The use of technology represents great communication potential today. It is a creative and educational tool; however, Excessive use can lead to risks and consequences
The behaviors that are generated in people with addiction to the Internet can interfere with the physical and mental well-being of the affected person and their environment; family, friends and co-workers.
The so-called Internet Addictive Disorder (TAI), in English Internet Addiction Disorder, IAD, is characterized by the time of prolonged use in mostly recreational and high-frequency Internet activities in children and adolescents Affected people spend hours in front of the computer surfing the Internet, neglecting other aspects of life to the point of generating an addiction.
On the other hand, an addiction appears when it is not possible to control the behavior towards something, and it occurs chronically and creates dependency, and there is a pathological search for the specific reward that produces dependence Some of the most common are: addiction to alcohol, tobacco, drugs, pornography and gambling.
In the case of Internet Addictive Disorder, people spend most of the day using social networks, instant messaging, or in the most frequent cases, online games and video games. In more severe cases They can lose track of time and reality they even become immersed in the identity of a character.
Furthermore, these Internet users They have constant concern about being connected and lie about how much time they spend online browsing the Internet or doing any other online activity. This leads to social isolation, physical problems such as back pain, headaches, and weight gain due to extreme sedentary lifestyle.
IAD can be associated with other addictions such as drugs, alcohol, tobacco or sex. Also A relationship has been found with other disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders and attention deficit disorders Other physical problems are visual problems, headache, back pain, etc.
General symptoms
In internet addiction Impulse control difficulty predominates and the following is valued:
1. Overuse
It is associated with the loss of time or abandonment of the most fundamental needs.
2. Abstinence
Includes feelings of anger, tension and depression when the computer or connection is inaccessible
3. Tolerance
It includes the need for better equipment, that is, more memory for the computer, more hours of use, equipment upgrades, etc.
4. Negative repercussions
It includes behaviors such as lying, seeking social isolation, etc.
Specific symptoms of online gaming addiction
Internet Gaming Disorder raises criteria specifically related to Internet gaming addiction. They present the following clinical criteria for evaluation and diagnosis:
Treatment
In most cases, people with addiction do not follow any treatment. However, those who manage to ask for help improve their quality of life significantly Addictions are addressed in a multidisciplinary way, psychological therapy is an essential factor in the intervention. Each person requires an individualized help plan for their case.
The objective is restore and improve each of the important areas of life physical and mental health, family relationships, social contexts, work and all environments deteriorated by addiction.
In this way, it seeks to achieve increased impulse control, improved self-esteem, greater recognition and regulation of emotions and obtain coping strategies and tools to prevent relapses.
On the other hand, it is very important supervise Internet use by minors as well as being interested in knowing what children do at school, who they interact with, what activities they do outside and inside the home, etc.
It is appropriate to worry about the sites they visit on the Internet, the people with whom they communicate on the Internet and the degree of knowledge in technological aspects that they have. As with television, children tend to get hooked and abuse the use of technology if they are not helped to manage their time.
