Until recently, drugs and alcohol were thought to be the most addictive. Now the Internet has joined the list of dangerous addictions, attracting more and more people. He is just as dangerous! Internet addiction is a new phenomenon, but it already affects millions of people around the world.

Krzysztof's typical morning:" A piercing sound of the alarm clock in the morning. I turn on my laptop, check both e-mail accounts - important messages may have arrived during the night, then a social network - I comment on my friends' entries and check who answered mine. At the same time, I have an open information service - I need to be up to date. I quickly look at the descriptions of my friends on the messenger, most of the people are already available, and also the game - to relax before work. " After arriving at the office, he is online again, he comments and checks again. And the first thing she does when she comes home from work is to turn oncomputer .

Internet addiction is a new phenomenon

Millions of people around the world behave similarly. For how many of them is it a necessity, an activity without which they cannot imagine their lives? It is not known exactly, becauseInternet addictionis a relatively new phenomenon. In Poland, there is no precise data yet, how many people are addicted tointernet .

- There is still not enough money to finance the relevant research and the only thing we can use is research done by Americans. We can relate them to Polish conditions, but it should be remembered that access to the Internet is not as common in our country as in the USA - says Dr. Bohdan Tadeusz Woronowicz, a psychiatrist.

According to the American Internet Addiction Center, 6 percent Internet users are addicted to the Internet, and over 30 percent. sees the web as a way to escape reality, which is a straightforward path to addiction. In Poland, the situation may be similar. Dr. Woronowicz estimates that Internet addiction is a real scourge of the 21st century, and the number of internet addicts may be even higher than those addicted to alcohol. Although not all of us have access to the Internet, the number of users is increasing and in 2010 it already reached 59%. households (77% in the US).

Contrary to appearances, it is not the United States that has the biggest problem with Internet addiction. Korea is the leaderSouth, access to the network has as much as 86 percent. residents, and addiction is an epidemic. Hundreds of thousands of young Koreans cannot tear themselves away from the virtual world. Internet games have gained the rank of almost a national sport there.

The best players gain fame and make fortunes. Sometimes they end up badly, like 6 years ago a 28-year-old Korean who died of exhaustion after 50 hours of playing in an internet cafe. He only took breaks to use the toilet and naps for a few minutes. He completely forgot about eating and drinking while playing. According to doctors, the cause of death was heart failure caused by exhaustion of the body.

Another shocking news came from Korea a few months ago. The three-month-old child died of starvation because his parents devoted themselves entirely to the game aimed at caring for a virtual baby. But we don't have to look for alarming examples of Internet addiction in Korea.

We can find similar cases in our own backyard. Not so long ago, the media commented on the case where a 33-year-old woman was deprived of parental rights to her four children. The mother was addicted to the Internet, she made a living on alimony and social welfare funds, but she did not pay any bills apart from an internet subscription. She was subject to forced treatment.

Who is at risk of Internet addiction?

Similar cases of network addiction happen all over the world and this is both proof and a warning that the Internet can be a threat not only for children, but also for adults. Some researchers believe that the majority of addicts are educated people around the age of 30.

The Internet is like any other addiction, alcoholism or drug addiction. Most often, its victims are people with emotional problems, people closed in on themselves, who have problems in dealing with the environment. But those who are looking for an escape from reality in the virtual world can also fall into network addiction - emphasizes Dr. Woronowicz. In the network, shy people have a chance to be accepted and find friends who will share their interests and understand their problems. In online contacts, the barrier of shyness disappears, the Internet user may create himself as a completely different person.

Addictive internet chats

That's probably why a few years ago internet chats made a sensation. Places where people meet online and chat. "I loved these conversations. The online contact made it easier for me to open up. I made conversations with men because I am actually shy and have a lot of complexes. I just can't talk to the opposite sex.and talk nonsense. Nobody sees the reaction over the Internet and you have time to think about what you say.

I spent my days chatting, chatting late into the night, and barely getting up for class in the morning. The apartment was neglected, I was throwing anything into the pot, just to sit in front of the computer. It was only after a year that I noticed that I was exaggerating. At the university, no one invited me for joint trips, I was left alone. I started to cut back on chat. Today, fortunately, I am no longer attracted to them. I understand that I have wasted a whole year of my life "- says and warns Katka on the internet forum. The possibility of creating your personality, becoming someone else is very attractive and it is easy to get addicted to it.

Social networks - one of many threats

However, chats are a thing of the past. In fact, social networks are the place where "everything happens". Anyone who does not have an account on our class or Facebook may feel a bit excluded today, and certainly will not be up to date with what is happening with friends. Marta got engaged, Kamil had a son, Ola came back from vacation - you can find out about all this during one visit to the portal.

Internet users joke that what has not been announced on the social network does not really exist, so it's no wonder that everyone shares absolutely everything. From knowing what they ate for dinner to announcing everyone about the divorce. Millions of people around the world cannot imagine their lives without Facebook. They start their virtual activity in the morning, spend time on it at work (companies that block access to similar websites become enemy number 1 for some of their employees), spend time on Facebook after work and so on until late evening.

Research among young American women has shown that for 34 percent of them, Facebook is the first thing they start their day with, and 24 percent. of respondents get up at night to check what is happening on the portal. What is so attractive about it that people can't stand without being active on social networks?

