The Internet Revolution: A New Era of Social Interactivity - Essay Sample

Introduction

The Internet is a relatively new technology that has revolutionized many aspects of daily life. It is a tool that has made various processes such as communication, research, and information disbursement much faster and more efficient. It has become an essential part of everyday life for many people in the world. It has also opened a new domain in social interactivity both in personal and business interactions. The internet is a source of unlimited information as more information is added to the medium at a faster rate than an individual can access (Kuss, et al. 960). The only limits to internet access are the time and other resource or personal constraints. While the internet is a neutral entity, its use can have net positive or negative effects on the users. Internet use is high among college students who use it for research, communication and other educational activities. Internet addiction results in poor performance in academic activities, disinterest or non-participation in non-curricular activities, physical problems and even clinical addiction (Kuss, et al. 965). The addictive nature of internet use among college students is a new phenomenon that has not received adequate resources in research. As such, many health practitioners and student welfare officers in colleges are unaware of the problem and are therefore unprepared to address the problem. This paper explores various addiction issues among college students to increase awareness such that stakeholders can recognize it as a prevalent health problem among college students.

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Until recently, behavioral addiction had not been recognized as a mental health disorder. As such, behavioral addiction was not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). DSM-IV-TR is an internationally used diagnostic manual of mental health disorders (Neverkovich, et al. 1490). Traditionally, the concept of addiction was associated with psychotropic substances. Behavioral addiction disorders are characterized by addiction to specific behaviors. A revision of DSM-IV-TR known as DSM-5 includes gambling disorder as an independent disorder which was previously listed as an impulse control disorder (Neverkovich, et al. 1492). This marks a step towards the official recognition of behavioral addiction as a significant mental health problem. Addiction is still often associated with dependence on drugs and chemical substances. However, at the moment, the definition of addiction includes a variety of sources capable of stimulating an individual to the level of becoming addictive. The change of habits such as gambling, internet chatting, sex, internet browsing and playing video games from habits to obligatory behavior is an indication of the development of addiction (Tao, et al. 956). Behavioral addictions can be passive or active. Internet addiction combines aspects of both passive and active addiction. There are similarities and differences between behavioral and substance addiction. In both forms of addiction, tolerance develops as an addicted individual requires increased amounts of the addictive substance or behavior to achieve the same high. A primary difference between the two is the lack of physical signs of addiction in behavioral addiction (Tao, et al. 956). Another difference is the presence of depression, social anxiety, substance dependence or withdrawal as precursors to behavioral addiction. This issue is however not well understood. It is not well established whether behavioral addiction leads to the above mentioned conditions or that the conditions lead to behavioral addiction.

The causes of internet addiction are not well known. There are various theories dedicated to this concept. The first focuses on personality issues. Users may have personality issues that make them likely to become dependent on a range of addiction-inducing substances and behaviors. Often individuals have resulted to multiple activities and substances that induce addiction. Another cause of internet addiction is escapism. The internet creates an environment that is so absorbing that individuals forget their problems. College students can escape stressors such as academic pressure making them feel better. The repeated feeling of relief while escaping from anxiety and stress-inducing situations leads to the development of dependence from the desirable biochemical responses from internet use (Tao, et al. 960). The biochemical responses are characterized by the release of feel-good chemicals such as endorphin while online which encourages dependence. Another cause of internet dependence is the instant gratification offered by its use. Users access to the information or content that they desire instantly. This encourages them to stay online, and they give priority to the internet over other pleasure-seeking platforms where the gratification is relatively delayed.

