The World Wide Web has become an integral element human life and communication. It provides instant access to any information, the ability to contact friends or relatives, planning pastimes, searching new love, choosing clothes or solving business problems. The versatility of the Internet's prospects is initially intriguing. However, after a while, the passion for network processes passes, the person again switches his attention to real communication and hobbies. When this switch does not occur, and online pastime only increases, the term “Internet addiction” or “Internet addiction” is used.

This is a kind of mental disorder that is accompanied by a person’s uncontrolled presence on the Internet, the inability to get out of there on time, and a number of related behavioral problems.

Where is the danger

The addiction to constantly being online becomes tantamount to addiction to alcoholic drinks and drugs, which can already be considered a serious problem. This is confirmed by psychologists and doctors who conduct various experiments and studies.

• According to the collected data, continuous use of the Internet leads to changes in the functioning of consciousness and problems in the functioning of the human brain. After this, there is a gradual decline in cognitive functions, especially the ability to learn. Memory capabilities are also reduced, because the need to store and remember information is reduced - everything is available!
• Another negative aspect of the influence of Internet addiction can be considered the loss of communication skills in real life, as a result of a certain asociality. The World Wide Web is a great substitute for meeting with friends, because you can just open a chat window and write: “Hello,” see your parents on Skype, and instead of exhausting shopping, just order finished products with home delivery. This is the illusion of reality.
• Things that seem positive at first glance create many problems in the absence of alternative pastimes. Accustomed to communicating in games and social networks, a person gets lost when in a new company and experiences stress. After all, you have to deal with real emotions. strangers. After such meetings there appear psychological problems, a person can close.
• Internet addiction contributes to sleep and eating disorders. Being overloaded with a constant flow of information has a negative impact on sleep and relaxation. The quickly passing time at the computer is sometimes reflected in the fact that a person forgets to take a break for food.
• The occurrence of physical diseases cannot be excluded from the context of side effects. The problem is associated with a sedentary lifestyle, in which many muscles atrophy, changes occur in the structure of the spine (scoliosis, kyphosis, osteochondrosis), joints (arthritis, arthrosis), diseases of the cardiac system (arrhythmia, hypertension, arrhythmia, varicose veins of the lower extremities). This also includes the classic decrease in vision when sitting in front of a screen for many hours.
• The destruction of family ties is also quite common when diagnosed with Internet addiction. Few people like constantly being on the Internet instead of paying attention to another person. This applies not only to spouses, but also to parents with children.

Types of Internet addiction

The causes of Internet addiction are varied. To date, researchers have identified five main types of manifestation of this disorder:

• Continuous communication in chats, forums, social networks

This includes people who have problems in interpersonal communication. In the absence of real communication and social skills, communication in the virtual world of the Internet seems to be a simpler option. The difference from people who simply use the Internet is that addicts are trying to make new acquaintances and expand their social circle, and not just maintain contact with people they already know.

You can create a completely different image of yourself than it actually is. Become more beautiful, confident, smart, sociable, daring! Be the person who is allowed to do everything without fearing how other people will react.

• Search for information

Online surfing is an almost continuous search new information in the Internet. Often it is not structured. Even if a user initially visits a site in search of very specific information, after a while he accidentally ends up on a completely unrelated resource. This happens due to re-reading articles, comments, reviews, reviews chaotically, one after another. The result is a decrease in productivity, the inability to deeply study the chosen topic, and brain overload with unnecessary information.

• gambling addiction

The reasons that prompted people to play online games for days on end can take a long time to judge. For some, such Internet addiction is a break from overstrain, boredom, filling in the gaps in life, and a lack of interesting hobbies. This may also be a chance to increase your self-esteem through an honorable first place, which is difficult to get in life. Some people even contribute money to improve the stats of their in-game character. This is Internet addiction at its most vivid.

On various forums, increasing the rating or number of likes is also equated to a game where everyone is trying to become more popular. There is no complete satisfaction here, but this is something if in real life you are not satisfied with many things, there is no communication and recognition.

• Online casino

This type of Internet addiction is characterized by almost complete similarity of symptoms with ordinary gambling addiction. The excitement that arises in playing for money is in no way inferior to its counterpart in reality. You can even chat with people online! On the Internet, casino games match the seductiveness of a traditional casino. Only due to greater accessibility and ease of access to the game, the number of visitors can be much greater.

• Avoidance of real intimacy

The desire to watch adult films may seem like a completely harmless hobby. In fact, this is a serious Internet addiction. When watching such videos replaces real intimacy or becomes the preferred way to satisfy one’s needs, there is a high risk of the family union breaking up through an emotional gap in communication and touching with a partner. After all, it’s much easier not to strain yourself with communication and the necessary attention, but to simply turn on the desired video.

