Consequence of the Excessive Use of the Internet

 

Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD)

After reading this article you can - 

► Analyse the consequence of the excessive use of the internet;

► Explain the negative aspects of playing games excessively; 

The word 'addiction' has negative connotations and it is usually used with reference to drug. It destroys life because it is tough to come out of the web of drugs. Perhaps you are confused thinking that how an alarming and negative word 'Addiction' associated with ICT and mentioned in an ICT textbook. Some of you who have computers may have cross the limit while playing computer games. A few of you didn't leave the computer even though you should have for an important task. The users who have the internet access have facebook accounts too. Posting status on the facebook, you eagerly wait for a long time to see when somebody gives 'Like' to your status. You have gotten pleasure when the number of your face book friends has increased. Perhaps you may have spent more time on facebook than the ususal. You might have done better in the examination if you had spent less time on this social network. You could have read some good books or played a bit more in the playground or spent more time with your bother, sister and parents.

Perhaps you, who have been damaging your lives by wasting your time on facebook or by playing computer games more than the usual time, understand the cause of adding a negative word 'Addiction' with the positive words 'Computer' and the 'Internet'. 1Addiction1 means when someone, in spite of knowing it a freakish act, can not avoid the temptation of doing it What is true for drug is true for the computer and the internet too. As drug is harmful for life, so an, the computer and the internet if they are used beyond the limit.

Addiction to Computer Games

Addiction to computer games begins from the boyhood, and it usually happens owing to the ignorance of the parents. Computer is a tool and different types of works can be done with it As many positive words are said of this technology, parents think that what is done by computer is positive. Therefore, when they see their kids sitting before the computer for a long time, they do not think of being alert. Computer game is a kind of entertainment, and it has a different dimension. If you play computer games merely as entertainment being within the limit, that can be a part of good entertainment. However it does not happen most of the time. People across the age, kinds to adults, may be addicted to computer game. A Korean man died while playing computer game for SO hours at a stretch. A Chinese couple sold their child to pay for their computer games. These examples remind us that addiction to computer game is not unusual matt.er. If caution is not taken, a man can easily be addicred to computer game. As addiction to computer game is new, extensive reseateh works have not been done on it. In future, they will provide us absolute direction. Research has identified the presence of a stimulating chemical in a gamer's brain. addicted to computer games. The shape of a bra.in is altered in those who use computer 10 hours at a stretch 6 days a week.

Therefore, we should keep in mind that computer game could be a good entertainment, but it is very easy to be addicted to it, and the effect of it is certainly damaging.

Addiction to Social Networking Site

Man is a social being. They continued a social relation all the time. However, the nature of social communication nowadays is distinctly different from the one in past. It means a different social networking based on the internet. There are some social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, instagram, google+, etc. through which people can keep communication with their circle. Once, these sites were only for the young people, but now people of all age groups use it. They use it not for communicating with others, but also for establishing ideologies and legitimising their opinions. If it was within the periphery of objectives, it would not have created any problem, but it is a matter of regret that addiction to social networking site becomes a problem for the whole world.

The psychiatrists have started carrying on research, aand the findings show that the success of the sites depends on how skillfully they can attract the users. The main factor is how often users visit the site and how long they remain on the site. The more the site is visited, the more the site is successful and consequently, the more the site will earn money. Therefore, if the users are not careful about that there is every possibility to develop addicition to these sites.

Another interesting factor was identified by the psychiatrists. Individuals have an inherent desire to impress and admire their own self. In psychology, this is defined as 'narcissism'. The social networking sites instigate this inherent desire of human beings. A competitive attitude develops within everyone to make themselves popular. The users upload minute information of themselves, and when people watch and like it, they become happy. The entire system works like a drug, and users waste their time for hours. In fact, a major waste of time world-wide is caused by the immense popularity of social sites.

The Way out of Addiction

We have already learned in the previous chapter that a man can be addicted to computer games and social networking sites as he can be addicted to drugs. Therefore, both drug and computer game or social networking site addicts display a similar kind of signs and symptoms. It is wise to be careful than to try to get rid of being an addict. There is an apprehension that the users who do not know anything about the addiction may develop a tendency to it. Since you have read about it in the textbook, you may remain more careful about it.

People may become too preoccupied with it, as they do with other sources of entertainment. However, playing computer games does not increase our knowledge on technology. You will just have the enjoyment by playing computer games, not any technological knowledge. You should be careful about playing computer games so that it may not affect important works of your daily life.

We hope that you will not be addicted to computer games. Similiarly you will prevent the people around you from being computer game-addicts. Those who become game-addicts show some particular symptoms. They always think about a particular game, and when they start playing the game, they become excited, and they can not do their daily jobs smoothly. They become inattentive to their studies. When they are forced to keep themselves aloof from playing games, they feel discomfort. The point of worry is that the addiction may come back even after they become free from this bad habit. The people, who somehow have developed addiction to computer games and want to get rid of it, have to acknowledge to themselves that they have developed an addiction. They have to make a list of the important events of their life. They should convince themselves about the place of computer game on the list. They have to make a list of the problems of their life too, and they should find out the problem caused by playing computer games. They should divide and allocate their time to cover all the important aspects of life - study, homework, playground, extra curricular activities, spending time with the family, and voluntary social works. If they get spare time after doing all these works, they will play computer games then. They should gradually keep themselves busy with creative works rather than play computer games.

The users who have been addicted to social networking sites should proceed in the same way to get rid of the addiction . They should try to convince them that wasting a long time on these websites is a kind of addiction. When you have an intention of watching something on social networking sites, you should ask yourself whether you have really any purpose of watching it. If not, you have to control yourself. You should note down the duration of time you spend every time on the sites. After summing up the time you spend on it in a day, week, and month, you should come to a conclusion about the volume of work you could have done during this time.

You have to reduce the number of unknown friends from your social networking site to reduce your addiction. You have to convince yourself that after completing the important jobs, you can surf the sites. You have to develop the habit of deactivating social networking sites when you have exams or other important events. You will gradually reduce the addiction in this way, and finally get rid of it completely.

You should remember that every moment of your life is valuable, and it is unwise to spend these moments for any addiction.