- We are constantly on the run today. We have less and less time for meetings with friends, for a quiet conversation. No wonder that we contact us through portals. We can meet all our friends in one place. Plus, it's a great way to self-esteem. A large number of friends and many comments under posts can also be a way to improve self-esteem - explains Dr. Woronowicz.

Virtual games take you into a different reality

Social networks are just one of many threats. Another trapare virtual games. They can be a real substitute for reality. Scientists report that 1 in 12 gamers are severely addicted. The virtual world is so attractive that reality and everyday duties cease to have any meaning.

"In the game I can have power, I can be god, I am immortal" - writes on the Alex19 forum. The virtual world of many online players takes them into reality. On real online auctions you can buy virtual tools that help you overcome digital obstacles, as well as virtual characters with a lot of points. But games can enter reality in a much more formidable way. Some scientists say that 40 out of 51 gun homicides in the US are a mapping of specific games!

Sex on links

More and more people addicted to cybersex are knocking at psychologists' offices. How is it possible that such a close and intimate relationship, to which real contact seems necessary, can be transferred to the web? It turns out that it can and can become a real passion.

Pornographic films beat the popularity records on the Internet. There is no need to overcome the embarrassment of a movie rental shop anymore. They are available immediately and, in addition, anonymously. But cybersex is not just about viewing pornographic content. This phenomenon can be described as an addiction to masturbation while watching adult movies. However, online sex addiction has another face in which two people meet in a virtual world and masturbate via a webcam. What pushes Internet users to such behavior?

On the one hand, the ease of such a relationship. There is no need to try, no need to solicit a partner, just one click is all it takes. On the other hand, it is a way to deal with shyness and loneliness. People without partners find a way to relieve sexual tension. To do this, they don't have to leave their homes and meet people, because the world comes to them. With time, however, the stimuli coming from the Internet can completely replace the need for contact with another human being, making it impossible to enter into any intimate relationship.

Dangerous internet addiction among young people

These are not the only effects of a virtual network addiction. - The consequences of network addiction are serious, as are the consequences of other addictions. First of all, Internet addiction may cause serious disturbances in family and social life. An addicted person loses interest in a normal life, everyday duties are of less importance, says Dr. Woronowicz.

- Addiction can be very dangerous in young people. Whenthe developing nervous system and the shaping of the child's psyche are systematically attacked by a stream of multi-colored light from the computer screen, accompanying sounds, and there is also a swing of emotions resulting from experiences caused by events in the virtual world, emotional disorders, problems with concentration, and alienation may appear from the real world and serious disturbances of emotional ties with loved ones - emphasizes the psychiatrist.

The conclusion is simple: network addiction is a disease that causes very similar effects to the well-known addictions to psychoactive substances - alcohol or drugs.

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Network addicts often do not see the problem

However, still relatively few people ask for help. As with any addiction, there is a denial mechanism at work. It's hard to admit that too much time is spent hanging out on the Internet. Addicts deceive themselves that they can turn off the computer at any time. But it is not like that at all. A network addict without access to the Internet behaves similarly to an alcoholic who has difficulty accessing alcohol. There is irritation, irritation, signs of aggression and looking for every opportunity to enter the network.

- Despite these symptoms, addicts still deny that they have any problem. Usually, the desperate parents of addicted children or the partners of internet addicts go to the clinic. They are the ones who most often ask for help for their loved ones - says Dr. Woronowicz. - However, in the treatment of addiction, the most important thing is to be aware of the problem and give yourself a chance, even if you are not entirely convinced of such a need - emphasizes the psychiatrist. In making a decision, it may be helpful to talk to an addiction therapy specialist who will make people aware of how much they lose and how their relations with the environment are damaged. Only when the addicted person realizes the problem is there a chance that he will choose treatment. Where to get treatment?

- We have almost no experience in treating netoholism in Poland. We do not have specialized centers, such as in the USA, because in our country it is still an unnoticed and unexplored problem - explains Dr. Woronowicz. There are addiction treatment centers and sometimes psychological counseling centers where you can seek help. More and more of them offer treatment for network addiction, although it is difficult to say how professional it is. The basic form of treatment - psychotherapy - can be supported by special sensors attached to the computer. They are to indicate how much time the addict spends on the Internet, and after exceeding the time limit, they turn off the computer.Another solution that can help an addicted person is to put the computer in a place accessible to all household members. Then the chance that the addicted will escape from reality online is smaller.

Internet addiction is often the parents' fault

SaysDR BOHDAN WORONOWICZ : Internet addiction among children and teenagers is very often, unfortunately, the fault of parents' neglect. Parents buy a computer and are happy that the child is at home, does not fall into bad company, does not drink alcohol. The problem begins when, in one year of using a computer, it turns out that a child who used to be very good at school suddenly lowers and begins to have worse grades.

If he spends every free moment in front of the computer, does not get enough sleep, goes to school asleep and tired, without homework, it can be assumed that he has a problem with addiction. Of course, you can prevent your child from becoming addicted. Parents should teach their children to use a computer rationally from the very beginning. Nowadays, life without a computer is virtually impossible, but you need to teach your child that there is time for a computer, for computer games and other activities.

If a child learns to use the Internet wisely, an hour or two a day, there is a chance that it will not replace reality. It is also very important to monitor your baby. Left alone, it is exposed to various dangers, and there is no shortage of those online - as we know -. Do not allow your child to use the computer for many hours behind closed doors. Parents should know what their child does in their free time.

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