It is a hot topic in our society today: addiction to social networks and the internet in general

Internet addiction is classified, in the psychiatric literature, as an impulse control disorder

It is a relatively recent topic; in fact, the term itself was coined by Ivan Goldberg in 1995.

It can involve different types of dysfunctional on-line behaviour, the main ones being: porn addiction (virtual sex, pornography, etc.), pathological gambling, addiction to social networks (and, therefore, to virtual relationships as in the case of the subject mentioned above), video games, compulsive shopping, cognitive overload due to the constant and obsessive search for new information.

Fortunately, not everyone who uses the Net for long periods necessarily becomes a slave to it, and it is more likely that this addiction develops in subjects with pre-existing psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, other addictions), perhaps in stressful periods of life and/or particularly critical for negative events (bereavements, separations, economic/work problems, etc.). ), also favoured by the anonymity that the web offers and by the sense of omnipotence and protection (on the web I can pretend both to be another person and that my real problems do not exist), leading to real social isolation and losing contact with reality.

This creates a vicious circle that pushes one to seek comfort, recreation, distraction and relief on the net, setting aside the real discomforts, which in doing so are not resolved and reappear in the near future.

The most obvious psycho-physiological symptoms of internet addiction are headaches, tachycardia, visual disturbances, insomnia, mental confusion, amnesia

Undoubtedly, the use of the Internet has undoubted merits and, in recent years, it has become surprisingly widespread, becoming part of our daily lives, not only thanks to computers, but also through smartphones and tablets: wherever we are, we can consult our e-mail, access the latest news from around the world, communicate with everyone in real time, and exchange information and images.

All this is very useful and practical, both in the private sphere and at work; the important thing is how we use it, given that the risk of abuse is just as easy.

In fact, there are more and more cases of addiction that, even in the case of social networks, are based on the usual mechanisms that govern the classic addictions already known (e.g. those to substances such as alcohol, drugs, etc.), such as those of pleasure and satisfaction.

In addition, one encounters the already well-known phenomena of tolerance/abstinence (the need to increase the time one is connected in order to achieve the same satisfaction), abstinence (intense psycho-physical discomfort if there is no possibility of using) and craving, i.e. fixed thoughts and uncontrollable desire.

With regard to abstinence, a special term has been coined, nomophobia (from the English ‘no-mobile’), or disconnection syndrome, which occurs in addicts when they cannot connect to the Internet for various reasons (no line, overload, they have left their smartphone at home, they have a flat battery, etc.) and is characterised by symptoms of anxiety and panic, due to the fear of not having any more information or being alone.

As in the case of similar disorders, psychotherapy is recommended, preferably cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy as it has proven to be really effective, to help the subject to regain control of his or her life in a lasting way, perhaps with the support of special support groups that encourage him or her to abandon old and harmful dysfunctional habits to develop new strategies and devote himself or herself to alternative pleasurable activities, limiting the use of the Internet and learning to use it in a healthy way.

The abuse of social networks does not only involve young people, as we would be more inclined to believe, but also adults who, according to recent studies, spend on average 8-9 hours a day in front of a screen; in doing so, it is obvious that there is less and less time left to devote to other enjoyable activities, self-care and real relationships with others.

It happens that the addiction leads to neglecting study or work, postponing appointments or neglecting basic life activities, even ‘forgetting’ to eat and/or sleep.

The subject lives in a parallel and unreal world, where everything seems possible and, certainly, more beautiful and attractive; on the other hand, precisely because it is a universe without defined time or space, the person feels free to do anything he or she wants, even if it is forbidden or reprehensible in reality (e.g. bullying, violence, pornography, etc.), also because he or she knows he or she can benefit from anonymity and a certain impunity.

