Internet addiction

In today's fast-paced technological era, the Internet is an essential aspect of life for many people, without which they would struggle to function normally. This global network provides fast communication, long-distance data transfer, and access to a wealth of information across various domains. However, despite its numerous benefits, it also comes with what might seem like a minor drawback but is significant: it can quickly lead to addiction.

Scale of the Phenomenon

According to Hubert Poppe, an Austrian specialist in drug addiction therapy, "the number of people addicted to the Internet exceeds, in some industrialized countries, the number of addicts to poppy-derived drugs, necessitating action against this new disease."

It is estimated that around 200 million people were using the Internet by the late 1990s. Research conducted by the American Psychological Association suggests that approximately 6% of Internet users are addicted to it, with around 30% using it as a means of escaping reality. During the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association in Boston in 1999, it was noted that over half of those diagnosed as addicted to the Internet had serious marital problems, and the Internet itself led to social isolation, as many spent less time with real people than with their computers.

Research conducted in January 2000 on a group of 1,012 Polish Internet users showed that 43% of Polish Internet users were aged 18-25, while 20% were aged 26-35. Women accounted for 37% of them. One-third of Internet users lived in cities with populations exceeding 500,000. 58% of respondents connected to the Internet daily or several times a week. It is estimated that the percentage of Internet users in Poland approaches 11% of the total population.

If we find ourselves connecting to the Internet too frequently and don't consider it a problem, it's worth reconsidering. Although we may not yet find professional medical advice or therapy groups to help with Internet addiction, the problem itself has already been recognized. It is worth reflecting on this phenomenon and recognizing the dangers it poses. It is gradually becoming as much a social problem as alcoholism or drug addiction. However, due to the anonymity of the Internet, it is difficult to conduct scientific research on this phenomenon.

It is challenging to delve into the details of addiction, to determine what on the Internet can be most dangerous, and how to guard against it. The Internet has many facets: sending emails, surfing the World Wide Web, downloading files, participating in discussion groups, role-playing games, online chats. It can easily become a source of addiction precisely because it gathers so many resources and allows for so many forms of activity.

User anonymity plays a significant role, especially in socially unacceptable areas like pornography, especially its more extreme forms. Users can easily obtain what they want without much concern.

Symptoms of Addiction

People who use the Internet a lot feel uncomfortable when they try to limit their time online, and being deprived of access to email, even for a moment, would be a real disaster. Those with Internet access at school or work stay at their computers in the evenings and weekends. They have to be literally torn away from the screen, and they become irritated, like an alcoholic deprived of a glass. People addicted to the Internet spend most of their time in front of the computer, which simply leaves less time for other things - work, study, rest, family life, or social contacts.

Internet addiction manifests as increasingly frequent connections to the network and spending more and more time online. It also manifests in obsessive thinking, and even dreaming, about what might happen on the Internet. Other areas of activity, such as work, may suffer as a result. The addicted person may sometimes want to reduce their Internet use but lacks the willpower to do so. This is accompanied by an interest in any information about the Internet - in newspapers, books, a desire to try every website they come across.

To Death

There have also been fatal consequences of excessive Internet use. A 28-year-old resident of South Korea died of heart failure after playing in an internet cafe for over 50 hours. He had quit his job earlier just to play his favorite game. He practically sat at the computer without breaks - only leaving for the toilet (he also took several naps on a folding bed by the computer). After two days, the worried mother of the player asked his friends to find him - when they reached the cafe and met the enthusiast, he announced to them that he would finish the game he had just started and return home. Unfortunately, he couldn't - a few minutes later, he lost consciousness and died. The police reported that the cause of death was heart failure, caused by exhaustion.

Rational use of what has been invented is fundamental. Each of us should remember our loved ones and family, which is the basis of our social bonds. The statistics that indicate an increase in time spent online while decreasing the amount of time spent talking to family and loved ones are alarming. The Internet is increasingly being associated with the term "ADDICTION OF THE 21ST CENTURY," to which, unfortunately, like other addictions, we allow ourselves to succumb.