The Global Internet Addiction Disorder Market Size is to Grow from USD XX Billion in 2023 to USD XX Billion by 2033, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.45% during the projected period.
Internet Addiction
The term “internet addiction” refers to a variety of behaviors characterized by excessive internet use that negatively impacts numerous facets of a person’s life. When excessive computer use affects a person’s relationships, career, or education, it becomes an issue. Signs deemed as indications of internet addiction might be physical or emotional. Lack of sleep, extreme exhaustion, withdrawal from school and social events, deteriorating grades, lying about how much time is spent online and what they do there, and so on are some of the warning signs and symptoms, and overall irritation, jitteriness, or apathy while not online. More than any other technology medium to date, computers and the internet have become interwoven in modern culture, drastically altering the way people live every day. Despite this, not much is understood about how internet addiction affects mental health, psychological functioning, and overall well-being. Some individuals spend so much time on computers and the internet that it is starting to interfere with their everyday lives, despite the widespread belief that web browsing and watching cat videos on YouTube are harmless pastimes. A behavior or desire can be considered addictive when it becomes a hindrance and dominates the most crucial facets of a person’s life, such as relationships, employment, and education.
The study, which started in August 2017, may provide enough proof that issues resulting from excessive internet use warrant careful consideration by the mental health and psychiatric communities in the United States. When a professional does identify internet addiction, they typically label it as an impulse control problem or an obsessive-compulsive disorder in order to facilitate treatment. Compulsive computer use, pathological internet use, and online dependence are other names for internet addiction.
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Signs and Symptoms of Internet Addiction
Addiction to the internet can manifest as either physical or emotional symptoms. The following is a list of the most typical indications and symptoms of internet addiction.
Physical Symptoms
- Back or shoulder pain
- Lack of proper hygiene
- Unintended weight gain or loss
- Vision problems
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Poor nutrition
Emotional Symptoms
- Feelings of euphoria when using the computer
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Feelings of guilt
- Increased irritability
- Isolation
- Avoidance of work
Causes of Internet Addiction
There are several variables that contribute to excessive internet use. The causes of internet addiction are described below.
- Underlying Disorders Related to Mental Health: It is more common for those who experience anxiety or depression to look online for symptom relief. In a similar vein, individuals who are socially awkward or shy are more likely to develop an online addiction. According to Richard Davis, the development of internet addiction is often facilitated by feelings of social isolation or loneliness and a lack of in-person social support, all of which are connected to a reliance on the communication aspects of the internet.
- Changes in the Structure of the Brain: The brain’s structure can be physically altered by obsessive internet use. The prefrontal brain regions linked to planning, attention span, detail recall, and task prioritization are affected by internet addiction in both gray and white matter. According to a 2014 publication in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, a theoretical model and assessment of neuropsychological and neuroimaging research suggest that internet addiction affects prefrontal control functions and may be linked to a loss of authority over internet use.
- Genetics: According to a 2006 study titled “The Neurobiology of Substance and Behavioral Addictions” published in CNS Spectrums, there may be a hereditary component to addictive behaviors. Some people have low levels of serotonin and dopamine, which makes them more susceptible to internet addiction. According to Cash et al.’s 2012 article review published in Current Psychiatry Reviews, individuals with internet addictions may engage in dangerous addictive behaviors in order to acquire a pleasurable reaction since they have lower levels of dopamine and serotonin than the general population.
- Environmental factors: Social environmental factors that influence the growth of internet addiction involve exposure to internet game advertisements and accessibility to PC cafés, according to a 2019 article by Sulki Chung, Jaekyoung Lee, and Hae Kook Lee that appeared in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. A later-life addiction is also more likely when substance use is introduced to a young age. A similar issue that could increase the likelihood of internet addiction is early utilization of the internet.
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Effects of an Internet Addiction
An internet addiction can have a lot of negative psychological and physical repercussions on a person. Among the medical issues brought on by an internet addiction include body aches, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, sleeplessness, visual issues, and weight gain or loss. Emotional effects include sadness, lying, anxiety, social isolation, aggression, and mood swings.
- Effects on working professionals: A 2018 study published in the Asian Journal of Psychiatry titled “Internet addiction at workplace and its implication for workers life style in Southern India” found that internet addiction had a detrimental impact on a person’s performance and productivity at work. Moreover, internet addiction is a risk factor that affects mental health and job happiness.
- Effects on adults: A study conducted in 2018 on internet addiction and its connection to psychopathology and self-esteem among college students in Kolkata, India released in the Industrial Psychology Journal of the National Library of Medicine found that people who have months of excessive internet use exhibit anxiety and depression. Furthermore, symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder and interpersonal sensitivity that negatively impact relationships and social life are linked to internet addiction. Long-term internet users may also begin abusing drugs or alcohol to stay up late and extend their online sessions.
- Effects on kids: A child’s physical and mental health are severely impacted by internet addiction, and these effects include trouble sleeping, a changed attention span, a higher risk of obesity, increased irritability, and a higher likelihood of anxiety and sadness. According to a study by Zhou et al. that was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders in 2022, more internet screen time before bed is linked to higher levels of weariness, which in turn shortens sleep duration.
