Global Problems Climate Change

Internet Addiction

Internet and computer use are ingrained in contemporary society and have changed the way we live our lives more than any other technological medium yet. Despite this, relatively little is known about the effects of internet addiction on psychological functioning, mental health, and general well-being. Just last year, data from the Pew Research Center showed that 77% of Americans connect to the internet on a daily basis. While many believe that surfing the web or binging cat videos on YouTube is a relatively harmless act, there are some people who spend so much of their time using a computer or the internet that it has begun to interfere with their daily lives. When an action or desire becomes a hindrance and takes precedence over the most important aspects of one’s life, like relationships, work, and school, it can become classified as an addiction.

Internet addiction is yet to be listed in the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly referred to as the DSM-5). However, a 2-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health may change that. Begun in August of 2017, the 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.