Internet addiction: can you recognize it?
Despite its central role in daily life, the internet is a relatively recent communication tool. It became widely accessible around the turn of the millennium, and now, over half of the world’s population uses it. While people are becoming increasingly aware of the risks associated with the internet, such as fraud and identity theft, internet addiction remains a growing concern and isn’t fully understood. Can you recognize an internet addict? Here’s a brief description of this worrying phenomenon.
Symptoms
As technology advances at an unprecedented rate and more and more people rely on the internet for work, entertainment and social interaction, some experts still disagree about what constitutes an internet addiction. However, it can be recognized by observing the negative consequences of excessive internet use on an individual’s life.
For example, an internet addict could:
Be frequently preoccupied with their online presence
Become irritable or depressed when they reduce the amount of time they spend online
Need to spend more and more time online to achieve the same level of satisfaction
Being unable to reduce their time online despite their best efforts
These symptoms can lead to certain problematic behaviours. If someone’s relationships suffer or they start lying to their loved ones to hide the amount of time they spend online, it’s undoubtedly a sign of an internet addiction. Using the internet to escape feelings of guilt, anxiety, and depression can worsen the psychological effects of this phenomenon.
Internet addiction is also often accompanied by physical symptoms such as dry eyes, headaches, backaches, poor personal hygiene and sleep problems.
Solutions
Using internet-connected devices has become a fundamental part of modern life. Internet addiction is a complicated issue that can have various contributing factors. However, certain habits can help reduce the harmful effects of using these devices.
As an individual or parent, you could, among other things:
Observe yourself or open a discussion with your child about their feelings and thoughts about using technology
Use alarms to record and monitor connection time
Set realistic and progressive goals for reducing the amount of time they spend online
Set aside time for activities with other people
It’s important to stress that the amount of time someone spends online isn’t enough to diagnose an internet addiction. People can lead a balanced life even if they spend considerable time online. However, it becomes problematic when internet use interferes with other aspects of their life.
If you think you’re suffering from internet addiction, or if you’re worried about someone close to you, don’t hesitate to contact the resources in your area.