Internet Addiction is a disorder proposed by Ivan Goldberg, M.D, 1955, that defines as an excessive computer use that interferes with daily life, referred in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_addiction_disorder). Said Dr Muhammad Muhsin Ahmad Zahari, the psychiatrist and deputy chief coordinator at University Malaya Centre of Addiction Sciences, internet application is very much problematic and it has led to social and functional impairment (http://mygadgets.my/product.php?id=340). The abovementioned statement is supported by Jennifer R. Ferris, a psychologist in Virginia Tech who said that the internet has become so tempting and addicting that it has disturbed one’s life and the lives of those around him (http://www.files.chem.vt.edu/chem-dept/dessy/honors/papers/ferris.html).
In a nutshell, Internet is more or less a socially connecting device that is socially isolating simultaneously (DeAngelis, 2000, par. 7, http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html). However, said Rizal Solomon in his article, 2nd of July 2009, the real deal about this internet addiction is basically still remaining unknown in most countries, unlike Korea or the United States of America where the internet penetration of users is awfully high (http://mygadgets.my/product.php?id=340).
In fact, internet addiction is caused by various factors. According to J (Ph. D), sources of addictive stimulation can be chemical, sensual or even informational (http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=3830&cn=66). Besides that, as what Maria Garcia Duran has mentioned, the convenience due to the wide availability of accessing to the internet is also one of the factors that cause this disorder (http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html). In Ferris, 8th paragraph, it mentioned that internet addicts are mostly people who are too timid or introverted to meet new people. Therefore, internet would represent the perfect sites to experience different feelings without even have to interact face to face within people (http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html).
As the world develops, different pressures are being imposed and people tend to have all sorts of psychiatric problems, hence, as what Dr. Muhsin said, people would preferably pick internet as the means for them to relieve the depression or social anxiety (http://mygadgets.my/product.php?id=340). The passage in DeAngelis, 2000, 8th paragraph supports the point in Ferris too. In the passage, it said that people isolate themselves and adopt the internet as the route of escape to this mood altering experience, just like how other addicts of any other substance goes through (http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html).
Moreover, Dr. John Grohol’s statement declared in 2003 agreed on that as well by saying that the reason of people engaging themselves in this netsurfing is because they refuse to confront with the problems in reality (http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html). On the other hand, Dr Muhsin said too that exposure in front of computer for netsurfing for a particular time frame will also cause obsessive and compulsive disorder where causes the users to confront with a reluctant evasion from the screen (http://mygadgets.my/product.php?id=340).
According to Dr. Muhsin, people who are involved in this issue are mostly adolescents, and most of them are found suffering from this involvement (http://mygadgets.my/product.php?id=340). For this, Dr. Kimberly Young has done a research in order to diagnose this issue. As the results, she found out that adolescents are suffering in terms of physical and also mental. For example, insomnia, fatigue, lethargy, depression, loss of control, obesity, backache, anxiety, carpal tunnel syndrome, headache etc (http://www.netaddiction.com/). Other than that,
However, this internet addiction is not actually an official disorder, yet, said Julia Bursten & Mark Dombeck, therefore no further studies or research on the treatment is done so far as they still doubt if it should be considered a real disorder.
As the quotation says, “A passion adds value to one’s life, and an addiction takes away values (King, 1996, par. 8)”, therefore it is a must to acknowledge the usage of internet and the consequence of internet abuse (http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html). Said Maria Garcia Duran, internet addiction takes one from his life and also the people whom he loves. Hence, knowing what is important or precious to us must be clearly known from time to time (http://allpsych.com/journal/internetaddiction.html).
