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Jonathan ShankProfessor BallentineEnglish 303February 8, 2011addictionThe Internet is a great tool for sharing information like this reflection piece, scholarly journal articles, blog entries, and other various types of information. The Web is especially useful for communication, social networking, commerce, directions for travel, and entertainment, among other things. The vast variety of activities and services available on the Internet has the potential to attract a very diverse population of users. Although the Internet can be useful for many purposes, there are still certain aspects that can be detrimental to Internet surfers. Recent research suggests that it is possible to become addicted to the Internet which can be problematic in a number of ways, and studies performed at the University of Leeds suggests that the Internet may be linked with depression (Greenfield; Nauert; O’Brian; Pies; Young). In 2010, the International Telecommunications Union estimated that the number of Internet users in the world reached around two billion, and with that many individuals accessing the Internet every day, the risk of addiction is even more likely to occur. Hopefully this paper will leave you enlightened, and that you may gain a better understanding of the potential risks of Internet addiction.In my previous writing, Direction of Our Minds (which can be found here), I discussed how computers and technology are becoming an essential part of everyday societal functioning. As a result of this change in society, repetitive computer and Internet use is becoming more common, and some argue that our brains are changing and adapting to facilitate the thought processes needed to be able to multi-task on the computer (Shank 2). Working in conjunction with the speculated physiological adaptation of the brain is the psychological process known as instrumental or operant conditioning (Shank 3). This mode of learning can either increase or decrease a certain behavior depending on three things: an antecedent situation or stimulus, your response or an interaction with that stimulus, and either a reward or punishment for doing the behavior. In other words, if you do something and you are rewarded for it, you will most likely do it again. If you do something and are punished, you are less likely to behave in that way again. In this case, the computer is the stimulus, the reaction is clicking and typing, and the reward is information for the senses (Shank 3-4). Therefore, those who experience pleasure from these interactions are more likely to keep accessing computers and the Internet to get rewarded. But when an individual begins to find difficulty managing how much time is spent online, and time spent on the computer starts to interfere with other activities, computer use can become a problem.About 2 billion of Earth’s population is Internet users (“ITU Estimates Two Billion”), and 500 million of those are active users of the increasingly popular social networking site, Facebook. Furthermore, 200 million of Facebook’s users access the site from mobile phones facilitating increased access to the site (Statistics – “Facebook”). Many individuals use this site as a means for sharing photos and remaining in contact with friends and family, however, some psychologists understand that it is becoming a compulsion for some users, and that it allows them to temporarily escape from reality (Cohen). No absolute or conclusive evidence has pointed to social networking sites and programs as being the specific causes of addiction or dissociation from reality, but there exists much evidence suggesting that the Internet in general can possess addictive properties (Cohen; Greenfield; O’Brien; Pies). Psychologists have found evidence that more compulsive Internet users attempt to obtain social interaction mainly from the Internet and social networking sites, rather than personal interaction in real-life situations. More often, people that overuse the Internet are also more at risk for being linked with depression (University of Leeds). However, an important issue that has yet to be researched more thoroughly, and is perhaps a current limitation, is whether overuse of the Internet causes the depression in users, or if is the depression leads to excessive Internet use (Nauert). What the research does show however is that for certain people, excessive Internet use could very well indicate a disposition toward depression (University of Leeds). The issue of Internet addiction, though, proves to be slightly more convincing.Addiction can be defined as “a compulsive need for and use of a habit forming substance…” (“Addiction – Definition”). Dr. Dave Greenfield is a psychologist with a website dedicated to Internet addiction. He considers it to be an addiction or compulsion that is primarily behavior based, rather than substance based like many addictions (Greenfield). More psychologists are taking notice of the evidence that suggests that Internet addiction can be a significant issue and should perhaps be widely recognized as a psychological disorder (O’Brian; Pies; Young). Pies states that even though we may not need to necessarily recognize Internet addiction as a pathological disease, we should still provide assistance to individuals if they experience suffering as a result of their maladaptive behaviors. He also asserts that it could be considered a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is characterized by “…intrusive thoughts or images…which increase anxiety, and by repetitive or ritualistic actions…which decrease anxiety” (Stein). If an individual experiences anxiety or discomfort when away from the Internet, and then is relieved when access to Internet is provided, then it could by all means fit into that category. Whether Internet addiction is a compulsive behavior resulting from maladjustment to a new medium, or a genuine psychopathological condition, it should still be taken seriously. Numerous studies are suggesting that people can and are being drawn in by social networking sites and the Internet, and that some individuals are finding it more difficult to control the amount of time spent on those sites. Those individuals should seek help from a psychologist if it becomes a problem that interferes with any daily or social functioning. But the fact that information is so plentiful and easily accessible on the Internet allows for a larger probability that many of the two billion Internet users worldwide could develop some sort of Internet dependence. If you feel like you need to be logged onto a social networking site, or you need to be surfing the Internet to feel connected to others, I might suggest thinking about the activities you did before the Internet and social networking sites were so popular, and to go out and socialize with real people. And if you cannot do that, at least consider joining the “Facebook Addiction Disorder” group on Facebook. Works Cited"Addiction - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Merriam-Webster. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <, Elizabeth. "Five Clues That You Are Addicted to Facebook - ." International - Breaking, World, Business, Sports, Entertainment and Video News. Cable News Network, 23 Apr. 2009. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <, David. "Addictions and Compulsive Behaviors."?Virtual-Addiction. Center for Internet Behavior. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. < Telecommunications Union. External Affairs and Corporate Communication. ITU Estimates Two Billion People Online by End 2010. ITU. 19 Oct. 2010. Web. 3 Feb. 2010. <, Rick. "Obsessive Web Browsing Linked to Depression | Psych Central News." Psych Central - Trusted Mental Health, Depression, Bipolar, ADHD and Psychology Information. Ed. John M. Grohol. 05 Feb. 2010. Web. 03 Feb. 2011. <'Brien, Charles P. "Commentary on Tao Et Al. (2010): Internet Addiction and DSM-V."Addiction?105 (2010): 565.?Wiley Online Library. Society for the Study of Addiction, 2010. Web. 08 Feb. 2011. <, Ronald. "Should DSM-V Designate “Internet Addiction” a Mental Disorder?"?Psychiatry (Edgmont)?6.2 (2009): 31-37.?National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2009. Web. 8 Feb. 2011. <, Jonathan. “Direction of Our Minds.” 2011. Microsoft Word file. "Statistics | Facebook." Welcome to Facebook. Facebook, 2011. Web. 03 Feb. 2011. <, Dan J. "Obsessive-compulsive Disorder."?The Lancet?360.9330 (2002): 397-40. Web. < of Leeds. "Excessive Internet use is linked to depression." ScienceDaily. 4 February 2010. 3 February 2011 < /releases/2010/02/100202193605.htm>. Young, Kimberly S. "Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder."CyberPsychology & Behavior?1.3 (2009): 237-244.?Www.. CyberPsychology & Behavior. Web. 8 Feb. 2011. <;. ................
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