There are a lot of videos like this; they can look more tempting through dissatisfaction in a relationship. Side effect a very real psycho-physical disorder can become - impotence, when from the sight of real, and not virtual interaction, appearance a live partner without special effects, a person will simply stop getting excited.

Basic symptoms

An alarm bell that indicates the presence of Internet addiction is being online for 5 hours or more. This form of addiction affects from 2% to 10% of the population of the entire globe, according to various sources. Not only teenagers who grew up in the Internet era can suffer from this scourge, but also to a much greater extent young and middle-aged people who have seized upon the desired alternative replacement for an unsatisfactory reality.

There are common symptoms that indicate a shift in priorities in favor of virtuality:

• the desire to always be online, withdrawal symptoms;
• irritability when there is no Internet for a long time;
• neglect of appearance;
• sleep disorder;
• irregular nutrition, lack of it or overeating;
• conflicts with others;
• attention disorder;
• willingness to invest money on the Internet;
• refusal of entertainment and communication in real life.

Treatment

How to get rid of Internet addiction is of interest to those who have already realized this problem in themselves or their loved ones. The most important factor is awareness of the problem and subsequent contact with a psychotherapist who will diagnose the type, stage and causes of the problem, select the necessary rehabilitation measures and help to stop running away from reality.

If you want to overcome Internet addiction on your own, then you should follow these measures:

1. Accurately control the allotted time on the Internet
2. Spend days without access to the Internet.
3. Find a really real interesting hobby that really captivates you.
4. Monitor the decrease and increase in motivation in business.
5. Get rid of the root cause of getting on the Internet.
6. Block sites where you spend most of your time online, leaving only those that are necessary for information.
7. Lead an active lifestyle.
8. Do not turn on the computer unless necessary.

Self-control will best help resolve the question: “How to get rid of network addiction.” With the right level of motivation, you can actually do this on your own.

Internet addiction is a mental disorder of a person, as a result of which he feels acute dissatisfaction without the ability to connect to the network and spend a long time in the process of using the global community. The consequences of Internet addiction are sad. A person may drop out of society, have significant problems with communication skills, the level of intelligence and outlook are sharply depressed, disorders in the sexual sphere develop, and psychoses appear more and more often in the form of outbursts of rage, irritability and anger.

How to deal with Internet addiction? The problem is aggravated a priori beneficial features the global Internet network, with the help of which modern society should receive only benefits and a more comfortable life. However, mindlessly spending time behind a flickering screen while browsing a million sites, endless games, and viewing the content of porn resources does not in any way contribute to the education of a full-fledged member of society. It is teenagers, with their fragile psyche, thirst for entertainment and reduced volitional qualities, who become the first at risk of being susceptible to this pathology. How to get rid of Internet addiction? It is worth noting that in more at a young age eliminating addiction to network resources can be much more successful. Most effective method to prevent the development of addiction as such - instilling a culture of using PCs and the Internet exclusively for reasonable purposes in accordance with the current recommendations of therapists and ophthalmologists.

How to get rid of Internet addiction if the addiction to using the Internet has already crossed all reasonable boundaries? Consistent implementation of such recommendations is necessary.

Steps to get rid of Internet addiction:

1. Weaning off thoughtless use must be done gradually, avoiding unnecessary stress and irritation;

2. You can use a trick and switch to using a limited traffic package;

3. The main reason for “immersion” in the Internet is considered to be dissatisfaction social status. How to treat Internet addiction in this case? It encourages self-realization and self-affirmation in the virtual game world, which replaces all real aspects of normal life. It is necessary to communicate with the person suffering from pathology, involve him in performing various tasks around the house, and also encourage such help with words of gratitude and small gifts.

4. It is necessary to try to “breathe the taste of real life” into a person for whom the Internet has become something more than just a way to obtain missing information. It’s not a bad idea to invite old friends, organize a family outing to a cafe, or set up a joint cinema, albeit via the Internet. Tireless, but not annoying communication will allow you to feel like a full-fledged member of the family.

5. Active recreation spent together can open up a person and allow him to find new facets of pleasure from life. This could be a hike in the mountains, a trip to an unfamiliar city, a barbecue picnic, a country camp, or even a trip to a resort with friends. The main thing is close communication and limited access to the network.

6. Treatment of Internet addiction can be carried out with the assistance of a psychologist. You just have to remember that this dangerous disorder is very young. So you should be clearly confident in the qualifications of the doctor.