The meaning of relationships, such as friendship, is distorted and loses the depth and seriousness that should distinguish it: everyone has many ‘friends’ and confides in semi-strangers, losing sight of the ‘face-to-face’ relationships, the concrete sharing, the exchange of glances, smiles and hugs that convey heartfelt emotions, replaced by ’emoticons’ that are often misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Even within couple relationships, problems and arguments often arise, even to the point of breaking up, since social networks may be very useful in long-distance relationships to keep in touch, but they still create critical situations, first of all the habit of chatting secretly, for sexual purposes, with people other than one’s partner, whether one knows them or not, and perhaps then looking for a meeting (with all the dangers that this can bring, especially for teenagers and women, going on a blind date without the slightest certainty of who the other person will be).

However, even without going to extremes such as these, there is always the risk of drifting apart and letting the relationship cool down, because one prefers to devote oneself to virtual contacts, rather than to the person next to us; another situation that tends to occur is the temptation to constantly check on one’s partner, thanks to new technologies (e.g. geolocalisation, time of last access, cross-checking, etc.) to see if he or she is sincere, and to give free rein to one’s suspicions of jealousy.

In this case, we can cite another recent Tuscan news story, concerning a diligent young man who tried to lure his brother-in-law online, using a false profile of a woman accompanied by attractive photos, in order to test his fidelity and, if necessary, warn his sister.

It also emerged that there was a particular use of those social networks specifically involving photographs, which seems to involve young women in particular, namely the habit, which has reached the point of becoming a real fixation, of posting pictures of every moment of one’s day (e.g. what one ate for breakfast, the clothes one is wearing, etc.) and one’s body, often appropriately enough, in order to make it easier for them to take pictures of themselves. ) and of one’s body, often suitably modified with special filters and/or programmes to appear always in perfect shape, which in the end prevents one from really living and being ‘present’, mentally and emotionally, to the moment one is spending, to the activity one is doing, to the people one is close to.

A further disadvantage of social networks, if used without any criterion, may be the loss of privacy, since many people tend to publish, and share without filters, sensitive data, information and personal images, which can fall into anyone’s hands (danger of so-called ‘identity theft’ or of the more banal but annoying cloning of credit cards if one shops online on insecure sites) and, in any case, remain on the net and be seen ab aeterno.

Internet addiction is classified, in the psychiatric literature, as an impulse control disorder

It is a relatively recent topic; in fact, the term itself was coined by Ivan Goldberg in 1995.

It can involve different types of dysfunctional on-line behaviour, the main ones being: porn addiction (virtual sex, pornography, etc.), pathological gambling, addiction to social networks (and, therefore, to virtual relationships as in the case of the subject mentioned above), video games, compulsive shopping, cognitive overload due to the constant and obsessive search for new information.

Fortunately, not everyone who uses the Net for long periods necessarily becomes a slave to it, and it is more likely that this addiction develops in subjects with pre-existing psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, other addictions), perhaps in stressful periods of life and/or particularly critical for negative events (bereavements, separations, economic/work problems, etc.). ), also favoured by the anonymity that the web offers and by the sense of omnipotence and protection (on the web I can pretend both to be another person and that my real problems do not exist), leading to real social isolation and losing contact with reality.

This creates a vicious circle that pushes one to seek comfort, recreation, distraction and relief on the net, setting aside the real discomforts, which in doing so are not resolved and reappear in the near future.

The most obvious psycho-physiological symptoms of internet addiction are headaches, tachycardia, visual disturbances, insomnia, mental confusion, amnesia

Undoubtedly, the use of the Internet has undoubted merits and, in recent years, it has become surprisingly widespread, becoming part of our daily lives, not only thanks to computers, but also through smartphones and tablets: wherever we are, we can consult our e-mail, access the latest news from around the world, communicate with everyone in real time, and exchange information and images.

All this is very useful and practical, both in the private sphere and at work; the important thing is how we use it, given that the risk of abuse is just as easy.

In fact, there are more and more cases of addiction that, even in the case of social networks, are based on the usual mechanisms that govern the classic addictions already known (e.g. those to substances such as alcohol, drugs, etc.), such as those of pleasure and satisfaction.

