Internet addiction

- An individual is considered an addict

when his or her psychological state,
which
includes
both
mental
and
emotional states, as well as his or her
scholastic, occupational and social
interactions, are impaired by the
overuse of whichever medium they are
addicted to
- Internet addiction disorder (Internet
overuse, problematic computer use or
pathological computer use) refers to
the problematic use of the Internet,
including the various aspects of its
technology, such as electronic mail and
the World Wide Web.

Description
Addictive use of the Internet resembles
other so-called "process" addictions, in
which a person is addicted to an activity or
behavior (including gambling, shopping, or
certain sexual behaviors) rather than a
substance (mood-altering drugs, food, etc.)
The amount of time by itself, is not as
important a factor as the ways in which the
person's Internet use is interfering with
their daily functioning. Use of the Internet
may interfere with the person's social life,
school work, or job-related tasks at work.

Causes
No one knows what causes a person to be
addicted to the Internet, but there are several
factors that have been proposed as
contributing to Internet addiction:
1. The mood-altering potential of behaviors
related to process addictions (there are
chemical changes that occur in the body when
someone is engaging in an addictive behavior)
2. There may be a combination of genes that
make a person more susceptible to addictive
behaviors
3. Concept of an "addictive personality" - it is
possible that someone who has one addiction
may be prone to become addicted to other
substances or activities, including Internet
use.

You are at greater risk of Internet

addiction:
If you suffer from anxiety. You may use the Internet to distract
yourself from your worries and fears. An anxiety disorder like
obsessive-compulsive disorder may also contribute to excessive
email checking and compulsive Internet use.
If you are depressed. The Internet can be an escape from
feelings of depression, but too much time online can make things
worse. Internet addiction further contributes to isolation and
loneliness.
If you have any other addictions. Many Internet addicts suffer
from other addictions, mainly to drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex.
If you lack social support. Internet addicts often use chat rooms,
instant messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of establishing
new relationships and more confidently relating to others.
If youre a teenager, you might be wondering where you fit in
and the Internet might feel more comfortable than real life friends.
If you are less mobile or socially active than you are used
to. For example, you may be coping with a new disability that limits
your ability to drive. Parenting very young children can make it hard
to leave the house or connect with old friends.

Symptoms
Losing track of time online, difficulty cutting
down on his or her online time even when they
are threatened with poor grades or loss of a job.
Lack of sleep, declining grades or poor job
performance, apathy, and racing thoughts.
A decreased investment in social relationships
and activities.
A person may lie about how much time was
spent online or deny that they have a problem.
they may be irritable when offline,
or angry toward anyone who questions
their time on the Internet.

Treatments

If a person's Internet addiction disorder has a

biological dimension, then such medication as
an antidepressant or anti-anxiety drug may
help them with these aspects of the addiction.
Psychological interventions may include such
approaches as changing the environment to
alter associations that have been made with
Internet use, or decrease the reinforcement
received from excessive Internet use.
Psychological interventions may also help the
person identify thoughts and feelings that
trigger their use of the Internet.
Interpersonal interventions may include such
approaches as social skills training or coaching
in communication skills. Family and couple
therapy may be indicated if the user is turning
to the Internet to escape from problems in
these areas of life

Prevention
1. People must recognize patterns of overuse. An
awareness of the basic symptoms is important.
A key signal to this would be time spent at the
computer, but also time spen thinking about
the Internet or in activities related to the
Internet
2. Identify underlying problems. Similar to other
kinds of addicts, Internet addicts should ask
themselves what is causing them to want to
escape from everyday life?
3. Devise and act out a plan to work through the
problem, rather than escape it. Escaping from
the problem through the Internet, and
effectively ignoring it, does not make the
problem go away

Centers for recovery

America's First Internet Addiction
Center reSTART - It's located in Fall
City, Washington
Today there are many recovery
centers for internet addiction all over
the world, especially in China, Japan,
Germany, Italy, Pakistan, Korea...
where internet addiction has become
a serious public health concern

Conclusion
The Internet is not the enemy just because people
become dependent on it. It has many important
and necessary benefits. In many ways it makes our
lives much simpler. In many ways it makes our
lives more complex. It becomes a problem when
people become so engrossed and enmeshed in online activities, and their "other" lives to the point of
neglecting their health, relationships, jobs, and
other responsibilities.
As with many of life's
pleasures, moderation is the key.

Thank you for attention

Bojana Ilic
Milena Pejovic
Natasa Bacic