Teens use internet to socialize, pass time, gather information, and entertain themselves. but, more seriously, for some teens, the internet has become an addiction. Internet addiction is defined as problematic use of forums, chat rooms, websites and other online resources to the extent that it interferes with daily activities and personal communications. Actually, internet addiction indeed is not in the list of mental disorders in the bible used by clinicians: the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). However, internet addiction has been formally recognized as a disorder by the American Psychological Association.
8 years ago, China issued the country’s first diagnostic definition of internet addiction (China Daily).China classified internet addicts those who spend at least 6 hours online a day and have shown at least one symptom in the past 3 months. According to the Chinese doctors’ saying, symptoms of internet addiction include yearning to get back online, mental or physical distress, difficulties in concentrating and sleeping, and irritation. In addition, Chinese doctors claimed that 80% of addicts could be cured with treatment, which usually requires 3 months.
According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project (see below) , Generations Online in 2009, the percentage of American teens aged 12-17 online in 2008 was 93%, compared with 87% of this age group in 2005. The report revealed that 78% of teen internet users aged 12-17 said game playing is the most favorite teen online activity. It is absolutely no doubts that internet usage by teens is more widespread than ever.
Moreover, Teens and Generation Y (internet users age 18-32) are the most likely groups to use the internet for entertainment and for communicating with friends and family. These younger generations are significantly more likely than their older counterparts to seek entertainment through online videos, online games, and virtual worlds.
In America , 3560 high school students was interviewed. The survey showed that those students with “problematic Internet use” were more likely than their peers to be depressed and aggressive (Timothy Liu , Yale University, 2011).
The study surveyed students at 10 different high schools in Connecticut, asking more than 150 questions about health, risky behaviors, and impulsiveness — including 7 questions on Internet use.
Teens were asked to say if they had ever missed school or important social activities because they were surfing the Web, or if their family had expressed concern about their time online.
Those 3 questions were used to criticize if a student had “problematic Internet use”. They asked students if they ever had an “irresistible urge” to be online, if they had experienced “a growing tension or anxiety that can be relieved only by using the Internet,” or if they had tried to quit or cut down. 4% of them met the criteria for problematic Internet use. Girls were more likely to answer yes to one of the questions, but more boys said they spent in excess of 20 hours a week online — about 17% of boys, compared to 13% of girls. Problematic Internet users were also tended to be more depressed and would get into serious fights more often.
Internet addiction seems to cause people less intimidating than face-to-face communication. Visiting forums and chat rooms gives them a way to develop relationships without directly facing their fears. However, some cases showed that depression can cause internet addiction. Because the internet becomes an emotional outlet. When there are feelings of happiness, sadness, fear, grief, excitement, etc., the Internet is used as the place to share or release those feelings.
Furthermore, people who communicate with others in reality may feel uncomfortable so he/she will be more defensive about being online so much. According to Jerald Block – a psychiatrist at Oregon Health & Science University, believed that problematic internet use will in time be recognized as its own disorder. “When you start using (the computer) 30 hours a week, it becomes a container for emotion,” he said.
On the one hand, peer is another factor to get teens abused in internet use. If a person’s peers are engaging in excessive Internet use, the behavior starts to seem more socially acceptable. Once teens get addicted, hardly could they be able to stop their use of the internet. But it also means that increasing stress occurs when they cannot access to internet. Being abused in using internet may diminish teens’ ability to concentrate and think creatively. Internet can distract them from vital tasks or slow their work and problem solving, thus, teens being always online should be alone with thoughts sometimes.
Excessive internet use can disrupt sleep as well, which not only can have a serious impact on overall mental health, but also can impact memory and ability to think clearly, and reduce cognitive and learning skills.
Last but not least, a UK study found that the more time teens spend on social media, the more likely they display negative personality traits which can create an unhealthy self-centeredness, distancing teens from real-life relationships and making it harder to cope with stress.
References:
- https://www.addiction.com/3420/teens-internet-addiction/
- http://www.livestrong.com/article/121871-internet-addiction/
- http://www.helpyourteens.com/teens-and-internet-addiction/
- http://www.reuters.com/article/us-teens-internet-addiction-idUSTRE74I6OA20110520
- http://www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/smartphone-and-internet-addiction.htm