7. Provide opportunities for alternative human development. Various hobbies, interests or aspirations, of course, if they are completely normal, will completely help to overcome the addiction to uncontrolled use of the Internet.

8. Perhaps the problem can be solved simply by a direct conversation regarding the health harms of spending long periods of time at the computer. Poor posture, loss of vitamins, inflammation of the phalanges of the fingers and ligaments of the hand, vision problems... This is not even a complete list of health disorders due to uncontrolled cravings.

January 26th is World Internet Free Day. On this day, all active users abandon their computers and go to real life, trying to escape from the desire to notify the world about his every step.

How to get rid of Internet addiction? On this day, statuses are not updated, posts are not commented on, and photos are not posted on social networks. Internet addiction is a disease no less dangerous than alcoholism or gambling addiction. And the disease needs to be treated. For those who fully want to “get healthier,” it will be useful to learn about 10 reliable ways to achieve this.

1. Take courage and turn off the network

The easiest and most radical option is, of course, to turn off the Internet. But if you just can’t raise your hand for this step, use special programs - Tmeter, Time Boss, iNet Protector. With their help, you can set a certain time on your computer, when it arrives, access to the Internet will be blocked. Or simply limit communication with certain sites. Finally pull yourself together and start taking action!

2. Change your daily routine

Another effective method– create a tight daily routine and strictly adhere to it, realizing your goals.
If you spend a lot of time on social networks, it won’t hurt to think about visiting your page less. How you do this is up to you. Believe me, you will feel how more hours have been added to the day, how long the day has become and how much you can do (useful and not so useful) without sitting at the computer looking for interesting things and without following news feeds for updates.

3. Morning and evening - without a computer!

Many people make the grave mistake of starting the day with a laptop and ending it with it too. It’s very easy to sit too long in the evening, watching an incomprehensible video or visiting other people’s VKontakte pages... As a result, time was wasted and nothing useful was gained. In addition, we fell asleep late - the Internet did not let us go... It was a hard climb in the morning. Vicious circle. I’m already silent about how much time during the day we spend on the Internet... So, rule No. 1: do not start the morning on the computer. Rule #2: Don't end the day with it. Dedicate the morning to yourself or to some leisurely, easy tasks. Start a new day with a cup of delicious coffee (that’s better) and enjoy nature outside the window (when else do we have time for this?).

4. Fill in the gaps in your daily routine.

By the way, the computer has a certain mystical effect, drawing you into the abyss of the Internet space. Seeing a computer always on creates a deception for attention. Subconsciously I want to listen to music, look at photographs, etc. Organize your day so that you spend a minimum of time on the Internet. Understand: there are more exciting things in the world than communicating on social networks!

5. Trade the Internet for your desires

Make a list of the changes you will make by reducing the hours you spend at the computer. You can get a lot done. Think about what you would like? Travel, learn languages, visit theaters and galleries, spend time with loved ones and friends... Be sure to describe your desires in as fashionable detail as possible.

6. Rest for the eyes

Even when you are at the computer, you need to give yourself rest. Give your eyes a rest every 15-20 minutes. It is useful to do special exercises. Move your whole body once every 45 minutes, especially paying more attention to your spine and legs. It wouldn’t hurt to make a special complex for the eyes. By the way, it is useful to look at the sky and the greenery.

7. Turn a minus into a plus!

How to get rid of Internet addiction if your job requires you to spend time there? There is good advice to take advantage of this. For example, to earn money. There are now a lot of methods to do this.

8. It's time to find peace of mind

Almost all people who spend most of their time online suffer from attention deficit disorder. It is characterized by an inability to concentrate, problems with perception and memory. The user's attention is distracted by a large, but precise amount of data. Memes, posts, comics. In particularly advanced cases, a huge amount of news entering the brain disappears at that very moment and the person is no longer able to think and specifically express his position. The entire process of thoughts is equated to the same type of actions and outbursts - a reaction to external stimulus– comments, likes, reposts... Therefore, if you notice such an oddity in yourself, try to avoid it and do not get scattered on insignificant sources of information. If you have to understand any issue, it is better to study it completely than to take “pieces” from different articles.

9. Real communication

As much as possible, transform your virtual communications into real ones. If you are interested in a person on a dating site, social network, or online game, then just meet him in person. After all, it’s much more interesting to communicate with a person who is nearby, at your will, and not on the screen, right?

