Internet addiction

The disorder was described in 1995 by New York psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg ^{[1] [2] [3]} .

His description is based on a description of disorders associated with substance abuse . Goldberg highlighted the following:

• Internet use causes painful negative stress or distress ;

In 1997-1998. Research and advisory-diagnostic services on this issue were created. In 1998 - 1999, the first monographs on the problem were published (C. Young, D. Greenfield, and others). In Russia, this phenomenon has been studied since 2000 ^{[4] [5]} .

In 2009, the symposium "Internet addiction: the psychological nature and dynamics of development" ^{[6] was held} with the participation of psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, based on the materials of which the first collection of Internet addiction in Russia was published. It included translations of the full texts of the reports of the main foreign researchers of this problem ^[7]

Doctors recognize the normal attachment of the subject to spending time at the computer, while highlighting both fairly characteristic mental and physical symptoms. ^[eight]

Dependence (narcotic) in the medical sense is defined as an obsessive need to use the usual substance, accompanied by an increase in tolerance and pronounced physiological and psychological symptoms . Increased tolerance means getting used to increasing doses ^[9] . Also, addiction in psychology is defined as an obsessive need, perceived by a person, moving towards a certain activity.

Nevertheless, the positive impact of the Internet on mental health has been noted. American researchers have found that using the Internet improves brain activity in middle-aged and older people through stimulation of the brain centers responsible for decision-making and complex reasoning. According to a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, a visit to the Internet activates brain regions that control memory, language, reading, and vision. In addition, when searching the Internet, brain centers responsible for complex reasoning and decision making are activated, due to the need to decide which of the proposed links to select to obtain the necessary data (when reading books, such activation of the corresponding brain regions does not occur). ^[ten]

According to various studies, about 10% of users worldwide are Internet addicts today. . Despite the lack of official recognition of the problem in Russia, Internet addiction is already taken into account in many countries of the world. . For example, in Finland, young people with Internet addiction are granted a reprieve from the army ^[11] . China in 2008 announced that it was going to become a pioneer in the world in the official recognition of this dependence as a disease, and was the first to open clinics ^[12] . However, in Chinese institutions they use drill and electric shock; Savage methods of treatment leading to the death of adolescent patients are noted ^{[13] [14]} .

In 2009, the first clinic appeared in the United States that deals with the treatment of “Internet addiction” ^[15] .

The main 6 types of Internet addictions, according to the psychologist M. Drepa I. ^[16], are as follows:

1. Intrusive web surfing ( information overload ) - endless travels on the World Wide Web , information search .
2. Addiction to virtual communication and virtual dating - large amounts of correspondence, constant participation in chats , web forums , redundancy of acquaintances and friends on the Web.
3. Game addiction is an obsession with computer games over the network .
4. An obsessive financial need is online gambling , unnecessary purchases in online stores or constant participation in online auctions .
5. Addicted to watching movies over the Internet.
6. Cybersex addiction is an obsessive drive to visit porn sites and engage in cybersex ^[17] .

For the psychological diagnosis of Internet addiction, a number of survey methods are used:

1. Test of Internet addiction C. Young ^[18] ;
2. Scale of Internet addiction S. Chen ^[19] ;
3. A technique for diagnosing addiction to online games ^[20] .

It is possible to use auto-training techniques, such as meditation , breathing control, as well as the use of blocking Internet programs. ^[21]

In the United States, the leading specialist in the study of Internet addiction is now considered - professor of psychology at the Bradford ( USA ), author of the famous book "Caught in the Net" ) translated into many languages. She is also the founder of the Center for On-Line Addiction . The center, established in 1995 , advises psychiatric clinics, educational institutions, and corporations that experience Internet abuse. The center freely distributes information and methods for freeing Internet addiction.

• Geek
• Hikikomori

• Virtuality (S. Mironov), a novel about Internet addiction.
• Drepa M.I. Internet addiction as an object of scientific reflection in modern psychology // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill . - 2009. - No. 2 . - P. 189-193.
• Kochetkov N.V. Socio-psychological aspects of dependence on online games and the methodology for its diagnosis // Social Psychology and Society. 2016.V. 7. No. 3. P. 148-163. doi: 10.17759 / sps.2016070311
• Pan A.S. Taming the digital monkey. - M .: AST, 2014 .-- 319 p. - 2000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-17-081642-2 .
• VL Malygin Internet addictive behavior in adolescents. Clinic, diagnosis, prevention. Mnemosyne, 2010

• Kimberly S. Young, “Diagnosis - Internet Addiction”
• Criteria for Internet Addiction by Ivan Goldberg (English)