Some teenagers become addicted to the Internet very easily. They may be playing video games, checking their Facebook status, chatting with friends, or just surfing the web every chance they get. New research shows that addiction to the Internet can be linked back to teens who suffer from psychological disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), social phobia, and depression.
Internet addiction is not yet an official diagnosis, but it is being considered by the American Psychiatric Association to add it to the list of mental disorders. For right now internet addiction is defined as using the Internet so often that it interferes with other aspects of your life. According to a study published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine anywhere from almost 2%-18% of the teen population suffers from Internet addiction. These numbers are truly amazing considering that only 8 years ago, Internet addiction was mostly unheard of with teenagers.
If you are a parent, some of the common signs to be aware of when it comes to your teen or even pre-teen being addicted to the Internet are spending a lot of time on the Internet every day, an inability to cut back on usage of the Internet, usage of the Internet preventing the child from other duties such as homework or other activities, irritability and anger over not being able to go online for an extended period of time, and withdrawal from others along with anxiety and boredom.
Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, in Taiwan conducted a study on internet addiction in almost 3,000 teens and found that ADHD and hostility were linked to Internet addiction in children. The study also showed that boys are at higher risk for Internet addiction but girls showed more signs of depression and social phobia when addicted to the Internet.
There are many other doctors and medical professionals that don't find this study very surprising at all. Teens use the Internet basically as a therapy. They can pretend that they are someone else online and no one will ever know it. For kids with ADHD they can play a fast paced video game that actually keeps their attention.
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The Internet and computers have become a way of life for many people. Look at how many people you will see at coffee shops or the library taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi connection. Many children nowadays will use the computer for research on papers rather than books from the library. As we move towards a more technology based culture, parents need to be aware of the side effects that can come from this.
Parents need to monitor their child's time online. This is especially true for any teens that may already show signs of a psychological disorder such as ADHD or depression. It is not going to be possible to get rid of the Internet completely for a teen's life, but parents need to be pro-active and get involved. Families need to make goals to make the Internet time a healthy aspect of life. Such things as having the computer in an open and general area of the home instead of the child's bedroom can help the situation.
Parents as well as medical professionals need to be aware of
internet addiction in children and teens. According to Dr. Dimitri A. Christakis of the Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, in Seattle, who co-wrote this study, "Our intention in raising this concern is not to be alarmist but rather to alert pediatricians to what might become a major public health problem for the United States in the 21st century." Just being aware of the addiction problem and taking steps to help prevent your child from becoming addicted can help this problem not escalate as much as predicted.
Tags:
internet,
children