10. Useful activities instead of wasting time

Analyze where you spend your time. Think about your hobbies that you have abandoned or for which you always don’t have enough time. It's time to think about the fact that life is one and flies by in an instant. Live fully and realistically, use your time wisely and always remember the new opportunities that life gives. This makes a person better, more successful, happier.

26.07.2013

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• Internet addiction treatment
• Additional tips:

Behind last decade The Internet has become an integral part of life for the majority of the population. Today anyone modern man at least once a day, to communicate, work or simply search for the necessary information, visits the World Wide Web. Of course, the Internet is of great importance in modern world and brings great benefits to humanity: as an inexhaustible source of information, affordable way acquiring skills and knowledge, as an indispensable assistant in work and business, as a means of conducting and leisure planning, as a place to meet people and a way to keep in touch. The Internet makes it easier to select and purchase the necessary goods and services, and also allows you to save on their purchase...

Well, okay, I won’t list all the advantages and benefits of this kingdom of limitless possibilities, you already know them, in this article I would like to talk about one negative consequence that accompanies the spread of the Internet around the world - Internet addiction.

Internet addiction is mental disorder, accompanied by a large number of behavioral problems and generally consisting in a person’s inability to leave the network in time, as well as in the constant presence of an obsessive desire to enter it.

Why is internet addiction dangerous?

Psychologists are sounding the alarm and comparing the phenomenon of Internet addiction to addiction to alcohol and drugs. There are indeed reasons for concern. Conducted research on the topic of Internet addiction shows that with prolonged and uncontrolled stay on the Internet, changes occur in the state of consciousness and in the functioning of the brain. This gradually leads to a loss of the ability to learn and think deeply.

Nicholas Carr, a famous American scientist-publicist, an expert in the field of information management and transmission processes, together with a group of psychological researchers he created, came to disappointing conclusions - quick and regular browsing of websites leads to the fact that the human brain loses the ability for in-depth analytical thinking, turning regular network users into impulsive people incapable of intellectual work.

However, disturbances in thought processes and memory impairment- not the only negative ones the influence of the Internet on people. Plunging headlong into the World Wide Web, a person gradually loses skills real communication , which leads to a certain asociality. Why meet with friends when you can chat with them on Skype, why negotiate with someone in person or call someone when you can just send an e-mail, why look for and buy goods in regular stores when you can buy anything, not leaving the house... That is, all these conveniences described earlier as advantages, when used for a long time and without alternatives, turn into a problem. This is how difficulties begin to appear in communicating with new people, and getting into an unfamiliar company for an Internet addict becomes completely stressful situation. Then the person withdraws into himself, which affects work or study, and he has problems sleeping ( get rid of insomnia without the help of a specialist it is no longer possible for him) and eating. For some, an unhealthy attachment to information technology even leads to suicide.

In addition to mental and thought disorders, Internet addiction is also dangerous due to the occurrence of physical diseases. Spending a monstrous amount of time in front of monitor screens, we spoil our vision (you can learn more about this from the article - “ Deterioration of vision when working at a computer"), many people have carpal tunnel syndrome. Internet addiction, which is accompanied by sedentary lifestyle, leads to various diseases of the spine and joints (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, etc.), cardiovascular pathologies (tachycardia, arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, varicose veins of the lower extremities, etc.) and many other diseases.

Internet addiction can cause disruption in family relationships (between parents and children, as well as between spouses). Who would like it that their child or significant other spends their days and nights near the computer? This is how relationships between family and friends deteriorate, and even families are destroyed. Internet addiction is a problem modern society !

I hope I have given enough reasons for you to at least think about your addiction to the Internet? If you have already long noticed an irresistible urge to constantly be online, you will certainly find advice on how to do this. However, treatment and prevention of Internet addiction should be discussed after it is diagnosed. Therefore, for those who still doubt whether he is sick or not, our “story” is about the forms and symptoms of this plague of the 21st century.

Forms, types and causes of Internet addiction

Occurs for a number of reasons and can be expressed in various forms. Today, psychologists and researchers of Internet addiction problems identify five main types of this uncontrollable craving for online immersion.

• The most common type of Internet addiction is the need for continuous communication. These can be forums, social networks and various chats.

This risk group of Internet addicts includes people who have communication problems. Lack of social and communication skills immerses them in the virtual world, which replaces their circle of friends. Researchers studying the phenomenon of Internet addiction have found that people who do not fall into the “networks” of the Internet, just like those who do, communicate with acquaintances and friends online (although their main purpose for being on the “web” is to search for information) , but this communication is mainly limited to maintaining existing contacts. Internet addicts strive to socialize through new acquaintances.