In addition, one encounters the already well-known phenomena of tolerance/abstinence (the need to increase the time one is connected in order to achieve the same satisfaction), abstinence (intense psycho-physical discomfort if there is no possibility of using) and craving, i.e. fixed thoughts and uncontrollable desire.

With regard to abstinence, a special term has been coined, nomophobia (from the English ‘no-mobile’), or disconnection syndrome, which occurs in addicts when they cannot connect to the Internet for various reasons (no line, overload, they have left their smartphone at home, they have a flat battery, etc.) and is characterised by symptoms of anxiety and panic, due to the fear of not having any more information or being alone.

As in the case of similar disorders, psychotherapy is recommended, preferably cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy as it has proven to be really effective, to help the subject to regain control of his or her life in a lasting way, perhaps with the support of special support groups that encourage him or her to abandon old and harmful dysfunctional habits to develop new strategies and devote himself or herself to alternative pleasurable activities, limiting the use of the Internet and learning to use it in a healthy way.

The abuse of social networks does not only involve young people, as we would be more inclined to believe, but also adults who, according to recent studies, spend on average 8-9 hours a day in front of a screen; in doing so, it is obvious that there is less and less time left to devote to other enjoyable activities, self-care and real relationships with others.

It happens that the addiction leads to neglecting study or work, postponing appointments or neglecting basic life activities, even ‘forgetting’ to eat and/or sleep.

The subject lives in a parallel and unreal world, where everything seems possible and, certainly, more beautiful and attractive; on the other hand, precisely because it is a universe without defined time or space, the person feels free to do anything he or she wants, even if it is forbidden or reprehensible in reality (e.g. bullying, violence, pornography, etc.), also because he or she knows he or she can benefit from anonymity and a certain impunity.

The meaning of relationships, such as friendship, is distorted and loses the depth and seriousness that should distinguish it: everyone has many ‘friends’ and confides in semi-strangers, losing sight of the ‘face-to-face’ relationships, the concrete sharing, the exchange of glances, smiles and hugs that convey heartfelt emotions, replaced by ’emoticons’ that are often misunderstood or misinterpreted.

Even within couple relationships, problems and arguments often arise, even to the point of breaking up, since social networks may be very useful in long-distance relationships to keep in touch, but they still create critical situations, first of all the habit of chatting secretly, for sexual purposes, with people other than one’s partner, whether one knows them or not, and perhaps then looking for a meeting (with all the dangers that this can bring, especially for teenagers and women, going on a blind date without the slightest certainty of who the other person will be).

However, even without going to extremes such as these, there is always the risk of drifting apart and letting the relationship cool down, because one prefers to devote oneself to virtual contacts, rather than to the person next to us; another situation that tends to occur is the temptation to constantly check on one’s partner, thanks to new technologies (e.g. geolocalisation, time of last access, cross-checking, etc.) to see if he or she is sincere, and to give free rein to one’s suspicions of jealousy.

In this case, we can cite another recent Tuscan news story, concerning a diligent young man who tried to lure his brother-in-law online, using a false profile of a woman accompanied by attractive photos, in order to test his fidelity and, if necessary, warn his sister.

It also emerged that there was a particular use of those social networks specifically involving photographs, which seems to involve young women in particular, namely the habit, which has reached the point of becoming a real fixation, of posting pictures of every moment of one’s day (e.g. what one ate for breakfast, the clothes one is wearing, etc.) and one’s body, often appropriately enough, in order to make it easier for them to take pictures of themselves. ) and of one’s body, often suitably modified with special filters and/or programmes to appear always in perfect shape, which in the end prevents one from really living and being ‘present’, mentally and emotionally, to the moment one is spending, to the activity one is doing, to the people one is close to.

A further disadvantage of social networks, if used without any criterion, may be the loss of privacy, since many people tend to publish, and share without filters, sensitive data, information and personal images, which can fall into anyone’s hands (danger of so-called ‘identity theft’ or of the more banal but annoying cloning of credit cards if one shops online on insecure sites) and, in any case, remain on the net and be seen ab aeterno.

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Source

IPSICO