The Addictive Nature of the Internet

by Megan K. Richardson
Syracuse University

The purpose of this paper is to show the many different ways that people can become addicted to the web (Internet) and to try to explain why. The various aspects of the web, such as the wide range of information, the advanced technology, and alternate ways of communication have contributed to its addictive nature.
People of all ages and backgrounds have become so absorbed in using the web, either through work or play, that they have, in effect, become addicted to using it. Some common types of sites which people just cannot seem to stay away from include chat rooms, dating services, sex, pornography, shopping, and sports.
The prevalence of Internet use and the growing realization that it has become an addictive vice for some has spurned the creation of groups such as Webaholics Anonymous, Interneters Anonymous, Netaholics Anonymous, the Internet Addiction Association, and the Internet Addiction Support Group (IASG). All of these self-help groups can be sought on-line, which is rather ironic, given the topic, but nonetheless the groups seek to aid those addicted to using the Internet. The name, Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) has even been given to this growing phenomenon of Internet addiction.
"Addiction" as defined by Webster's New World Dictionary is "the condition of being addicted (to a habit) or of being an addict." "Addict," on the other hand, is defined as one who has given oneself up to some strong habit. Some may say that being addicted to using the Internet is not a "true" addiction, but according to the Webster definition, Internet addiction can be and is every bit as real and as hard to manage as a drug or alcohol addiction.
Depending on where it is one looks on the Internet, there are varying, but essentially the same, criteria for Internet addiction. The following are warning signs of IAD as taken from Dr. Kimberly Young of the University of Pittsburgh who founded the Center for Online Addiction and is conducting online addiction research. Dr. Ivan Goldberg, a moderator of the Internet Addiction Support Group mailing list, employs a list of IAD Diagnostic Criteria, which can be found at the end of this paper.
Common Warning Signs of IAD (abbreviated):
By simply being aware of the above warning signs of IAD, a person can reduce the risk of becoming addicted to using the web. The warning signs and symptoms below should be used as guidelines to determine if a true problem exists.
Below are some more general and easy to understand "Symptoms of Internet Addiction":
My only problem with this list is the use of the vague "too much" reference. How can a person who is addicted to the Internet realize that his or her use or activities can be classified as "too much"? This leaves others to recognize the symptoms of Internet addiction in someone else. But as most people know, until the person with the problem admits that there is a problem and seeks helps for it, nothing can be done. So, once again, I do not feel that the person who is addicted is in any position to judge what is "too much".
Universities can and have become the sites of the beginning of Internet addiction. I recall when I first arrived at college: I was all set up with my computer and a modem (the first time I had ever used a modem). I quickly learned all about e-mail, what I could access and how, and got the addresses of practically everyone I knew who had access to e-mail. Before long, I was checking my messages several times a day. Now, two years later, it has dwindled to once a day, sometimes every other day (partly because of the annoyance of trying to log on). I think part of the constant checking for me then was the newness of it all, and of course it was new to my friends too. It was just fun to get messages, write, and read them. But as my schedule and course load changed, so did my e-mail use, as well as my friends.' But I suppose, it might have been all too easy to become addicted to using the Internet.
I've read dozens of people's testimonies about Internet addiction, and many of them could be me. I guess I was, or am, just lucky. But does luck have anything to do with it? Are people who are predisposed to addiction just as likely to become addicted to the web as they are to alcohol or drugs? I believe the answer to this question is yes. It is exceptionally easy to lose time when one is on the web, it's hard not to--especially when someone's modem is so slow it can take twenty minutes for a simple site to come up. Yet, I am not addicted to the web. But I do believe in its addictive nature. And the people whose lives have practically been ruined by their excessive Internet use believe in its addictive nature. Perhaps it is something people feel they are lacking in their lives that they seek out in the web.
At the University of Texas, the counseling and mental health center has sponsored Internet addiction workshops. And just this semester, the University of Maryland began Internet support groups. The fact that Universities provide free and relatively easy access to the Internet and its resources not only gives students an opportunity to discover another world, but also provides an atmosphere where addiction to its use is becoming more and more commonplace.