This, of course, applies to a greater extent to teenagers, and not only because they grew up in the Internet era. Cause of Internet addiction in teenagers– this is a period of hormonal changes in the body, when it becomes problematic for young people to communicate, make new acquaintances, and establish contacts with the opposite sex (of course, this does not apply to everyone, but many).

Communication on the Internet provides teenagers with the opportunity to exist in the images of their dreams, and without going beyond the boundaries of these images, to carry out communicative activities that are necessary and desirable, as well as impossible in reality. This is the main cause of Internet addiction in adolescents, and the provoking factor stimulating the development of this addiction is anonymity and the inability to verify how valid the information provided about oneself is.

Another reason for the emergence of Internet addiction, closely related to the previous one, is the inability to express oneself. A person who has difficulty expressing his thoughts, is unable to defend your point of view experiencing fear public speaking A person who is afraid of the condemnation of real society, a generally insecure person, can calmly express what is boiling over him online, without fear of disapproval and misunderstanding.

I would like to jump ahead a little and say that drug treatment Internet addiction should be carried out simultaneously with work on increasing the level of self-confidence and developing communication skills (we have many articles on our website that can help you with this).

• Internet information addiction (online surfing), or an irresistible need for a constant flow of information, forces a person to endlessly surf the Internet.

Compulsive web surfing involves a disordered search for information, devoid of any purpose or meaning. A person wanders through websites, databases, reads articles, notes, comments to them one after another, endlessly follows links... As a result, this meaningless wandering and incessant search for information leads to loss of productivity and information overload.

• The next type of Internet addiction is gaming addiction. This is when a person gets hooked and cannot tear himself away from online games.

Why do people start playing online games? Some seek to fill the empty space left in their life, others simply out of boredom. And there are people who try to achieve superiority without spending much effort on it. Be the first to compete in athletics It will be difficult, but in the game “Tanks” it is quite possible.

Many gamers even spend real money to somehow improve their characters (for example, in such RPG games like World of Warkraft) and achieve imaginary superiority. Having great fun and seeing that they have reached level 25, while their closest competitor has not yet reached level 22, they continue to play for days on end and in the process of this race they become Internet addicts.

By the way, this driving factor of Internet addiction ( the desire to be the best, to be the first) can find expression not only in online toys. For example, in the same social networks, on sites and forums where users are compared by rating (some points and levels for activity, virtual money, number of friends, etc.). The more points you have, the higher you are in the ranking. Of course, virtual superiority, unlike real superiority, does not provide complete satisfaction, but it is much easier to achieve.

Let's get back to games (although the pursuit of ratings can also, to some extent, be equated with a game). Another reason why Internet addiction is becoming a problem in modern society, according to Erin Hoffman, one of the developers of online games, is procrastination. Here's how she explains the reason for this addiction: “When we discuss addiction to the Internet and in particular to network games“We’re not talking about what people do, but about what they don’t do, replacing idleness with addictive behavior.”. That is, a person is gradually drawn in and becomes a zombie due to the fact that he simply did not want to do a job he didn’t like, fulfill his duties, make decisions difficult questions And make difficult decisions? Maybe why not. But probably main reason The emergence of this type of Internet addiction lies in the exorbitant appetites of the bigwigs of the gaming industry and in the fact that games are made in a special way, forcing you to play frantically even at a time when the process does not give you real pleasure.

There are not isolated cases when long-term play led to tragic consequences. For example, a multi-hour online session of playing World of Warcraft in October 2005 drove a Chinese schoolgirl to exhaustion and death. And in 2011, an American housewife, carried away by playing Warcraft, forgot about her three-year-old daughter, who died of malnutrition and dehydration.

Here's what another online game developer, David Wong, says (this man, who works for Microsoft and defended his dissertation on the peculiarities of the human brain, knows how to make people of different ages Internet addicts): “Any addiction arises from three components - activity, time and reward, and there are countless techniques by using which these three factors can be combined with each other so that the player shows the pattern of behavior that the developer intended.”

• Internet addiction associated with online gambling is in many ways similar to the usual addiction to gambling.

Online casinos, of which there are a great many on the Internet today, luring tens of thousands of new users every day, recreate a seductive and realistic world traditional casinos. Symptoms of Internet Addiction This type, as well as its causes and consequences, are similar to those of ordinary gambling addiction (playing for money). Unless there are some minor nuances. But accessibility, and therefore involvement, is many times higher than that of conventional gaming establishments.

A recently published report by the American Psychological Association, which was devoted to the problem of Internet gambling addiction, states that this addiction attracts people much more strongly than casinos or regular gambling. slot machines. It was also noted that teenagers are primarily at risk; among them, addiction to gambling on the Internet is much more common.

