Virtual Therapy & Counselling

What is internet addiction?

Internet addiction is characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges or behaviours regarding computer use and internet access that lead to impairment or distress. The condition has attracted increasing attention in the popular media and among researchers, and this attention has paralleled the growth in computer (and Internet) access.

Internet addiction study could deliver sufficient evidence that problems stemming from excessive internet use deserve serious attention from US mental health and psychiatric communities. Professionals that do recognize internet addiction tend to classify it as either an obsessive-compulsive disorder or an impulse control disorder to aid treatment. Internet addiction is also called compulsive computer use, pathological internet use, and internet dependence.

Types of Internet addiction

5 Types of Internet Addiction

Cybersex Addiction

A cybersex addiction is one of the more self-explanatory internet addictions. It involves online pornography, adult websites, sexual fantasy/adult chat rooms, and XXX webcam services. An obsession with any of these services can be harmful to one’s ability to form real-world sexual, romantic, or intimate relationships. Treatment options are available for those with cybersex addictions, typically in the form of intervention followed by ongoing inpatient or outpatient therapy.

Net Compulsions

Net compulsions concern interactive activities online that can be extremely harmful, such as online gambling, trading stocks, online auctions (such as eBay), and compulsive online shopping. These habits can have a detrimental impact on one’s financial stability and disrupt job-related duties. Spending or losing excessive amounts of money can also cause stress in one’s relationships. With instant and easy access to online casinos and stores, it is easy for those who are already susceptible to a gambling or spending addiction to get hooked online.

Cyber (Online) Relationship Addiction

Cyber or online relationship addicts are deeply involved with finding and maintaining relationships online, often forgetting and neglecting real-life family and friends. Typically online relationships are formed in chat rooms or different social networking sites but can occur anywhere one can interact with people online. Often people who pursue online relationships do so while concealing their real identity and appearance; this modern phenomena led to the creation of the term “catfish.” After being consumed by an online social life and persona, a person may be left with limited social skills and unrealistic expectations concerning in-person interactions. Many times this leads to an inability to make real-world connections, in turn making the individual more dependent on their cyber relationships. Counseling or therapy is typically required to treat this addiction and ensure lasting behavioral changes.

Compulsive Information Seeking

The internet provides users with a wealth of data and knowledge. For some, the opportunity to find information so easily has turned into an uncontrollable urge to gather and organize data. In some cases information-seeking is a manifestation of pre-existing, obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Compulsive information-seeking can also reduce work productivity and potentially lead to job termination. Depending on the severity of the addiction, treatment options can range from different therapy modalities — which target changing compulsive behavior and developing coping strategies — to medication.

Computer Or Gaming Addiction

Computer addiction, sometimes referred to as computer gaming addiction, involves online and offline activities that can be done with a computer. As computers became more widely available, games such as Solitaire, Tetris, and Minesweeper were programed into their software. Researchers quickly found that obsessive computer game playing was becoming a problem in certain settings. Office employees would spend excessive amounts of time playing these games, causing a notable decrease in productivity. Not only are these classic games still available today but so are thousands of new ones, and the condition of computer gaming addiction is as prevalent and harmful as ever.

Signs And Symptoms

Those who were deemed as having an internet addiction (using Dr. Young’s Internet Addiction Test) had significantly more trouble dealing with their day-to-day activities. This included life at home, work/school-related duties, and their ability to socialize in the real world. Individuals with these types of addictions also exhibited significantly higher amounts of depression and anxiety symptoms.

There is debate over whether a computer, cell phone, or online addiction is the cause or consequence of such mental health issues. ADHD symptoms, such as difficulty planning ahead, poor time management, and higher-than-average levels of attentional impulsivity, are also common among those with an internet addiction. Additionally, those with an addiction are more likely to have a co-occurring disorder that requires special care and treatment.

Treating An Internet Addiction

Therapy is generally incorporated into the treatment of addiction along with any co-occurring disorders that may be present such as anxiety, depression, and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder. In some cases, medication may be used to manage symptoms of these underlying mental illnesses or to control intrusive thoughts about going online if other treatment options were not effective.

Internet addiction does not need to control the life of yourself or of someone you love. Consider doing more research to determine what the right way forward may be, but also be mindful of not waiting too long before taking action to fix the problem — time is a valuable thing, and perhaps not best sacrificed overmuch so to the technological tools that are meant to serve us (and not the other way around).

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