I have found numerous sites on the Internet describing the disorder, criteria, and questionnaires about it, but I have found little in the nature of how to cure the addiction, or at least control it. In fact, people are not cured of addictions--they can only learn how to live with and how to control addictions. An addiction, I have heard, is not something that is cured, but managed.
No sooner do I say that I have not seen much literature on how to "manage" this type of addiction do I come across the "Twelve Steps of Interneters Anonymous," which, as its name denotes, is modeled after all other twelve-step programs to manage addiction. The people who have followed the steps:
I was rather disappointed when I read through these twelve steps. I find the above steps rather mocking to the disorder--although I do not think that that is the intention of the steps. They seem to be somewhat absurd, or perhaps just absurdly worded--for instance, the reference to "the almighty webmaster." Hence, documents of this type make people question the true existence or validity of Internet Addiction Disorder or that the Internet is at all addictive. I suppose any new idea/phenomenon, such as the Internet and Internet addiction, will draw skepticism until someone with authority makes the assertion that it is in fact valid. And it seems as though a person has finally appeared with evidence to support the validity of the disorder: 
Dr. Young's study and findings have been instrumental in making the medical community aware of the seriousness of Internet addiction.
Dr. Young used several criteria to determine if a subject was a dependent Internet user. If a subject met four or more of these criteria, the subject was considered dependent. Subjects that did not meet three or more of these criteria over a twelve month period were classified as non-dependent users. Did the subject:
This study was presented at the American Psychological Association (APA) in August 1996. Dr. Young's study seems to be a positive step forward in acknowledging the disorder.
Dr. Young also has several recommendations for those who are addicted to using the Internet. She suggests writing down expected online time, and then recording actual online time. Keeping an egg timer by the computer to help limit online time is also suggested. Another counselor in this area suggests that completing necessary things first, such as work, house-work, and daily business, etc. be rewarded by surfing or checking e-mail; not until these other things are completed should someone log on. Both experts believe that only the most extreme cases require the "cold turkey" method, that is, quitting using the Internet altogether, or getting rid of the equipment. I believe that a change in behavior can be the result of a change in attitude or thinking. So in order for someone who is addicted to the Internet to be able to taper off, or quit, he or she must be able to review his or her use and examine the reasons behind that use.
Dealing with Internet addiction is in many ways quite different from dealing with another type of addiction. First, it has not, as of yet, been medically deemed an addiction, as far as I am aware. Another dilemma facing Internet addicts is the growing number of sites devoted to the tiresome, "You know you're addicted to the Internet when..." In one sense, these sites may be helpful for someone discovering a problem, in another sense, they mock those with a problem and detract from the seriousness that can accompany this or any type of addiction.
A major difference between Internet addiction and other addictions is that Internet addiction does not lead to any physical health problems (except for sleep deprivation or skipped meals). An addiction to the Internet cannot give you liver or brain damage, or cancer. One can see the psychological and physical benefits of getting a chemical addiction under control. But one of the main things that separates Internet addiction from other addictions is that the Internet, or the use of it, can offer many benefits: A plethora of information has become widely available on the Internet. There are educational benefits to using the Internet. Many businesses require the use of the Internet, either through e-mail, or the maintenance of web sites. One would not expect an organization to require that a person drink at a restaurant where a meeting is being held, smoke a cigarette or gamble in an office pool. Yet all of these actions can be addictive to some. For the majority of people who are addicted to using the web, quitting cold turkey is not an option--unless they want to find a new job or be left out of this new technology that our society seems to be becoming based upon.
It may be quite difficult for someone to stop drinking or smoking; to stop would require that person to draw upon his or her inner strength. That person would have to make life changes. In these ways, Internet Addiction is very similar to other addictions. Old habits die hard. They may even have to change the people or places they hang out with because temptation may become too much. But still, in other ways, Internet addiction differs from other types of addiction.
Almost everywhere a person goes today, a computer and web access are found. Libraries, schools, and even churches have logged onto the information superhighway. Young students have assignments on the Internet. A parent or brother or sister might be called upon to aid someone for educational purposes. So distancing oneself from the Internet is not easy.
