We use the internet for our own favor and interest. It depends what we enjoy the internet surfing for; some like using instant messaging and face book. Now they are the most excessively used internet programs. Sometimes people do that in order to solve some mental disorders. Such as feeling isolated, or having lake of self-confidence. Meeting people over the internet and not having to meet them in person, solves their feeling of insecurity. Others are addicted to gaming on the internet, such as playing poker and chess. They are real life addictive games and having the opportunity to have them online, causes the same effect on them as they are in real life.
There are many of internet addiction types like mental disorders cause people to reflect their sickness to their desired object of addiction. Some people are addictive to shopping, games, or drugs. In our case, the people addicted to the internet and computers have a lack of self-confidence and a tendency to feel shy in public. They are not capable to make a circle of friends as normal people do in their lives. So they choose making friends online, which is a much easier way for them to pursue their need. Also they use the internet as an escape from life troubles; whether its problems they face at home or outside in their daily life routines. Maybe playing some games or shopping online gives them the feeling of security within them. And helps them overcome their mental struggles. Basically, it makes them forget about their outside world and focus their attention to the inside wide world of the internet and computer use.
This type of internet addiction, when people tend to gain their self-confidence through its usage is the most dangerous type of all. It could harm people, who are tending to get to know strangers through the internet chatting, It could lead to crimes such as theft and sexual harassment. It also causes them to neglect their outside world of communication and only feel secure while using the internet. Meaning they will tend to be more sociable and feel lively only while being on their computer; when this is the negative way of pursuing their careers and social life. The more time they spend online, the more they gain their self-esteem. It’s like standing in front of a mirror before leaving their homes to go out, this way they make sure they look good and confident enough before they leave. It’s the same for the internet use, after they get the security feeling within themselves. They feel completely relieved.
The general causes of internet addiction are divided to certain categories; which lets us understand where the overuse of internet comes from. First thing we face generally is curiosity. Usually some of us are eager to know a lot about the technology which grows every day now. And most of these people are in their 40’s and 50’s. The ones who doesn’t have enough information and practice with the internet use; so their curiosity drives them to start surfing the internet and learning the different ways of the computer use. Such as googgling (Google), chatting online or even gaming for the elders.
The next category is the development and renewal of self. Exploring the internet is actually a self-development step; learning about it makes you in hold of everything in the world now. Connected is how you feel when you go through the internet. It’s everything we use around the world now; nothing can go on without it. You can find anything concerning the subject of your interest easily and with full information about it. You need to update your look, you surf the internet. Or if there is a piece of information you’d to like expand your understanding about. Certain types of food you’d like to cook. Everything you need you’ll find through the internet, and especially if it’s a self-development and renewal situation.
Surfing the internet made it easier for people who make researches and always in need of books to help them fulfill their search. Your desired book of interest can easily be found on the internet now. You no longer need to go to a library and search through the books to find your desired information to complete a research. Now you can go online, search the name of the book, and easily find quotations for it and a full biography about it and its author. You can even find the whole book to read instead of buying from a book store. The same goes to magazines and newspapers; if you have missed a week’s newspaper edition or a magazine’s issue. You can simply find it online, read it all and maybe save the needed pages for your record. The internet has made it so easy for people around the world to pursue their lives and careers outside or even from inside their homes. It has made everything easily accessible and far simpler. But that doesn’t mean that it is the most trusted source of information of all.
Technology is definitely the reason why our lives are growing rapidly, and it’s why the world is connected to one another. It’s the only way we get better at what we do, renew ourselves and explore what is around us. But we must still be wary of the Internet as it can be addictive and that is unhealthy. It’s the reason why we ignore our lives, routines, and activities. Moving away from causes, this paper will now discuss the effects of Internet addiction”
The first effect of the internet addiction is obviously the amount of time wasted on it. It’s usually more than the normal time that should be spent online. It used excessively, and sometimes out of control. Usually it’s used a lot when not needed at all; like when using face book more than 8 hours a day isn’t necessary but you always feel the urge of needing to use it. When it’s nothing beneficial in the end; same for chatting online; some people have got a purpose of using it. Maybe to stay connected to their families overseas. But some others just go online all day long for the fun of it. They make new friends, or maybe just stay online because they feel like they need to be.
