment, so it’s easy to stop controlling the time you spend on it. Internet addiction can have a variety of causes, linked to unmet needs in real life. When recovering from this addiction, the help of a specialist is necessary. A psychologist will diagnose the symptoms and the direction of interventions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is often used in such cases. However, it is possible to prevent addiction by controlling one’s online habits and being aware of how the Internet can threaten the mental health of adults and children. Effective prevention and the support of close family and friends in this case are as important as in any other addiction. This is because online addiction works on similar principles as addiction to, for example, alcohol or other psychoactive substances.
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