• Another type of Internet addiction is the so-called cybersexual attraction - this is an obsessive craving for watching porn films on the Internet and engaging in cybersex.
  

Although seemingly harmless at first glance, sexual Internet addiction is a serious problem standing in the way of ensuring the socio-psychological safety of both an individual and society as a whole. Today, many married couples are breaking up or are on the verge of breaking up due to the tendency of one of the spouses to satisfy their sexual needs using the Internet. People suffering from this addiction have little time left for ordinary communication, so an emotional break gradually occurs in relationships with real people- family, children, friends, work and study fade into the background.

Recently, the popular English newspaper The Daily Mail published the opinion of a number of scientists, which stated that online pornography has created a younger generation that is unable to be aroused during normal sexual encounters. The result of the publication was the conclusion that impotence is getting younger and is no longer a problem only for middle-aged and elderly men.

The reasons for this Internet addiction are sexual dissatisfaction (as in beginners sex life adolescents and people of all ages), deterioration sexual relations with partners, lack of communication and disagreements in the family, and the features of the Internet (accessibility, anonymity, permissiveness, lack of obligations and the need to psychologically adapt to a partner) only contribute to the emergence of dependence on this attraction.

• The list of main types of Internet addictions can be expanded by adding: hacking; an involuntary urge to buy things at online auctions and online stores; endless downloading of video and audio materials from torrent trackers in order to create your own database, etc.

Stages of development of Internet addiction

1. At the first stage, the user gets acquainted with the Internet, learns about its capabilities and chooses the appropriate virtual reality option for himself. Gradually a person develops own style online, making up for the lack of communication or information that he lacks in real life.
2. Next, there is a distance from real life, the user begins to spend more and more time in the reality that he chose at the previous stage. The time spent online increases... Also, at the second stage of the formation of Internet addiction, when a person stops using the Internet to achieve life goals, these same goals are transferred to virtual reality. For example, some people apply the knowledge acquired on the Internet in life, others share this knowledge right there on the Internet, using selfish goals (in in a good way), want to become famous or earn money, while still others raise their ratings in social networks (reputation on websites and forums, etc.) or simply express themselves. This is how addiction develops, when communication itself becomes the only, or preferable, way to achieve a goal.
3. The third stage is stabilizing. The problem is obvious, the signs and symptoms of Internet addiction are obvious, it smoothly turns into a chronic form. After some time, the passion for the chosen interaction becomes less pronounced, and activity on the network fades away. A person returns to reality, but he does this without any desire. Internet addiction persists, but in an inactive form, and intensifies under stress or when new interesting topics appear.

Symptoms of Internet Addiction

The main signs that define Internet addiction are the following:

Internet addiction treatment

It’s no surprise that Internet addiction treatment has become part of the income psychologists and psychiatrists, because there are more and more people with an unhealthy craving for the World Wide Web. Both men and women, both young (to a greater extent) and adult citizens, suffer from Internet addiction, and their number is only growing every year. Inability to independently get rid of internet addiction brings users who are unaware of such negative consequences of online life to medical institutions, where they are treated for mental disorders that have become a manifestation of attachment to the Internet, and not of Internet addiction, since diagnosis of Internet addiction does not yet exist in worldwide practice.

First time term « internet addiction » was used by American psychiatrist Ivan Goldberg in 1994. Goldberg did not put a medical meaning into this concept, as if we were talking about drug or alcohol addiction, but a behavior that is accompanied by a low level of self-control, stress and threatens to crowd out normal life. The term has stuck, even though it was initially introduced by a psychiatrist as a joke.

However, if the international community has not yet fully realized the scale of the disaster, in some countries Internet addiction is officially recognized as a disease and its treatment is sometimes carried out using very radical methods. For example, in China, where the first internet addiction treatment clinic appeared back in 2005, patients are prescribed electric shock - a device that supplies a voltage of thirty volts to the body.

When visiting a clinic, Chinese specialists first conduct a diagnosis to determine if the person is addicted. Next, drug treatment, acupuncture, and mandatory physical exercise. In such clinics, a strict routine is established for patients: for 10-15 days (this is how long treatment lasts on average), a person gets up at six in the morning, playing sports, sings songs of praise, takes antidepressants and receives electric shocks. Also in China there are special barracks-type camps for teenagers under 18 years of age. Their parents bring them there for up to six months. All this time, teenagers addicted to the Internet are in the centers, studying construction training and, like adults, are treated with electrical discharges.