Apart from the definition and classification of internet addiction, there are other controversial elements surrounding the term. The internet is a tool that is mostly promoted as a positive component and a symbol of progress in society. The internet allows users to engage in a wide range of positive behavior such as performing business transactions, conducting research, sending messages in various formats, among others (Lam, et al. 553). This contrasts significantly to substance abuse where there are often no positive associations with the abuse of a drug. The detection and diagnosis of internet addiction are rendered difficult due to its dichotomy of positive and negative effects. When focusing on addiction on a path that does not involve the ingestion of substances, several criteria are used in the diagnosis of behavioral addiction. The first criterion is related to salience. This refers to when a particular activity becomes the most important activity in an individual's life. Such an activity dominates their cognitive distortions and preoccupations, cravings as well as socialized behavior (Lam, et al. 555). The second criterion is mood modification. Addicted individuals identify a desirable consequence of engaging in a particular behavior such as a high. Every time the individual desires a high, they are likely to engage in the behavior. The third criterion is tolerance. Tolerance arises as increasing amounts of a particular activity are desired to achieve the same level of satisfaction. In internet addiction, tolerance creates the need to spend more time online. The fourth criterion is related to withdrawal symptoms. An individual experiences unpleasant feelings such as moodiness or irritability or even physical effects as a result of prolonged abstinence from the addictive behavior (Lam, et al. 554). The fifth criterion is conflict. Interpersonal conflict occurs between the addict and those around them. Internet addiction creates strain in interpersonal bonds. Intrapsychic conflict occurs within the addicted person as they struggle with the need to restrain from and the need to engage in the addictive activity. The sixth criterion is relapse. This refers to the tendency to revert to earlier patterns of the behavior after a period of improvement from control and refraining from the addictive behavior.

There are several categories of internet addiction among college students. Sex addiction occurs when the addicted individual uses the internet to look at, download pornography or engage in casual cybersex with others (Byun, et al. 205). College students can also use chat rooms to form online relationships at the expense of real-life relationships. Users can also spend time online playing games, gambling, shopping or trading. Another category is when the user obsessively searches for and collects information online. This could lead to information overload as users search for information on popular sites such as YouTube. Research has shown that more than 80% of individuals with internet addiction have an average of two other diagnoses (Byun, et al. 207). As such, the internet could be a medium to fuel other primary disorders. Nevertheless, the prevalence and magnitude of the effects of internet addiction tends to support the notion that internet addiction is a separate addiction is and a separate psychiatric disorder.

Internet addiction produces a variety of negative consequences among college students. Internet addiction varies from substance addiction when comparing the physical effects of both. The physical risk factors involved with internet addiction are minimal compared to the physical risk factors for substance abuse (Weinstein, et al 282). Extended internet use which involves being online from forty to eighty hours a week takes a toll on the physical health of the individual. Such excessive online presence disrupts sleep patterns due to late night internet use. In some cases, users take substances such as caffeine to facilitate longer internet sessions. Among students, sleeping early in the morning at about three or four o'clock while having to wake up early for classes leaves the students in a poor state to handle academic demands. Sleep deprivation causes fatigue which is attributed to poor academic functioning and less robust immune system (Weinstein, et al 278). Furthermore, prolonged internet use may result in lack of proper exercise which increases the risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, back strain, and eyestrain. Internet addiction can also occur alongside eating disorders that lead to unhealthy weight gain or weight loss.

The extent of relationship problems among college students created by the internet is overshadowed by its popularity and the value it creates for this segment of the population. Among college students, the most common relationships are dating and friendships. Marriages and parent-child relationships among college students are much rarer than the former two. In case a student is caring for a child, they are likely to poorly prioritize activities leading to negligence of appropriate care for the child. Romantic relationships also suffer considerably if one or both partners are addicted to the internet (Neverkovich, et al. 1484). It is common for the partner that is not addicted to the internet to rationalize the other party's behavior as a phase that will pass. Persistent obsessive use of the internet at the expense of dedicating resources in nurturing the relationship will eventually create friction as arguments erupt as a result of dissatisfaction from the relationship. The addicted partner is likely to brush off any criticism of non-commitment to the core demands of a relationship as a form of denial they exhibit. The addicted partner is also likely to express angry and resentful outbursts at their partner for attempting to take them away from internet use (Neverkovich, et al. 1489). Furthermore, cyber-affairs are likely to accelerate the discontent in both partners as one seeks satisfaction from virtual affections. The addicted party is likely to isolate themselves and fail to engage in the activities that used to be shared by the couple. Furthermore, the addicted partner's denial erodes trust in the relationship. They are likely to hide how much time or money they spend on the internet. The culmination of these events is likely to be break-ups for romantic partners and divorce for married couples. The non-addicted partner feels neglected as their partner puts more effort to maintain their online lovers.

College students also suffer from academic problems once internet addiction becomes a well-established issue. In many colleges, internet services are integrated into classroom environments and even in the halls of residence. The primary objective of extension of internet infrastructure in colleges is to harness the power of information that can be found on the internet for educational purpose...