Internet Addiction

1. Internet Addiction Jonathan Kandell, Ph.D. Assistant Director University of Maryland Counseling Center Presentation at the 10th Annual C3 Conference University of Maryland, College Park 10/7/11

2. Overview • What is Internet Addiction? • Vulnerability of College Students • Nature of Technology • Cutting Edge … or Cutting Off? • Patterns and Suggestions • Treatment of Internet Addiction

4. What is Internet Addiction?

5. What is Internet Addiction? • How would you define it?

6. What is Internet Addiction? • How would you define it? • Term coined in the mid-90s by a New York psychiatrist, Dr. Ivan Goldberg • He devised a list of symptoms (taken from those for pathological gambling) and created “Internet Addiction Disorder” • Also created online Internet Addiction Support Group

7. What is Internet Addiction? • How would you define it? • Term coined in the mid-90s by a New York psychiatrist, Dr. Ivan Goldberg • He devised a list of symptoms (taken from those for pathological gambling) and created “Internet Addiction Disorder” • Also created online Internet Addiction Support Group • Did it as a joke!

8. What is Internet Addiction? • How would you define it? • Term coined in the mid-90s by a New York psychiatrist, Dr. Ivan Goldberg • He devised a list of symptoms (taken from those for pathological gambling) and created “Internet Addiction Disorder” • Also created online Internet Addiction Support Group • Did it as a joke! • The joke was on him!!

9. What is Internet Addiction? • “Process Addiction” – disorder of behavior, not abuse of a substance

10. What is Internet Addiction? • “Process Addiction” – disorder of behavior, not abuse of a substance • “Pathological Internet Use” (PIU) • Term coined by Kimberly Young, Ph.D. - Psychologist, U. Pitt-Bradford – COLA • Many liken IAD/PIU to pathological gambling (e.g., Goldberg and Young), using symptoms from those disorders

11. What is Internet Addiction? • “Pathological Internet Use” (PIU) Given the usefulness/necessity of the Internet – more like compulsive exercise

12. What is Internet Addiction? • Symptoms • Increasing preoccupation with, and investment of resources (e.g., time, money, energy) on Internet-related activities • Unpleasant feelings (e.g., depression, anxiety, loneliness, emptiness) when not online • Negative impact on work/school performance • Problems develop in existing relationships • Difficulty in forming new offline relationships • Tolerance can develop • Denial

13. What is Internet Addiction? • Research Findings – Literature 5-12% of Those Surveyed have PIU

14. What is Internet Addiction? • Research Findings – Literature • Personality Characteristics • Low self-esteem • Intellectualization • Self-reliance • Strong preference for solitary activities • Restricted social outlets • Less socially conforming • More emotionally reactive to others (VanGelder, 2003)

15. What is Internet Addiction? UM Counseling Service Data (2006-07) Full Entire Helpseeker Population (N=1125) PIU Clients responding “Terribly” or “Poorly” to “How have you been getting along in the following areas of your life over the last two weeks?” – Spending too much time on the computer/Internet (N=170)

16. What is Internet Addiction? UM Counseling Service Data (2006-07) • Out of 66 items on the four scales • 60 showed an increase in endorsement • 6 showed a decrease

17. What is Internet Addiction? UM Counseling Service Data (2006-07) • Out of 66 items on the four scales • 60 showed an increase in endorsement • 6 showed a decrease • 42.45% average rise in endorsement (includes items that decreased)

18. What is Internet Addiction? UM Counseling Service Data (2006-07) ItemFULLPIU Repeated behaviors interfere w/ life 26.04% 52.35% Standing up for rights, express self 15.11 30.00 School (performance, attendance) 23.72 45.88 Studying effectively 38.49 72.94 No energy, everything an effort 24.53 46.47 Self management (plans, goals) 39.12 71.18 Afraid of / avoiding normal situations 23.29 41.18 Feeling hopeless about the future 25.42 42.35 Eating problems 24.44 40.00 Uncomfortable, shy, ill at ease 19.11 31.18

19. What is Internet Addiction? UM Counseling Service Data (2006-07) ItemFULLPIU Making friends 19.91% 30.59% Self-confidence, self-esteem 40.00 61.18 Career conflicts within self 35.22 52.94 Difficulty concentrating 51.02 75.88 Loneliness 42.04 60.59 Feeling sad most of the time 33.16 45.29 Grief over death of loved one 8.62 11.76 Not liking yourself 28.18 38.24 Feeling nervous 37.07 49.41 Intimate relationships 29.83 39.41

20. What is Internet Addiction? UM Counseling Service Data (2006-07) ItemFULLPIU Rape or sexual assault 3.11% 2.94% Alc/drugs causing physical problems 2.04 1.76 Pregnancy 0.71 0.59 Getting into frequent arguments 11.20 8.82 Alc/drugs interfering w/ job/school 2.31 1.76 Sexual orientation issues 4.00 2.94

21. What is Internet Addiction? In my opinion, Pathological Internet Use is most often a condition secondary to a separate underlying psychological disorder. The compulsive internet behavior is functioning as a coping mechanism, a form of self-medication similar to other compulsive/addictive behaviors.

