Internet Addiction

INTRODUCTION The internet has become a part of everyday life and "internet addiction" has become a part of our common vocabulary. It is just a psychological disorder and does not involve use of an intoxicating drug and is very similar to pathological gambling.. This is a growing problem is plaguing many families, couples, and individuals both young and old. Science and technology are supposed to make life better for humans but many people, especially young people are now dangerously addicted to the internet. It makes people busier, more stressed, irritable, less thoughtful, less reflective, and less humane. Some people who have spent much time on the internet have had serious problems in their lives such as divorce, debt, or loss of jobs. Scientists found that healthy teens who used the Internet obsessively report that they felt moody or nervous when not online and were 2.5 times more likely to become depressed. According to founder of restart, a center for treatment of Internet addiction, internet addicts make up as much as 10% of the entire U.S. teen population (Hillarie Cash). In last, Internet is the largest and versatile source of information in the world but today it has become an addiction. This addiction can easily disrupt anyone’s life and the main purpose of this statement is to spread awareness and awake people from its pros and cons.

There are some major points which make people addicted to the internet such as Loneliness, Depression, and Hunger of knowledge, Compulsion and Social disorder. These may lead us to world of addiction and it will be hard to come from there. There is a strong link between heavy internet use and depression. People who use internet to connect with people, pay bills or find information, the people who spend hours each day aimlessly surfing the net are more likely to be depressed. British scientist found evidence that people using internet to replace real-life social interaction with online chat rooms and social networking sites. For certain individuals, the Internet is an easy way of satisfying social needs.
Some people become addicted to internet dating sites and chat line to meet with other people. They use social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace to get rid from these problems.
People will become addicted to the internet because of an online activity that encourages another compulsive behaviour. For instance, an online poker site could be detrimental to a compulsive gambler.
There are some people who are addicted to knowledge. The hunger of knowledge is so strong and the people may not be able to stop themselves from doing Internet searches and reading informational articles.
Anxiety and a social disorder could also cause an Internet addiction. The people seek to escape from the real world, which they finds scary, to a fantasy world online where they can be more comfortable. There are many different types of addiction such as Gaming addiction, Illegal downloading addiction, Internet gambling addiction, Internet dating addiction, and Social networking addiction. Being addicted to the internet is not an uncommon problem; it has become a part of our routine life. In the 21st century, if you asked a seventeen old year boys what they do in their free time, they will say playing soccer, cricket, basketball and video games. Video game addiction has become a major problem in our society. Computer use has reached beyond work and it's now become a source of fun and entertainment for many people. Many teenagers and adults are playing gaming in large amount of time and it creates many problems for them such as violent behavior, hostility and social isolation. An example is found in Elyria, Ohio, where a seventeen year-old boy named Daniel Petric shot his parents in the head after they confiscated his copy of 'Halo 3’(AlanW). We must raise awareness about the harmful effects of video gaming before it becomes "game over" for our children. Internet has become a powerful media of sharing files. Downloading is the most active activity on the internet. As today technology is increasing, most people can search for what they want through the Internet. With the popularity of downloading files, sales of DVDs & CDs have increased. A Scottish grandmother has been sentenced to three years’ probation after being convicted of illegal downloading. According to prosecutors, she made over £54,792 from the internet (tonedeaf.com). People download music and films from the internet and they sell its' low price than its' original. People can make more money with less cost. This is not just illegal but this is also morally wrong. We should know our responsibility and we shouldn't do it.
Gambling addiction is an increasing problem in our society. According to a survey done by Ctcclearing.com1, 80% of teenagers claimed to have gambled in some form (123helpme.com). People who are addicted to gambling face many health risks including depression, suicidal thoughts, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, migraine and anxiety in addition to marriage breakdown, problems at work and bankruptcy. Also, a survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project concluded that $4.5 million Americans have gambled online and that 1 million gamble online every day. Online gambling promotes addiction and presents great potential for criminal abuse.
Many teenagers and adults are becoming dependent on the Internet, not just for schoolwork, but to communicate with people through social networking sites. For Businessmen it has becomes a way to market their products and services. Teens spend too much time on these kind of sites and according to the expert, it can have harmful consequences, including missing school, failing grades, disengaging from the community and, in rare cases, violence. They say that internet may interfere their healthy relationships and social skills. Social networking these days is replacing 'playing outside' for teens. In back days everyone hung out to socialize; now people use Facebook/twitter/MySpace etc. to socialize.
Dating addiction is disease of out-siders. When people can’t find people with the same interests, passions or views in real life, with schoolmates also, so they look for them at chats, forums. On the one hand it's normal, it helps not to become a self-contain hermit, but on the other hand person lose connection with the real life.

