Accuse someone of “internet addiction” and you may be met with giggles of embarrassment and shrugs. In today’s society, nearly everyone is hooked to one degree or another. However, an Australian doctor says that like any other addiction, true internet addiction can be deadly.
Dr. Michael Davie is the clinical director at the Hobart Clinic Association. “The key thing,” says Dr. Davie, “is when the behavior starts to impact on your relationships and your job or you start losing out on other opportunities.”
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While gaming is the worst offender, social media is also a problem. Other activities can also prove insidious because of their nature. Gambling and viewing pornography online are often done in secret, so that activity is often hidden from others, making it more difficult to discover.
Adding to the problems of internet addiction, many people also suffer from other psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, or a degree of autism. These conditions can compound loneliness, making online activities one of the few outlets for any form of socialization. Eventually and inevitably, some negative consequences will begin to manifest themselves.
As with any other addiction, it’s vital that parents monitor their children’s activities. How much online time is appropriate depends on the parent and the child, but use should be monitored both for content and for time spent online. Also, it’s important that if we see another person who seems to be sinking into the internet, we intervene. There may be a logical explanation, but it may also be signs that a problem exists.
Addiction treatment may become necessary. Any time a person compulsively indulges in behavior without regard to the negative consequences, there’s a risk of addiction. It may not be to drugs or alcohol, but it can destroy a person’s life just as well.
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