There are a variety of sites that can become addictive. And for some people, it does not even have to be a particular type of site. Just "surfing" or putting in web searches can become addictive. Any type of information imaginable can be accessed, from the origins of your family to Blue Book values for cars to "The X-Files." But the most common types of sites which are addictive to many are chat rooms such as IRC (Internet Relay Chat), MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons), and MOOs. In these sites, users can converse with others all over the world. And basically, it is done on an anonymous basis. Any name, or description, can be completely made up. A person has the ability to be anyone or anything he or she has always dreamed about being. I believe that this very characteristic of chat rooms is what draws some people to them, and it is also what ultimately keeps them coming back. Some people are searching for an outlet to say or do things that they might not otherwise do or say in their real lives. These chat rooms are that outlet. What consequence is there to talking to someone in a chat room, aside from being addicted to doing it? I suppose that as long as one stays in the chat room and there are no real consequences it is ok--but who can ensure that there will be no real consequences? I think that some do not realize just how addictive visiting chat rooms can be. I have heard many people speak about persons they met in a chat room. So for some, there are people that they regularly interact with on the net. I suppose this might be like an alcoholic going to the same bar day after day and seeing the same people there every time he or she goes. It becomes comfortable, and those people in the bar become the person's friends. I believe that this type of thing occurs very frequently with the Internet. For people who are very shy or cannot leave their homes, chat rooms may be the only type of interaction they have with others. However, some people make it the only interaction they have with others, perhaps unconsciously, as they might not realize their increased dependence and time on the web and in chat rooms.
A friend of mine can attest to the addictive nature of dating services on the Internet. Due to a class assignment that required "surfing the web," my friend discovered sites which, as it turns out, are basically dating sites. These sites enable their users to meet others, post personal ads, and fulfill sexual fantasies--if they so choose.
What Susan is pointing out is that chat rooms provide a sense of community, and a critical free forum to interact with others. This is what has made her a repeat visitor to the same sites.
Sex or pornography sites are also very addictive for some. An addiction to this type of site could affect both men and women, although it generally occurs with men more often than with women. Curiosity, word of mouth, need--all of these things could be reasons for someone to initially visit a sex site. But what keeps people coming back to them? Some people dissociate sex with people and feelings and emotions, and therefore see nothing wrong with visiting and, in a sense, promoting these types of sites. Perhaps, again, people are repeat visitors to sex sites because of something that they feel they are lacking in their own lives. Perhaps these sites are an outlet for their sexual fantasies, and other things that they feel will not be realized in their real lives. And of course, there are just those people who enjoy this type of thing, no matter how or where they get it.
Entertainment sites such as sports, television, and game sites can also be very addictive in nature. The sheer technological effects of these sites can amaze the visitor. And with television show or station sites and sports-related sites, the information is constantly changing--with the day of the week or season of the year. This characteristic compels people to come back to the sites. With an electronic medium of exchange such as the Internet, information can be updated, changed, or revised with the ease of a keyboard. A majority of the people who use the web are concerned with the rapid exchange of information, and like to be kept current. In order to facilitate staying current, one has to return to the site repeatedly. This is how it becomes addictive.
In conclusion, internet addiction and its related disorder are very serious in nature. An addiction to the Internet has the potential to invade every aspect of a person's life, without that person even necessarily realizing that it has occurred. If a person is able to recognize the effects of his or her use of the Internet on his or her own life or the lives of those around the user, knowing what to do about it can be an entirely different matter. There are many resources available both on and off of the Internet for not only those who do suffer from or think they might suffer from IAD, but also for those directly affected by someone else's compulsive Internet usage. The diagnostic criteria of IAD, Internet usage questionnaires, warning signs of IAD, support groups and many other such things are available on the Internet. Internet addiction is becoming more and more prevalent in this new age of rapid technology. Internet addiction has the potential to strike any Internet user. An addiction to using the Internet is not something that someone should be ashamed or embarrassed about suffering from. Anyone who thinks that they may have a problem or knows someone who does should try to be open and honest about it, and should seek help before the situation becomes out of control. For anyone who reads this who is addicted to the Internet, I wish you the best of luck in controlling the disorder. For anyone else, beware of the possibilities!

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