This type of treatment for Internet addiction does not find understanding in the world, and even some local doctors are against the use of electric shock, especially when it comes to treating children: “ Such methods are too cruel and, on the contrary, cause deep harm to children. psychological trauma However, they are used everywhere. Today in China there are many clinics for the treatment of Internet addiction. Most of them are practically not controlled by anyone and are not professional“says the famous Chinese psychologist from Beijing Tao Hongkai.

In Finland, people who are addicted to the Internet are treated more leniently, they even provide a deferment from military conscription: “ For teenagers who play online games day and night and have only Facebook pages instead of real friends, military service can be a big shock.“says one of Finland’s military leaders, Jirki Kively.

The world's first support center for Internet addicts was the center created by the most famous and authoritative researcher in this field - Kimberly Young, professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh (Bretford), author of the book Caught in the Net, translated into many languages. The Center she created in 1995 (Center for On-Line Addiction - Netaddiction.com) provides consultations not only ordinary people, but also to corporations educational institutions and psychiatric clinics.

In Russia internet addiction treatment is also carried out, but the list of clinics involved in the rehabilitation of such patients is limited to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The thing is that only a few people go for treatment. Because most addicts either do not consider themselves as such, or try to fight their addiction on their own. Here's what Konstantin Blokhin, a psychiatrist at the clinic, says about this: Mental health» - « Even though I haven’t been working at the clinic for very long, I don’t remember a single request from people addicted to the Internet." The doctor also explains that with such a diagnosis, the same methods are used as in the treatment of drug addiction - psychotherapy, active physical exercise and reflexology.

« Today, Russian centers use two treatment methods computer addiction: psychotherapy and psychopharmacotherapy. If the first involves treatment without medications, then the second means taking psychotropic drugs (antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs) and using IVs“says Dmitry Fedotov, psychiatrist at the SPO Center clinic.

If there are no specialized medical institutions in your city that treat Internet addiction (although in most cases a qualified psychologist will help) or you simply think that you can throw off the shackles of Internet slavery on your own, you need to know where to start. Advice on methods for getting rid of Internet addiction will also be useful for preventing this unhealthy attachment.

Social videos about Internet addiction

Prevention of Internet addiction and ways to get rid of it

To get started fight internet addiction, first of all, you need to admit that the problem exists and understand that no one will help you get rid of it (if you decide that you will not resort to the help of a psychologist, rely only on yourself).

Most effective way to deal with internet addiction- return to real life and forget about the existence of the Internet for a few days. Where there is an entrance, there is an exit! Go out into nature more often, meet friends, attend various events, think about long forgotten hobby, start playing sports, read interesting book etc. Do you want to stop spending so much time online? Then stop it! You definitely want this, right?

If now you can’t imagine your life without social networks, it will be difficult for you to give it up right away. To begin with, you can reduce the time you spend in them, and then, by gradually reducing your activity, you can reduce your presence there to a minimum. As for people who check their mail every now and then, we can advise you to install it to check it certain hours and strictly follow this schedule.

Fight Internet addiction, as with any other addiction, some psychologists consider it a pointless exercise. In their opinion, working with obsessive addictions is not about fighting as such, but about solving problems of existence - forming new connections, new interests, and ultimately, searching for the meaning of life.

Speaking about the causes of Internet addiction, we found out that people often “run away” to the Internet out of some kind of dissatisfaction and problems. Therefore, simply limiting time on the Internet will not be enough; at the same time, it is necessary to fight the causes of these problems. Take Internet sex addiction, for example. If a person plunges into online sexual slavery (women mainly choose virtual sex, and watching porn is already the prerogative of men) due to the lack of a partner, therefore, he needs to find a soul mate. If you lack communication, stop turning gray on forums and look for it in real life. If you are a shy person, start fight your shyness, sign up for public speaking courses.

Do you use the Internet for work, but notice that you gradually forget about business and switch to mindless pastime? Start tracking and analyzing the time you spend on the Internet. Calculate how many minutes or hours you spend on something important and necessary. Let this time be your daily minimum. Every day, when going online, try to fit within this time period. This will give you the opportunity to distribute work time most effectively. Also, for the purpose of productivity and prevention of Internet addiction, I recommend making a list of sites (you can do it in your head) that you need to visit and topics that need to be considered.

On many sites there are tips telling how how to get rid of internet addiction contain, in my opinion, rather strange recommendations: “ Ask your loved one or friend to “password-protect” your page on a social network or instant messenger and let him allow you to go there only once a week», « Ask your provider to deny you access to sites where you are simply wasting your time." If these tips suit you and don’t seem strange, then use them.

