Internet Addiction! Sounds insane, isn’t it? After all, the internet is the tool of our communication and business today. It allows us to connect with people and express our talents on various avenues. Simply put, it has become the way of our life. Then how can something that is all around us and the core part of our lives become an addiction? Well! No matter how silly or inept it may sound, internet addiction is the real thing and there are many who are unaware that they have fallen prey to it.
Are you continually checking your WhatsApp? Do you feel compelled to keep updating your FB status or watch your favorite YouTube videos? Are you not able to let go of the urge to play that online video game or check porn sites? If your answer is yes, then you may be suffering from Internet Addiction Disorder. It’s the excessive use of internet media which intervenes and disrupts your routine life and affects your mind too.
Physiological Impact
Internet addiction has many contributing factors. The exact cause, however, is still unknown. Many studies suggest that this disorder may lead to physically changing the structure of the brain, affecting the gray and white matter in the prefrontal region of the brain. This area is associated with planning, prioritizing, and attention to detail. Such structural changes in this region may have detrimental effects on your abilities to focus and prioritize.
Internet dependency has known to affect the pleasure center of the brain.
The instant gratification, multi-layered rewards in gaming, etc. provides a pleasurable experience, triggering the release of dopamine. The more you indulge, the more you experience pleasure and chemical dependency and hence you become addicted to internet media use. On the other hand, deficiency of dopamine and serotonin can also lead you to overindulgence on the internet to seek pleasurable experience. It is also seen that people suffering from anxiety or depression are more prone to internet addiction.
Impact on Mind & Body
Internet addiction has a deeper emotional and physical impact than you can imagine. With prolonged use of the internet on mobile devices or laptops, an addict can suffer from headaches, backache, neck pain, dryness in eyes, weight gain or loss, and even insomnia. On the other hand, the impact on mental health is much more. Increased release of dopamine gives a heightened sense of euphoria. Due to addiction, a person may lose track of time. It may also lead to low self-care like not bathing to be online or not having proper food, avoiding work, getting bored, etc. And, as it’s said to affect the prefrontal brain, the inability to focus can affect the other abilities to complete core home tasks and working with others. A person may not be able to control or stop the use of the internet and develop defensive behavior and go into isolation altogether, disconnecting from his social environment. This may result in loss of important relationships and career opportunities too.
A Way Forward!
Internet Addiction is a serious issue. You may never know when you might get entrapped in it. Seeking timely professional treatment can help you sail through and overcome this addiction. As compared to traditional ways, such a disorder requires more of a holistic approach towards treatment. Many rehab and addiction treatment centers in India offer holistic healing therapies and treatment for internet addiction.
If you are suffering from an internet dependency disorder, consult our therapists before it disrupts your social life. To know more about our de-addiction treatments, call us on 1800-102-0489.
