What Are the Signs of Internet Addiction

What are the signs of Internet Addiction Disorder?
What are the signs of Internet Addiction Disorders, Well according to Joanna Saisan, Melinda Smith, Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal. There are five main causes of internet addiction disorder, these five causes are: cybersex, cyber-relationship addiction, Net Compulsions, Information Overload, and Computer Addiction. They say that the most common are cybersex, online gambling, and cyber-relationship addiction. They say that the internet provides a constant, ever-changing source of information and entertainment. Internet can be accessed from just about anything. They also say that each person’s use of internet is different and that some may use it for work, keeping in touch with faraway family and friends. This may cause you to spend a lot of time on the internet which only is causes problems when it takes all of your time and becomes your top priority. According to Joanna Saisan, Melinda Smith, Lawrence Robinson, and Jeanne Segal, there are many signs and symptoms of Internet addiction. For example, Losing track of time online, Having trouble completing tasks at work or home, Isolation from family and friends, Feeling guilty or defensive about your Internet use, and Feeling a sense of euphoria while involved in Internet activities. Also they say that there are also physical symptoms. Some physical symptoms are, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Dry eyes or strained vision, Back aches and neck aches; severe headaches, Sleep disturbances, and Pronounced weight gain or weight loss. They also say that signs and symptoms of Internet addiction vary from person to person. There are many ways as to telling if you have an Internet Addition Disorder.

According to Julia Bursten and Mark Dombeck internet addiction is not recognized as a formal mental health disorder. They say mental health professionals who have written about the subject note symptoms or behaviors that, when present in sufficient numbers, may indicate problematic use. They say that there are eight different ways to tell. There eight different ways are, Preoccupation with the Internet, Loss of control, Inexplicable sadness or moodiness when not online, Distraction (Using the Internet as an anti-depressant), Dishonesty in regard to Internet use, Loss of boundaries or inhibitions, Creation of virtual intimate relationships with other Internet users, and Loss of a significant relationship due to Internet use. According to Clifford Internet addiction is a recent phenomenon and can be compared to the addiction of television which has been prevalent in our society for decades. He says years ago, only those who paid to be online could do so, But as the Internet became more popular and easily accessible, it has become easier to do several things from a static location, rather than going to different locations like malls, bars, movies, or even meeting up with friends. The comfort and privacy factor are the two major reasons for the alarming rise of Internet addiction in today's society. Clifford says online addiction can be classified as various categories such as bidding auctions, gaming, gambling, social networking, chatting, pornography, etc. Clifford also says that estimates say that around 5-10% of online users are completely addicted to the Internet. Clifford say that it has mainly consisted of educated males and most middle aged females. Clifford also says that since this isn't something that has been in our society from very long, most medical practitioners and therapists are not very comfortable in dealing with its treatment. He also says that research is on in a big way to tackle this problem, which is growing too dangerous proportions in today's world. He gives some questions that you can ask yourself to determine if you have an Internet Addiction. Some of these questions are, Do you always stay online much longer than that you originally intended to, Do you have people around you who always complain about the amount of time you spend online, Are your study grades or job performance suffering due to your online activities, and Are you very secretive or defensive when others question you on what you do online? Some others might be, Do you always prefer online company in comparison with real life company, Do you always feel depressed, moody and cannot think of anything constructive to do when you are offline, Do you shout back and insult a person when they come to converse with you when you are busy online, and Do you neglect your sleep and meals, just so that you get to spend more time online?

Sources: 1) http://www.helpguide.org/mental/internet_cybersex_addiction.htm 2) http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=3831&cn=66 3) http://www.buzzle.com/articles/signs-of-internet-addiction-disorder.html