In the difficult process of getting rid of Internet addiction, the support of loved ones is important. The more family communication that will replace your excessive Internet use, the better. And you shouldn’t justify your weakness and unsuccessful attempts to fight Internet addiction by saying that more and more people are getting into these “networks” and there’s nothing wrong with that. Try to swim even if everyone around you is drowning.

• Make a list listing the reasons why you should stop using the Internet excessively.
• If you do not currently need to go online, turn off your computer.
• Do not eat food while sitting at the computer, this will help you take your mind off the online mode.
• Turn off automatic notifications about new emails arriving in your email if there is no particular need for them.
• Copy to a separate file or print pages that contain information that you often use, for example, this could be an article about how to properly relax after work. This will reduce your visits to the Internet, and you will be less tempted to scour the Internet.
• If you decide to get rid of Internet addiction, you should adjust your sleep schedule.

In fact, the Internet has great benefits, and this article is only a warning, so one should not conclude that the Internet is unconditionally dangerous and harmful. Cultivate a culture of Internet use in yourself, make this kingdom of limitless possibilities a means for achieving goals and solving real, not virtual problems. Use the World Wide Web to purchase necessary and important skills(for example, for studying in English or for fast typing training etc.) and obtaining information of practical importance.

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Alexander

Alexey A.

Ksenia Konovalova

January 26 is international day without the Internet. On this day, active users log out worldwide network into real life, trying to distract from the so-called “network exhibitionism” - the desire to notify the whole world of almost every step, commenting on posts, updating statuses and posting photos on social networks. Getting rid of online addiction is not so difficult: there are 10 reliable ways to do this.

1. The simplest and most radical way is to turn off the Internet. If your willpower is not enough to simply say a firm “no” to yourself, you can use special programs, such as, Time Boss, Tmeter, iNet Protector and others. Using this software, you can set a time on your computer after which access to the network will be blocked. Or simply limit the operation of certain sites.

2. One more, no less effective way- create a strict daily routine and stick to it, monitoring the implementation of your goals. With a responsible approach to business, you simply won’t have time for mindless Internet surfing.

3. You shouldn’t start and end your day sitting at the computer. It’s worth at least an hour after waking up and another one before going to bed to devote to yourself or homework. The habit of seeing your computer always on creates an attention trap. You subconsciously want to listen to music, look at photos, update programs. In general, do everything except the truly necessary and important things.

4. Try to make a list of changes that you can make by reducing the time you spend at the computer. You can learn languages, travel, visit galleries and theaters, spend time with friends and loved ones.

5. If you spend too much time on social networks, you should consider deleting your accounts on them. Just think about the name of this group of sites: “network”. It's a network for our time, attention and money. You will be surprised how productively you can spend your day without constantly checking your news feed. Concerning Email, it is necessary to reduce the frequency of checking incoming messages to a maximum of once a day. Notify your colleagues and clients about your busy schedule and your desire to streamline your work process; they will treat this with understanding.

6. Even while sitting at the computer, you can give yourself a little activity. Once every 15 minutes, we recommend resting your eyes by covering and relaxing them. Once every forty-five minutes you should move your whole body, paying special attention to the spine, which is most likely in the wrong position, and the legs.

7. Since you spend a lot of time on the Internet anyway, you can do it effective tool to earn money. There are many ways. This includes the creation of an online store and services that can be provided remotely. Over time everything more people switches to remote work, and you can connect to the office computer using remote access programs, for example - GoToMyPC.

8. Translate your network connections into real relationships. If you are attracted to someone on a dating site, online game, social network, just get to know him. It’s much more interesting to be next to a living person than with a glowing screen, right?

9. Almost all people who spend most of the day online have a disorder called attention deficit disorder. It is expressed in the inability to concentrate, difficulties with memory and perception. The user's attention is focused on a huge, but targeted amount of information. Memes, comics, Twitter posts. A large amount of news entering the brain disappears from it at the same moment and the person loses the ability to think and specifically express his position. All thinking process equates to immediate actions and emotional outbursts - reactions to external stimuli - likes, comments, reposts... Therefore, if you notice this feature in yourself, try to avoid multitasking and do not get scattered among several insignificant sources of information. Avoid oversimplification. If you need to understand any issue, it will be better to study it completely, rather than read excerpts from various articles in snatches.

10. Remember about your hobbies, which you probably abandoned, exchanging them for the Internet. Live real life, which we only have one and it flies past us day after day, bogged down head over heels in a non-existent reality.