Internet addiction is one of the growing problems faced by people today who tend to find more satisfaction in spending their time online. There are some signs and symptoms of this disorder such as Lack of Control, Misuse of money and negative impacts on other area of life, which will help people to figure out the addiction. The people who are addicted, or at risk of becoming addicted to internet, are unable to control the amount of time, they spend on the computer. They may go online with the intent to spend 15 or 20 minutes, but will keep extending the time until several hours have passed. When a person may sit down at the computer, again with the intent to spend only a few minutes, but he suddenly lose track of time and spend hours and hours on the internet. It is not unusual for someone with a gaming addiction or gambling addiction to play through the night and only realize how much time has passed when the sun begins to rise.
The most important sign of internet addiction is misuse of money. Someone who is addicted to internet will spend large amount of money on computer-related items. People will seem to continually upgrading hardware, software packages, and accessories. The people who misuse their money to buy this kind of stuff, they should save the money to use for bills, groceries, and other necessities.
The people who spend much time on the computer, internet or video, they usually neglect their other areas of life. They neglect their daily life routines and neglect their family and friends. For instance, when a student use internet more then he should use, it effects on their school life such as attendance, grades etc.

In this world, everything has two sides good and bad, for example life and death. Internet is the most necessary thing which helps gaining education but there are also those who blame it for making people addicted and they all right. Here are some good and bad aspects of internet. PROS
One of the major good things about internet is information. People can easily find any information on the internet. The thing they will be search for sure they will get millions of pages about that topic.
Communication is also a plus point of internet. When people want to meet someone or talk, they use internet social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Hotmail mail, Yahoo mail etc. It can also helpful for teachers; they can bring students closer and make things easier for them. CONS
Carpal tunnel syndrome is associated with computer use so it's a physical symptom of Internet addiction. Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused when the main nerve between the forearm and hand is pressed. It happens when addicted people spend hours on the net and their hand tired.
Migraine headaches start slowly in one spot but later it spreads and gets more painful. In some cases, the pain could extreme that it causes the sufferer to vomit. Light and noise can cause excruciating pain .people that use much internet and play video games for extended periods of time they more chances to get migraine headache because of the intense concentration required and the strain put on the eyes. In this modern Era, Marriages, dating relationships, parent-child relationships, and close friendships have been seriously disrupted by Internet. Today, parents spend less time with their children so they use internet to get happiness and become addicted.

Group Support is an easier way to overcome from internet addiction. If people realize an excessive Internet use not only for them but also for their friends, they could launch a group therapy with their friends. They should try to figure out the problem and solve it. Group Therapy can give you a tremendous boost in stopping excessive Internet use.
People who use the Internet compulsively admit that there is a problem with the amount of time spent online. They should ask their family doctor to refer him to a behavioural therapist. The therapist will treat the obsession with the Internet like other compulsive behaviours and can help the addict people to understand why they use the Internet as an outlet.

Internet addiction is serious and should not be taken lightly. It might not be life threatening like some drug addiction, but it can be very harmful to the person’s professional and personal life. The Internet is not the enemy because people become dependent on it. It has many important and necessary benefits. In many ways it makes our lives simpler and in many ways it makes our lives more complex. The Internet provides an escape from reality and everyday problems. It becomes a problem when people become so engrossed and careless in on-line activities, and neglecting their health, relationships, jobs and other responsibilities. The internet can be a blessing if we use it in a limit but if we abuse it, it can change our lives.

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