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Beware of facebook and Internet Addiction

Beware of facebook and Internet Addiction

…scientists have always argued that, most mood altering substances, when taken in moderation, enhance self preservation and self growth. The problem therefore, is not with the substance that a man consumes, but with the nature of the man himself. “I have learned this,” said Oscar Wilde “it is not what one does that is wrong, but what one becomes as a consequence of it.” Those who are unconsciously self destructive as a consequence of a troubled childhood, will use mood altering substances to further their compulsive and obsessive flight from reality. Such people cannot safely use most mood altering substances, or safely engage in many activities which facilitate the avoidance of reality. When such people consume alcohol, for example, it is primarily in response to an overwhelming need to flee from reality and the truth. They do not drink to enjoy life, but to escape from it. Omar Khyyam put this very nicely when he said, “I drink not from mere joy in wine nor to scoff at faith-no, only to forget myself for a moment, that only do I want of intoxication, that alone.” Whereas the denial of reality can be crucial for self preservation, it is a privilege which is more often than not abused by those who are undisciplined, leading to self destruction.

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Just like any other thing that brings pleasure, the use of Facebook can become addictive. According to a recent study published by Mashable and conducted by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research, one-third of women aged 18 to 34 check out their Facebook pages first thing in the morning, before they even brush their teeth or go to the bathroom! Out of the 1,605 adults surveyed on their social media habits, 39% turned out to be self-described “Facebook addicts”, and 57% of women in the 18 to 34 age range said that they talk to people online more often than they have face-to-face conversations!!! Another 21% admitted to checking Facebook in the middle of the night.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN’s Senior Medical Correspondent, in her article Five clues that you are addicted to Facebook ( April 23, 2009) reported that therapists are seeing more and more people who’ve crossed the line from social networking to social dysfunction. “Last Friday, I had three clients in my office with Facebook problems,” said Paula Pile, a marriage and family therapist in Greensboro, North Carolina. “It’s turned into a compulsion — a compulsion to dissociate from your real world and go live in the Facebook world.”

The Internet Addiction Test, provided by the Center for Internet Addiction and Recovery, is aimed at enabling internet users to determine if they are addicts. But the signs and symptoms of compulsive Internet use tend to vary from person to person, and may be difficult to determine because there are no set hours per day, or number of words typed that indicate Internet addiction. Some of the general symptoms of Internet addiction are:

LOSING TRACK OF TIME ONLINE

Do you frequently find yourself on the Internet longer than you thought? Do a few minutes turn in to a few hours? Do you find yourself running late to appointments, school, or work because of too much time spent online? Do you get irritated or cranky if your online time is interrupted?

HAVING TROUBLE COMPLETING TASKS AT WORK OR HOME

Do you find laundry piling up and little food for dinner in the house because you’ve been busy online? Perhaps you find yourself working late more and more because you can’t complete your work on time — then staying even longer when everyone else has gone home and you can surf the Web freely.

ISOLATION FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS

Is your social life suffering because of all the time you spend online? Are you neglecting your family and friends? Do you feel like no one in your “real” life — even your spouse — understands you like your online friends?

FEELING GUILTY OR DEFENSIVE ABOUT YOUR INTERNET USE

Are you sick of your spouse nagging you to get off the computer and spend some time together? Do you hide your Internet use or lie about how much time you spend online?

The University of Texas, Dallas came up with its own assessment tools for Internet Addiction, arguing that Internet Addicts will show many of the following symptoms:

 You have mixed feelings of well-being and guilt while at the computer.

 You make unsuccessful efforts to quit or limit your computer use.

 You lose track of time while on the computer.

 You neglect friends, family and/or responsibilities in order to be online.

 You find yourself lying to your boss and family about the amount of time spent on the computer and what you do while on it.

 You feel anxious, depressed, or irritable when your computer time is shortened or interrupted.

 You use the computer repeatedly as an outlet when sad, upset, or for sexual gratification.

 You develop problems in school or on the job as a result of the time spent and the type of activities accessed on the computer.

 When you are not on the computer, you think about it frequently and anticipate when you will use it again.

It has been established by some other studies that people who are prone to internet addiction usually suffer from any of the following: anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, substance abuse, gambling addiction, and sex addiction. They also tend to lack adequate social support.

According to Pile however, most people who use facebook (200 million) do not become addicts, but a small number of users do. She argues that problems arise when facebook users neglect heir family and work obligations because they find the Facebook world to be a lot more enjoyable than the real world.

Rob Bedi, a registered psychologist and assistant professor at the University of Victoria, observed that Internet addictions are very common on university campuses, largely due to the presence of free Internet access, web-based assignments and unstructured blocks of time. In offering a solution to this problem he offers the following tips:

• Diagnose your triggers and change your habits.

• Find out what’s missing from your life. Whether it’s having too much free time, not knowing anyone or just escaping, think about what made you resort to [Facebook], and what you could be doing instead

• Keep a log to track your Facebook usage. If you’re shocked by what you see, try the following: List your Facebook goals. Why did you originally sign up? Record what you actually do on Facebook. Make a Facebook schedule. Limit time to maintaining your original goals. Update your e-mail addresses to avoid relying on Facebook messages

• Change your password to something unfamiliar, including numbers, writing it on a piece of paper and placing it out of reach to make checking Facebook a chore. Repeat if necessary to curb your behavior.

Other helpful techniques may include the following actions:

 Keeping a log of time spent on the Internet for non-work related activities. This may be complicated if you interweave recreational Internet use with work.

 Set goals for when you can use the Internet- try setting a timer for usage, scheduling use for certain times of day, or making a commitment to turn off the computer at the same time each night.

 Replace your Internet usage with healthy activities- going to lunch with a coworker, taking a class in subject useful for your career, sports, volunteer work in your community, gardening, or just invite a friend over for a chat.

HELPING CHILDREN WITH AN INTERNET ADDICTION

• Encourage other interests and social activities. Get your child out from behind the computer screen. Expose kids to other hobbies and activities, such as team sports, Boy or Girl Scouts, and afterschool clubs.

• Monitor computer use and set clear limits. Make sure the computer is in a common area of the house where you can keep an eye on your child’s online activity, and limit time online, waiting until homework and chores are done. This will be most effective if you as parents follow suit. If you can’t stay offline, chances are your children won’t either.

• Talk to your child about underlying issues. Compulsive computer use can be the sign of deeper problems. Is your child having problems fitting in? Has there been a recent major change, like a move or divorce, which is causing stress? Don’t be afraid to seek professional counseling if you are concerned about your child.

CHILDREN, TEENS, AND CYBERSEX

The increased use of the Internet puts children and teens at special risk. Sexual predators, under anonymity of the Internet, can spend hours developing a relationship with a child or teen in a chat room, where meeting them initially in real life would prove very difficult. Children or teens having a hard time fitting in or with problems at home are especially susceptible. These predators can eventually lure unsuspecting children or teens to meet them. If you suspect that a sexual predator has contacted your child, call the police right away.

Facebook addiction isn’t much different from Internet addiction disorder (IAD), which is sometimes also referred to as Internet overuse, problematic computer use or pathological computer use. Internet addiction is any excessive computer use that interferes with daily life. According to Maressa Orzack, director of the Computer Addiction Study Center at Harvard University’s McLean Hospital, between 5% and 10% of internet users suffer from some form of Web dependency.

The Center for Internet Addiction Recovery argued that “Internet addicts suffer from emotional problems such as depression and anxiety-related disorders and often use the fantasy world of the Internet to psychologically escape unpleasant feelings or stressful situations.”

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