22. Vulnerability of College Students

23. Vulnerability of College Students • Societal Influences • Increasing pace of life and technological advancement – Toffler’s “Future Shock” • Threats to safety (real and/or perceived) • Environmental, political, financial worries

24. Vulnerability of College Students • Societal Influences • Increasing pace of life and technological advancement – Toffler’s “Future Shock” • Threats to safety (real and/or perceived) • Environmental, political, financial worries • Familial Influences • Usual dysfunction, financial issues, etc. • “A Nation of Wimps” – Marano • The Fragility Factor (“Helicopter Parents”) • Cell Phone – “The Eternal Umbilicus”

25. Vulnerability of College Students • Developmental Influences • Erikson (1963) – 8 Stages of Life • Basic Trust vs. Mistrust • Autonomy vs. Shame, Doubt • Initiative vs. Guilt • Industry vs. Inferiority • Identity vs. Identity Diffusion (Role Confusion) • Intimacy vs. Isolation • Generativity vs. Stagnation • Ego Integrity vs. Despair

26. Vulnerability of College Students • Developmental Influences • Erikson (1963) – 8 Stages of Life • Basic Trust vs. Mistrust • Autonomy vs. Shame, Doubt • Initiative vs. Guilt • Industry vs. Inferiority • Identity vs. Identity Diffusion (Role Confusion) • Intimacy vs. Isolation • Generativity vs. Stagnation • Ego Integrity vs. Despair

27. Vulnerability of College Students • Access / Expectancy • Most campuses replete with computers and internet connections • Computer labs often open late, even 24/7 • Many courses require (or strongly encourage) use of computer / internet • Writing Papers • Internet Research • E-mail Instructors • Online Discussions • Blackboard / ELMS

28. Vulnerability of College Students • Access / Expectancy • It only takes a few keystrokes to go from writing a paper to checking your e-mail to: • Facebook • Blogging • Chatting • Gaming • Online Porn • etc.

29. Vulnerability of College Students • Cumulative Impact • Many strains on internal resources • Various mechanisms used to reduce anxiety, depression, loneliness -Healthy? • Substance abuse (alcohol/drugs – including legal) • Compulsive Behaviors (Gambling, Exercise, TV, Internet, Cellphone, Gaming, Porn, etc.) • Eating Disorders • Self-mutilation • What’s acceptable and available?

30. The Nature of Technology

31. The Nature of Technology • “Good” or “Evil” - What do you think?

32. GOOD?

33. EVIL?

34. The Nature of Technology • Technology – Good or Evil? NEITHER! • Technology is … a tool • Special kind of tool - amplifier • Depends on how it’s used • Creates change

35. Marshall McLuhan

36. McLuhan • Marshall McLuhan • “The medium is the message” • We adapt to technology, not the other way around • “Hot” vs. “Cool” media

37. McLuhan • “Hot” vs. “Cool” media • “A hot medium is one that extends one single sense in 'high definition.' High definition is being well filled with data” - all the information is available; the person is passive • Cool media force the person to engage in the transmission process.

38. McLuhan • “Hot” vs. “Cool” media • Book vs. Newspaper Book Newspaper

39. McLuhan • “Hot” vs. “Cool” media • Film vs. Screen (TV / Computer / Internet) Film CRT/LCD

40. Control

41. Control • Technology impacts people’s sense of control over their lives • Positive Aspects • Structure free time / Configure your life • Easier to establish/maintain relationships • Negative Aspects • “Do more in less time” • Privacy Issues / Identity Theft / “Phishing”

42. Internet Reinforcers

43. Internet Reinforcers • Internet Reinforcers VanGelder, S. C. (2003). INTERNET ADDICTION: Is the Internet a “pathological agent” includable as a disorder separate from other psychiatric diagnoses? Journal of Addictive Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.breining.edu • Reinforcers Specific to the Internet (e.g., disinhibition, anonymity, intimacy, intensity, time distortion)

44. Internet Reinforcers • Internet Reinforcers VanGelder, S. C. (2003). INTERNET ADDICTION: Is the Internet a “pathological agent” includable as a disorder separate from other psychiatric diagnoses? Journal of Addictive Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.breining.edu • Reinforcers Specific to the Internet (e.g., disinhibition, anonymity, intimacy, intensity, time distortion) • Dissociative Aspects (paralanguage, body/image distortion, RL separation, identities)

45. The New Yorker -- July 5, 1993

46. Internet Reinforcers • Internet Reinforcers VanGelder, S. C. (2003). INTERNET ADDICTION: Is the Internet a “pathological agent” includable as a disorder separate from other psychiatric diagnoses? Journal of Addictive Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.breining.edu • Reinforcers Specific to the Internet (e.g., disinhibition, anonymity, intimacy, intensity, time distortion) • Dissociative Aspects (paralanguage, body/image distortion, RL separation, identities) • Unconstrained Social Functioning (global home, boundlessness, realize sexual fantasies)

47. Cutting Edge ... or Cutting Off

48. Cutting Edge … or Cutting Off? • Technology can facilitate both meeting others and communicating with them • E-mail / Instant Messaging (IM) • Cell Phone / Texting / Twitter / Blog • Social Networking (e.g., Facebook) • MMORPGs • MassiveMultiplayerOnlineRole-PlayingGames • Gaming (e.g., World of Warcraft, Halo) - FPS • Second Life

49. Cutting Edge … or Cutting Off? • Technology can facilitate both meeting others and communicating with them • Positives • Can help introverted people develop connections • People can experiment with various identities • You can learn to appreciate another without the distraction of looks • You can practice social interchange without fear of significant reprisal or rejection • Can raise an individual’s self-esteem

50. Cutting Edge … or Cutting Off? • Technology can facilitate both meeting others and communicating with them But, … what is the nature and quality of these interactions?