Why we must be careful about internet 'addiction'
http://www.addictioninfo.org/articles/2484/1/Why-we-must-be-careful-about-internet-addiction/Page1.html
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By News Services
Published on 04/7/2008
Some may regard the recognition of internet addiction as a positive
development that will be of assistance to parents who struggle with
their children's seeming surgical attachment to the computer and mobile
phone. Others, including myself, are not so sure that calling this behaviour
an addiction will lead to anything more than further prescribing of
medications and/or therapy for our youngsters for what many might see
as simply a bad habit.
Some may regard the recognition of internet addiction as a positive
development that will be of assistance to parents who struggle with
their children's seeming surgical attachment to the computer and mobile
phone. Others, including myself, are not so sure that calling this behaviour
an addiction will lead to anything more than further prescribing of
medications and/or therapy for our youngsters for what many might see
as simply a bad habit.By Patricia Casey
Some parents may take comfort from an editorial in the March edition of the prestigious American Journal of Psychiatry.
It called for the recognition of internet addiction as a psychiatric disorder.
This plea was made by Dr Jerald J Block, a psychiatrist from Portland, Oregon. It was directed at the American Psychiatric Association, the body charged with updating the list of syndromes formally recognised as disorders by the psychiatric profession.
He identifies three main categories of internet addiction based on the focus -- gaming, sexual preoccupation and text messaging/ emailing.
The evidence that this behaviour constitutes an addiction is also considered by Block. He points to the fact that there is excessive use of the internet with neglect of basic drives such as the need to eat or sleep for example, although there is no definition of the amount of time that is considered excessive.
Secondly, he points out that there is a withdrawal reaction -- such as anger, depression and tension -- when the computer is inaccessible.
Thirdly, there is tolerance manifesting itself as increasing the amount of time on the internet and/or increasing the quality or quantity of the software or hardware used.
Finally, there are negative outcomes such as fatigue, loss of social contact and diminishing performance whether at work or school.
Interestingly, most of the research on this topic comes from South Korea, where the average high-school child spends 23 hours each week gaming, and where over 2pc of 6-19 year olds are said to suffer with this addiction.
It is estimated that up to 80pc of these need medication to treat their addiction and 20-25pc need hospitalisation, and it is now considered one of the country's greatest public health problems. Schools are being targeted with preventive strategies. There have also been forensic ramifications, with 10 sudden deaths in internet cafes and one gaming-related murder.
China is also very concerned with the growing problem there, where up to 10 million teenagers, representing over 13pc of adolescent internet users, are believed to be addicted.
The government there has attempted to legally restrict game use to less than three hours each day while psychiatrists and therapists now routinely screen for this addiction. The data for the frequency of internet addiction have been made possible by the fact that in Asia, internet usage occurs mainly in internet cafes while in Europe and the US, it takes place mainly in the home.
Some may regard the recognition of internet addiction as a positive development that will be of assistance to parents who struggle with their children's seeming surgical attachment to the computer and mobile phone.
Others, including myself, are not so sure that calling this behaviour an addiction will lead to anything more than further prescribing of medications and/or therapy for our youngsters for what many might see as simply a bad habit.
It is worth considering if some of the features considered as indicative of addiction may reflect the ardour of youth while adults who become immersed in a new activity may at times verge on the fanatical.
Take for example religious or political conversion, where new members may have a zeal that involves considerable periods praying or attending meetings, meditating or participating in discussion groups.
Those who are so committed may feel tense when they are away from fellow travellers and may gradually increase their involvement over time.
Excessive their enthusiasm may be, but is it an addiction and should they be offered therapy, medication or hospitalisation to break the cycle?
Unlike alcohol or heroin addiction, which are associated with dangerous physical withdrawal symptoms and with life-threatening complications, no such occurrences except psychological distress are found in so-called internet addicts or in political or religious fanatics.
The identification of those with psychiatric illness, including addiction, is important so that treatments can be instituted but this endeavour may be undermined if faux conditions are labelled as illnesses. The medicalisation of bad habits is not in anybody's interest.
Independent.ie April 07 2008
Some parents may take comfort from an editorial in the March edition of the prestigious American Journal of Psychiatry.
It called for the recognition of internet addiction as a psychiatric disorder.
This plea was made by Dr Jerald J Block, a psychiatrist from Portland, Oregon. It was directed at the American Psychiatric Association, the body charged with updating the list of syndromes formally recognised as disorders by the psychiatric profession.
He identifies three main categories of internet addiction based on the focus -- gaming, sexual preoccupation and text messaging/ emailing.
The evidence that this behaviour constitutes an addiction is also considered by Block. He points to the fact that there is excessive use of the internet with neglect of basic drives such as the need to eat or sleep for example, although there is no definition of the amount of time that is considered excessive.
Secondly, he points out that there is a withdrawal reaction -- such as anger, depression and tension -- when the computer is inaccessible.
Thirdly, there is tolerance manifesting itself as increasing the amount of time on the internet and/or increasing the quality or quantity of the software or hardware used.
Finally, there are negative outcomes such as fatigue, loss of social contact and diminishing performance whether at work or school.
Interestingly, most of the research on this topic comes from South Korea, where the average high-school child spends 23 hours each week gaming, and where over 2pc of 6-19 year olds are said to suffer with this addiction.
It is estimated that up to 80pc of these need medication to treat their addiction and 20-25pc need hospitalisation, and it is now considered one of the country's greatest public health problems. Schools are being targeted with preventive strategies. There have also been forensic ramifications, with 10 sudden deaths in internet cafes and one gaming-related murder.
China is also very concerned with the growing problem there, where up to 10 million teenagers, representing over 13pc of adolescent internet users, are believed to be addicted.
The government there has attempted to legally restrict game use to less than three hours each day while psychiatrists and therapists now routinely screen for this addiction. The data for the frequency of internet addiction have been made possible by the fact that in Asia, internet usage occurs mainly in internet cafes while in Europe and the US, it takes place mainly in the home.
Some may regard the recognition of internet addiction as a positive development that will be of assistance to parents who struggle with their children's seeming surgical attachment to the computer and mobile phone.Others, including myself, are not so sure that calling this behaviour an addiction will lead to anything more than further prescribing of medications and/or therapy for our youngsters for what many might see as simply a bad habit.
It is worth considering if some of the features considered as indicative of addiction may reflect the ardour of youth while adults who become immersed in a new activity may at times verge on the fanatical.
Take for example religious or political conversion, where new members may have a zeal that involves considerable periods praying or attending meetings, meditating or participating in discussion groups.
Those who are so committed may feel tense when they are away from fellow travellers and may gradually increase their involvement over time.
Excessive their enthusiasm may be, but is it an addiction and should they be offered therapy, medication or hospitalisation to break the cycle?
Unlike alcohol or heroin addiction, which are associated with dangerous physical withdrawal symptoms and with life-threatening complications, no such occurrences except psychological distress are found in so-called internet addicts or in political or religious fanatics.
The identification of those with psychiatric illness, including addiction, is important so that treatments can be instituted but this endeavour may be undermined if faux conditions are labelled as illnesses. The medicalisation of bad habits is not in anybody's interest.
Independent.ie April 07 2008