There are concerns that this growth of the Internet could be a medium of addictions that may lead to obsessive behaviors. Many researchers have come to argue that Internet addiction is a disorder, similar to alcoholic and substance abuse that involves withdrawal, psychological disturbances, and lack of social relationships (Freedman, 19-23)
The problems occur when people become obsessed with the Internet. For example, if some of the people who go for vacations do not forget to take their laptop with them thinking that they miss the fun of browsing the Internet (Sue, D
And Sue, 74-75). When this kind of situation occurs, it begins to reflect an obsessive disorder toward the use of the Internet (Griffiths, 35)
When this kind of situation occurs, it begins to reflect an obsessive disorder toward the use of the Internet (Griffiths, 35). Although we must understand that the Internet is a tool that offers people several opportunities for improving their knowledge and skills by providing a host of information, it becomes an addiction only because people who are using the tools become obsessive and forget the real reason of using the Internet (Young, 240)
These case studies are often invaluable in gaining public recognition of IAD, but from a scientific standpoint, they have very little constructive to offer the serious researcher, or even the serious layperson on the serious topic of IAD. One interesting theory is that what researchers often term as IAD is simply a "phasic" behavior (Grohol, 1999)
An example of a hierarchy from least to most anxiety-provoking follows. Being in an area without access to computers Thinking you missed an important message Having someone tell you that you missed an important message Actually missing an important message" (Rothburd
In Internet addiction: symptoms, evaluation and treatment, Kimberly Young offers nine key treatment strategies for IAD that are largely based on the behavioral therapy model. These technique Young developed to treat IAD are "(a) practice the opposite time in Internet use, (b) use external stoppers, - set goals, (d) abstain from a particular application, (e) use reminder cards, (f) develop a personal inventory, (g) enter a support group, and (h) family therapy" (Young, 1999)
Fenichel asserts that internet addiction is often "conceived of as a compulsive behavior, or craving for connectedness, or perhaps even a manifestation of transference or a reflection of object relations, or need-fulfillment." (Fenichel) Fenichel also explains that the increase in the availability of computers and access to the Internet have perpetuated the problem
" In this article McCauley asserts that terrorism is most often the result of "ideology intense small group dynamics." (McCauley) The article explains that human beings have a need to belong to a group in which the members of that group share the same beliefs and interest -- this is a normal human need
The key to determining whether or not one is at risk of developing Internet addiction disorder is to conduct a self-inventory by answering some of the questions typically used by psychologists to differentiate benign involvement in activities from problematic or potentially addictive involvement. Those questions include the following developed by the Center for Internet Addiction and Recovery (2008), which, in principle, are identical to the types of relevant inquiries made in connection with other forms of addictive behaviors (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008): 1
Just as in the case of many other human activities, the Internet also has demonstrated a definite potential for overuse in those suffering from Internet addiction disorder (IAD) a manner that mirrors other forms of behavioral addictions (Grohol, 2007). Internet addiction manifests itself in several different ways depending on the specific type of use involved and on the reasons that the addicted individual began overusing the medium (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2008; Grohol, 2007)
Almost immediately, the online medium became an avenue to pursue private interests that computer users kept separate from their regular (i.e. "offline") lives (Grohol, 1999; Macionis, 2003)
As with other forms of behavioral addictions, users addicted to the Internet typically lie about or hide their use from others, and they may become defensive to inquiries of concern about it (BWA, 2007; CIAR, 2008; Grohol, 1999). One of the most striking social aspects of Internet use was the overwhelming predominance of sexually oriented websites and business ventures, which quickly became the most lucrative area of Internet business (Macionis, 2003)
More recently, the Internet has become an integral part of many people's social lives that is also completely integrated into their off-line lives. Today, social networking sites like MySpace and FaceBook constitute some of the most common ways that people interact with friends and meet new social acquaintances (Mostellar, 2009)
For example, Pam Belluck, in an article entitled, Net Addiction: True Disorder or Just a Cyber-Psycho-Fad? ( 1996), states the following example of withdrawal from Internet addiction. "When he was brought into the alcohol and drug rehabilitation center, his body convulsed about, and he threw tables and chairs around the rooms" (Belluck)
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