Our second effect would be lack of sleep; since they use the internet excessively this way they are losing the feeling of sleep. The need of it isn’t as important to them anymore. The computer symbolizes a huge importance in their lives now that taking care of their health is totally ignored. Also the location of the computer is a huge aspect of why you feel the urge to use it frequently. For example if you place it in the bedroom, it causes a big percentage of lack of sleep. Since it’s always there in front of you and it gets to be irresistible to use.
The third effect would be a low job performance and having poor grades in school. People tend to be online more frequently at work, since they are always in access with their computers. Also some of them aren’t as busy so they use the computer as a way of entertainment. But the majority loses their focus on doing their jobs at work because of chatting too much online while attempting to do their required assignments. Teenagers tend to ignore their studies and prefer to stay online; therefore they get poor grades in school.
Neglecting social relationships and activities is our fourth effect. While we’re staying online, there could be an important event or gathering going on and we’re not even paying attention to attend it. It could be a family gathering or even a friend’s birthday. Those things are important for us to participate in as they create our social relationships and shape our personalities. It also shows us the quality of life in some way or another. While gathering with people and sharing activities with them you tend to build your qualities and know your strengths and weaknesses within yourself. You start to recognize the outside world and its nature.
Anger is a main symptom and effect of the internet addiction. It’s usually obvious when someone starts to question your time spent online and then you start getting angry. Also it appears when you’re offline and tense for not being online during the day. It shows on all of your actions during the day and effects your family and friends interactions. The feeling of the need to be online all the time gets you frustrated and it applies to all your daily activities.
Giving away details to strangers is the most dangerous and common problem we face through internet addiction. The more you stay online and intend to make new friends and enter new networks; the more you stop thinking of the consequences which will occur later on. Strangers you get to know online could be criminals of any kind; such as sexual harassers, thieves or even drug dealers.
The last symptom and effect of internet addiction is changes in your diet and eating speed. Being online too much makes you lose your appetite to food. Sometimes it’s the complete opposite; the more they stay online the more eat faster and with more quantities. It’s like when you’re watching television; you get caught in the movie or anything you’re watching and keep eating. That’s how most overweight people get fatter. They are not conscious of their action while being caught in their addictive act.
Internet addiction seems as uncontrollable and hard to get over. But there are several steps we should follow as our solutions to fixing the addictive act . They are very simple and easy steps to control all our previous symptoms and effects stated above. First of all we need to admit the problem we’re facing and our excessive use to the internet and the computer. Knowing that you have a problem and you need to work on it gives you an inner peace. It also gives you the push to be able to pass this phase of addiction and think of ways to work it all out. Or at least keep doing what you love most but still in a healthy way.
The change of the location of your computer is a must. It’s one of the main solutions for the addiction; as we stated before having it in your bedroom makes it feel irresistible to using the computer. You need to locate in a place which is uncomfortable for you. This will make you only use it for the needed purpose and for a short period of time and then go to your favorite place at home. For example, the living room to watch a movie or read a book in your small library.
A password for your computer is very important to be able to decrease your use of the internet. Let you spouse or a family member change the password to only something they know. And only sign you in when you need to and for a specific calculated period of time. This way you will be able to control your usage wisely. Also you could have a “ Timer”; which will control your time of usage. So if you use the internet for more than five hours a day, then decrease it to three hours for instance by using your timer.
The last solution we should actively do is getting involved in several activities such as social clubs or fitness exercises. This way you’re substituting your addiction with a healthier aspect which will involve you in a more sociable environment. And this will make you gain more confidence by time and make a circle of friends the right way.
To conclude, there are no obvious reasons for way people are getting addicted to the internet but there are a lot of things drives us to use the internet . internet just a tool some people use it as skipping from life struggles and the things that made some people getting addicted to the internet could be general causes as use the internet for more knowledge, searching for anything that they need and also for making friends from all over the world, and there are some things considered as mental disorder like feeling lonely, depressed or feeling stress. But there are many effects caused by the internet addiction, lose the family sense, lack of sleep and caused back pains and headache also decreasing the social relationships. but there are some solutions the person who are addicted to the internet have to admit that he is addicted and know that very well (admitting that he have a problem) and start change computer location and put it in place that you dislike it , never put it in sleeping rooms because you will prefer playing or chatting then sleeping . And finally the person should make a specific hour for using the internet. Human have to know that they are the creditors of the technology so they shouldn’t let the machines control them because machines doesn’t have brains like human. so just if you use it smartly it won’t ever effect you negatively.