Types of Internet Addiction
- Net Compulsions: Net compulsions are highly dangerous online interactive hobbies including stock trading, online gambling, online auctions like eBay, and compulsive online shopping. These behaviors can interfere with one’s capacity to fulfill obligations at work and negatively affect one’s financial security. Stress in relationships can also result from overspending or financial loss. Those who are already prone to gambling or spending addictions might easily become hooked on the internet due to the quick and simple access to online casinos and shops.
- Compulsive Information Seeking: Internet users have access to a multitude of information and expertise. Some people’s easy access to information has led to an overwhelming need to compile and arrange facts. Information-seeking may occasionally be an outward sign of underlying OCD symptoms. In addition to decreasing productivity at work, compulsive information-seeking may result in employment termination. Treatment treatments might vary depending on the degree of the addiction, ranging from medication to various therapy modalities that focus on establishing coping mechanisms and altering obsessive behavior.
- Cybersex Addiction: One of the easier-to-understand internet addictions is cybersex. It includes adult websites, adult chat rooms with sexual fantasies, adult websites with pornography, and XXX webcam services. Intimate, romantic, or sexual relationships in real life may suffer from a preoccupation with any of these services. For those with addictions to cybersex, treatment alternatives are available; these usually involve intervention followed by continued inpatient or outpatient therapy.
- Computer Or Gaming Addiction: Computer addiction, often known as computer game addiction, is the compulsive use of computers for both online and offline activities. Games like Tetris, Minesweeper, and Solitaire were built into computer software as they became more accessible. Researchers soon discovered that, in some situations, playing computer games compulsively was becoming problematic. These games would be played for extended periods of time by office workers, which would significantly reduce productivity. There are thousands of new games accessible now in addition to the classic ones, and computer game addiction is still as common and dangerous as it has ever been.
- Cyber (Online) Relationship Addiction: Addicts to cyberspace or online relationships are engrossed in establishing and sustaining relationships virtually, frequently overlooking and undervaluing their in-person friends and family. Online relationships can develop wherever that people can communicate online, however they usually do so in chat rooms or on other social networking sites. People who pursue connections online frequently do so while hiding their true identities and physical characteristics; this contemporary phenomenon gave rise to the nickname “catfish.” A person may have poor social skills and irrational expectations for in-person interactions after becoming engrossed in their online persona and social life. This frequently results in a person’s incapacity to form relationships in real life, which increases their reliance on virtual ones. In order to treat this addiction and guarantee long-lasting behavioral changes, counseling or therapy is usually necessary.
Treatments for Internet Addiction
- Inpatient Treatment Program: Programs for residential or inpatient therapy entail lodging in a facility with trained staff. An internet addict can heal without having to worry about using the internet in a medically supervised, supportive setting.
- Medication: Those who have developed an internet addiction due to underlying mental health disorders like depression or anxiety can benefit from using drugs. Medication for anxiety and depression symptoms includes antidepressants and anti-anxiety ones. A 2016 systematic review of clinical studies on internet addiction and risky online behavior that was published in the World Journal of Psychiatry indicates that medication-assisted pharmacological treatment has shown encouraging outcomes, including reduced use of both essential and unnecessary websites and enhanced authority over internet usage.
- Support groups: Support groups, which offer a secure environment and lessen social isolation or humiliation, can be comforting to individuals who are addicted to electronic devices. Internet and Technological Addicts Unidentified, Online Gamers Unidentified, Computer Gaming Dependents Unidentified, and reSTART are a few internet addiction support groups. A 2015 study on multi-family group counseling for teenage internet addiction that was published in Addictive Behaviors indicated that the treatment had encouraging results in lowering teenage online addiction tendencies.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT is a popular method for treating internet addiction. Its main goal is to alter the unfavorable mental patterns that lead to anxiety and addictive behaviors. In a clinical trial lead by Veruska Andrea Santos published in the Journal of Medicine Internet Research in 2016, patients who got drugs through pharmacotherapy and modified cognitive behavioral therapy have demonstrated considerable progress over the course of the treatment. Patients became self-assured enough to eagerly control their online usage.
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How to get off the internet when addicted
Developing a selective preventative strategy and practicing self-corrective actions are two helpful strategies for overcoming internet addiction. Practice self-control is helpful for internet addicts in addition to the treatment alternatives available for internet addiction, which include medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, support groups, and inpatient treatment programs. One way to restrict internet usage is to temporarily block websites that are distracting. Given the variety of uses the internet serves in daily life, it is possible to choose which websites are acceptable to view or to block access to for a predetermined period of time. Making a list of the websites that divert attention from other, more crucial responsibilities, such as completing online assignments for work or school, will be beneficial. Reducing internet usage can also have a significant impact on how much time is spent in front of the computer. A person with an online addiction may compile a personal list of things they used to like doing but are now unable to. Exercise-based intervention is a useful strategy to reduce internet use. Exercise-based interventions have been proven to lessen the prevalence and symptoms of internet addiction, according to a 2020 Frontiers in Psychology paper titled “Neurobiological and Neuropsychological Evidence for Exercise-Based Interventions for Internet Addiction.” Engaging in physical exercise not only enhances mental and physical well-being but also replaces internet usage.
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