Addiction to new technologies

1. Addiction to new technologies

2. Definition • Computer addiction is an obsessive addiction to computer use sometimes known as Dependency. • A variation of computer addiction is the Internet addiction disorder, which suggests that people can not only be addicted to an object, such as a computer, but also an environment, that is, the Internet

3. How to spot it • With the high use of computers these days, it has become difficult to distinguish people who are ‘highly engaged’ in their computer use from those who could be considered truly addicted • The definition of ‘true computer addiction’ is not widely agreed upon

4. Signs that indicate a possible problem • Sleep patterns • Going to sleep later than normal and waking later • Feeling tired in the morning • Irritability when not using the computer • For example, often being preoccupied thinking about the computer and the things done on it • Can become angry if told to stop using it

5. Signs that indicate a possible problem • Feelings of guilt about computer use • Attempts to hide evidence of, for example, gaming/porn purchases • Attempts to hide evidence of online activities by, for example, deleting the cache, using encryption/passwords • Logging onto the computer secretly • Being defensive when confronted

6. Signs that indicate a possible problem • Nightmares or dreams about gaming/computer use • Social dropouts • Becoming more isolated by the computer use • This is seen when there is a consistent pattern of sacrificing real-life relationships to preserve virtual ones • Alternatively, seeming to prefer living in virtual worlds more than the real one • becoming NEETs - 'Not in Employment, Education, or Training'

7. Signs that indicate a possible problem • Spending an ever-increasing number of hours online • Spending time in activities related to Internet use – for example, reading books and magazines about it and trying out new software • Mixing with fewer friends

8. Signs that indicate a possible problem • Less communication with the family • Symptoms of depression which include a depressed mood most of the day, less of an interest in activities, insomnia, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness and a diminished ability to think or concentrate • Giving up social, work or recreational activities in order to spend time on the Internet

9. Signs that indicate a possible problem • Giving the computer and the Internet more importance in their life than is warranted • Defending their right to use the computer as much as they want • Thinking and talking about the Internet when they are doing something else

10. How big is the problem? • No formal studies have been published but a Harris Interactive poll released in April 2007 found that: • 8.5% of ‘youth gamers’ in the United States could be "classified as pathological or clinically 'addicted' to playing video games” • A British survey reported in November 2006 indicated that 12% of polled gamers exhibit addictive behaviours

11. How big is the problem? • Video game overuse is believed to be more of a problem in Asia - a governmental survey in South Korea estimated that 2.4% of South Koreans aged 9 to 39 are addicts, with 10.2 percent more "borderline cases”

12. How big is the problem? • Some experts reckon that up to 10% of all online Americans are addicted to the Internet • Children are more vulnerable to addiction than adults and seem to be very easily hooked into online games and pornography • And, most worryingly, the younger they are, the more vulnerable they are

13. How big is the problem? • In the USA the problem has got to the point where the American Psychiatric Association has actually defined a medical condition they call Internet Addiction Disorder • Some kids spend between six and twenty hours a day sat in front of the computer

14. How big is the problem? • A 2005 survey by the Entertainment Software Association found that "video game overuse" was more common in players of MMORPGs - Massively multiplayer online role-playing game • Ultima Online is an example

15. How big is the problem? • An expert in this field, Dr Maressa Orzack of McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts estimates that 40% of the 8.5 million players of MMORPG World of Warcraft are addicted

16. Males are most at risk • A 2008 Study by Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that video game addiction in men may be more common than women when the game concept revolves around territorial control • The researchers have shown that the part of the brain that generates rewarding feelings is more activated in men than women during video-game play

17. In-built addiction • Addictive games lure players with complex systems of goals and achievements • EverQuest, for example, has players engage in activities to develop their characters from one level to the next • Players can find themselves wrapped up in the game for hours as they struggle to gain one more skill or weapon

18. In-built addiction • Each goal leads to another goal, and there are critical choices to be made along the way • People invest a lot of time and thought into developing a character and often feel like they've wasted their time unless they reach the next goal

19. Possible causes • Children who overuse the Internet often do so to alleviate boredom and as an escape from their problems • Many children who have a problem mixing with other kids turn to computers and the Internet as a source of entertainment and social contact

20. Possible causes • Many online games addicts are lonely and have never felt like they belonged - they get a sense of belonging through the games • Most online games include chat rooms which allow players to interact with each other in the guise of the characters they represent

21. Possible causes • It’s more than just mere fun than users get - many video games can satisfy some basic psychological needs and often players continue to play because of rewards, freedom, and often a connection with other players • It can be caused by psychological problems such as antisocial disorder, depression, and phobias such as social phobia • Many addicts want a way to escape reality and then find that they can create a whole new persona on an online game and live their life through their new online personality

22. Possible causes • Through this they can start to like fantasy life more than reality due to newfound friends and power, and thus, refuse to be drawn away from it • Many experts believe it needs to be treated on the same level as a drug addiction

23. What you can do to help • Do not 'cut the cord' unless in a rehab-like setting • Cutting the person off can produce worse outcomes such as drug use, violence, and depression) • Some experts advocate a 'retreat' or rehab-like setting for a minimum of 2 weeks

24. What you can do to help • Put the computer in a public place such as the living room or kitchen so that they will find it more difficult to spend hours online • Get the child to acknowledge that they have a problem and that their behaviour is not helping them • As with other types of addiction, try to find out what the difficulty is that is at the root of things - perhaps surfing is serving as an escape from an everyday life problem • Together devise and put into action a plan to sort out the real problem, rather than trying to escape it

25. What you can do to help • Then get them to take steps to resolve the addiction itself - a gradual decline in use is best until a sensible amount of time is reached • A systematic plan for breaking habits is useful • So if, for example, they come straight in from school and log on, get them into the habit of eating and then doing their homework before going online

26. What you can do to help • Get them to set goals for themselves for gradually reducing their hours. Also get them to set targets for what they want to accomplish each time they go online so that they do not log on and surf aimlessly • Teach them how to manage their urge to go online. • So each time they feel that strong urge get them to sit quietly and experience it. If they do that the urge will eventually pass and they will feel fine again. Eventually they will form a new habit of responding to the urge • Visit the website www.netaddiction.com for information and advice

27. Treatment centres • Some countries, like South Korea, have responded to the perceived threat of video game addiction by opening treatment centres • The Chinese government operates several clinics to treat those addicted to online games, chatting and web surfing - treatment for the patients, most of whom have been forced to attend by parents or government officials, include various forms of pain, or uneasiness

28. Treatment centres • In June of 2006, the Smith and Jones clinic in Amsterdam became the first treatment facility in Europe to offer a residential treatment program for compulsive gamers • McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts has set up Computer Addiction Services

29. Treatment research • Research in treatment area is still in the preliminary stages because few clinical trials and no meta-analyses have been done to evaluate treatment for this type of addiction • As with other addictions or dependencies, the most effective treatments are a combination of psychopharmacology and psychotherapy - 12 step programs have also shown promise