While scouring my subscriptions on YouTube this evening — while waiting on my Black Mesa videos to post — I stumbled upon a SourceFed video (embedded below) which focused on internet addiction, and it’s recent inclusion in the DSM – VI (for those who don’t know what the DSM is, educate yourself here)
While there has without a doubt been an increase in the amount of time people spend on the internet over the past few years, I can’t help but feel that the internet is a key to the future of human interaction. The thought of the internet as a whole being a source of addiction just seems illogical. Let’s take a second to break this down and ask a few important questions.
1. Why do people use the internet?
This question has millions or even billions of answers ranging from “to talk to my mom” to “buy a new car.” The fact of the matter is that people, when they are using the internet, they are actually using a million-in-one multitool to do whatever it is they want to do — or in modern society, actually need to do in order to function as members of a modern society. You can read books, check mail, draw pictures, talk to other people organize, play games, write (like I am doing now), share opinions, check finances, pay bills, and an unlimited number of other things, provided someone has written the code for it.
2.What are the benefits of internet use?
The benefits of the internet are anything but subtle. For one, the internet allows users to be more aware of the world around them [1] and allows users to maintain relationships with people they know [2] as well as create stronger relationships with others who share their interests. [1] The internet is also the largest library in existence. Unlike a traditional library, it can be difficult at times to separate the fiction section from the nonfiction; however, to those who can — especially those who grew up on the internet — it is an indispensable tool for learning. In addition to these, the benefits of internet usage go on and on, and it would be very possible to ramble on for hours.
3. What are the drawbacks?
While there are many benefits to internet use, no technology is without its flaws. For introverts or those with low self-esteem, being constantly bothered with communication or focusing solely on the seemingly inhuman talent or skill possessed by others can lead to depression or a feeling of absolute worthlessness. In addition, the main drawback of the internet is its ease of use. It takes very little physical effort to use the internet, and in theory one could live their whole lives using the internet and little else — using phone apps to call in food, get an education online, get an online job to pay bills, etc. This creates a problem in that the population is not physically active and results in a lifestyle built around staring at a bunch of tiny lights in a screen — which is hazardous for your eyes — and, if you use the internet from a desk, sitting in the same place all day, which is hazardous for many aspects of one’s physical well-being including health of the spine, legs, arms and shoulders.
When arguing whether or not the internet as a whole is a source of addiction I would argue that it is not the internet as a whole that is a problem. If you experience withdrawal symptoms because you feel a constant need to check on other people and can’t contact them through the internet, it means you are addicted to social interactions, not the medium through which you satisfy your addiction. If someone was to spend hour after hour watching “adult entertainment” (pornography) on the internet and the person in question became so engrossed in watching this content that it caused withdrawal symptoms or otherwise changed their behavior that person would not necessarily be addicted to the internet, but rather pornography, and I would argue that such a person would look for other ways to satisfy their addictions if they lacked the ability to access pornography through the internet.
So I say again, it is my belief that one cannot be addicted to the internet. Despite this, I do see the internet as a potential gateway to other addictions, given that it does indeed enable consistent compulsive action that can become habit forming, such as constantly playing games or talking to friends.
References
[1]:Kraut, R., Kiesler, S., Boneva, B., Cummings, J., Helgeson, V., and Crawford, A.
(2001). Internet Paradox Revisited. Journal of Social Issues. [2]:
Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., and
Scherlis, W. Internet Paradox: A Social Technology That Reduces Social
Involvement and Psychological Well-Being? American Pyschologist, 53, 1017-
1031.
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