Health · 2 December 2022

How to fight internet addiction?

Ostania aktualizacja 30 January 2023

How to fight internet addiction? Technological development brings numerous benefits. It provides jobs, enables contact with people on the other side of the world, and facilitates dealing with official matters remotely. However, in all this one should see the tragedy of many people who allowed themselves to be absorbed by the Internet without restraint. It’s not just young people. Often this problem affects people who have moved their entire private lives online. How to fight this addiction? Are Internet Addiction Treatments Effective?

The basis of addiction

Most often, addiction begins by discovering interesting content and spending more and more time exploring it. Then there is a loss of other interests and a lack of control over the amount of time spent online. This may even involve limiting sleep or eating, and in the case of adults – neglecting work. This can pose a health and financial security risk. If you notice these symptoms in a loved one, it is worth contacting an addiction treatment center. Minor symptoms can also be a warning sign. A person affected by addiction loses the ability to concentrate, their eyesight deteriorates, they experience back pain associated with staying in the same position for a long period of time. May become hyperactive and have difficulty controlling urges.

Addictive use of the Internet is associated with the abandonment or significant limitation of other life activities. For many people affected by the problem, the network has become the only place where they share their opinions, make friends, and take up paid work. Among young people, computer games are very often the cause of further addiction. Factors influencing the development of addiction include the amount of free time and loneliness. Hence the observation that the most vulnerable groups of people are young people, students and housewives. Researchers also point to shyness and low self-esteem as factors that push many people to build their world online.

Types of internet addiction

Computer abuse can be broken down into several different categories. Among other things, Internet erotomania is distinguished, i.e. addictive viewing of pornographic content. This is often associated with the disclosure of sexual disorders, e.g. pedophilia. It is advisable to contact a therapeutic center in order to prevent further development of the disorder. Another category of addiction is sociomania, i.e. the abuse of social networking sites, Internet chats, at the expense of abandoning interpersonal relationships in real life. It turns out that those affected by this problem are unable to maintain a relationship in reality. There is also information overload. It is a situation in which a person using the Internet is bombarded with so much content that he feels overwhelmed by it. The last type is Internet addiction.

Each of the above-mentioned addictions can be equally dangerous. A well-known effect of addiction is depression, health problems (spine, eyes), neglect of duties and withdrawal from social life, a sense of alienation or apathy. There are known cases of people who, as a result of limiting their activity on the Internet, became aggressive, and even committed murder. That is why it is worth preventing the development of addiction, and in the case when the problem affects our loved ones – to intervene.

Treatment and prevention

Therapy for people addicted to the Internet sometimes resembles drug or alcohol withdrawal. It consists in working with a psychologist in order to reduce the amount of time spent surfing the web. This is a slow process and involves a gradual reduction in the number of hours you spend online each day. In addition, good addiction treatment centers will offer help in organizing the patient’s time. Often the addicted person gave up social contacts, so the specialist will suggest various activities that can help in returning to normal functioning. One technique for dealing with addiction is to divide your online time into smaller chunks and gradually extend the breaks between sessions. Over time, the patient feels less and less need to constantly use the computer.

Addiction can be prevented. As a parent, it’s important to control what your child sees. You also need to control the time they spend online, as addiction can develop unexpectedly. If your child has trouble sleeping, fails at school, or is aggressive, it may also be a sign of addiction. In the case of adults, it is suggestive of abandoning duties, resigning from work or treating it superficially, sleep deprivation, withdrawal or difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships. In such a situation, it is worth contacting an Internet addiction treatment center. The specialist will select the appropriate method of therapy that will allow you to break with your current lifestyle.

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