Internet Addiction

[Zion Lee]

According to the online article "What is ŒNormal¹ Internet Use?" by Dr.
Leonard Holmes
(http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/sexaddict/a/normalinet.htm), there is
no definite answer to the above question. At the American Psychological
Association¹s 1997 annual convention, Victor Brenner provided some
insight into this hotly contested topic. Through a World Wide Web
survey, Brenner¹s subjects reported 19 hours of average weekly Internet
usage. Also reported were ten different signs of interference with
daily life (missing meals, missing sleep, inability to manage time,
etc.), problems which parallel those of drug dependents. An unforeseen
outcome of this study is that 80% of those surveyed confirmed having
five or more of these indicators.
Unfortunately, the results from this particular survey are
inconsistent with those of other studies. In another study, "dependent"
users averaged only 11 online hours each week. When compared to the
average of all the participants‹just 8 hours per week‹the difference is
insignificant. Furthermore, only 13% of those sampled were classified
as "dependent" users because they demonstrated at least 3 of the 10
symptoms associated with Brenner¹s study.
Due to the vast differences encountered in just these two studies,
"normal" Internet usage is yet to be determined. However, we do know
that for the majority of the global population, the answer is zero
hours. In addition, what is done online is easily as important, if not
more so, than the amount of time spent online. Certain online
activities appear to be more addictive and compelling than others.
I found this article to be somewhat ironic because of the fact that
it was found online. For an Internet addict to look for help on this
page, would that not be more "surfing"?

[Jennifer Rose]

Post by Zion Lee
According to the online article "What is ŒNormal¹ Internet Use?" by Dr.
Leonard Holmes
(http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/sexaddict/a/normalinet.htm), there is
no definite answer to the above question. At the American Psychological
Association¹s 1997 annual convention, Victor Brenner provided some
insight into this hotly contested topic. Through a World Wide Web
survey, Brenner¹s subjects reported 19 hours of average weekly Internet
usage. Also reported were ten different signs of interference with
daily life (missing meals, missing sleep, inability to manage time,
etc.), problems which parallel those of drug dependents. An unforeseen
outcome of this study is that 80% of those surveyed confirmed having
five or more of these indicators.
Unfortunately, the results from this particular survey are
inconsistent with those of other studies. In another study, "dependent"
users averaged only 11 online hours each week. When compared to the
average of all the participants‹just 8 hours per week‹the difference is
insignificant. Furthermore, only 13% of those sampled were classified
as "dependent" users because they demonstrated at least 3 of the 10
symptoms associated with Brenner¹s study.
Due to the vast differences encountered in just these two studies,
"normal" Internet usage is yet to be determined. However, we do know
that for the majority of the global population, the answer is zero
hours. In addition, what is done online is easily as important, if not
more so, than the amount of time spent online. Certain online
activities appear to be more addictive and compelling than others.
I found this article to be somewhat ironic because of the fact that
it was found online. For an Internet addict to look for help on this
page, would that not be more "surfing"?

This is definatly ironic that they would post this on the internet when
it is talking about how people become depenent on the internet. I agree
that people can become dependent on the internet, but i think that to be
dependent on the internet you need to spend more than 11 or 19 hours on
the computer. 11 hours a day is not even 2 hours a day, and I know that
I sometimes spend that much time on the internet in one day but I would
definatly say that I am not addicted to it. But none the less I still
agree that one can become dependent on the internet.

[Viraj Patel]

Post by Zion Lee
According to the online article "What is ŒNormal¹ Internet Use?" by Dr.
Leonard Holmes
(http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/sexaddict/a/normalinet.htm), there is
no definite answer to the above question. At the American Psychological
Association¹s 1997 annual convention, Victor Brenner provided some
insight into this hotly contested topic. Through a World Wide Web
survey, Brenner¹s subjects reported 19 hours of average weekly Internet
usage. Also reported were ten different signs of interference with
daily life (missing meals, missing sleep, inability to manage time,
etc.), problems which parallel those of drug dependents. An unforeseen
outcome of this study is that 80% of those surveyed confirmed having
five or more of these indicators.
Unfortunately, the results from this particular survey are
inconsistent with those of other studies. In another study, "dependent"
users averaged only 11 online hours each week. When compared to the
average of all the participants‹just 8 hours per week‹the difference is
insignificant. Furthermore, only 13% of those sampled were classified
as "dependent" users because they demonstrated at least 3 of the 10
symptoms associated with Brenner¹s study.
Due to the vast differences encountered in just these two studies,
"normal" Internet usage is yet to be determined. However, we do know
that for the majority of the global population, the answer is zero
hours. In addition, what is done online is easily as important, if not
more so, than the amount of time spent online. Certain online
activities appear to be more addictive and compelling than others.
I found this article to be somewhat ironic because of the fact that
it was found online. For an Internet addict to look for help on this
page, would that not be more "surfing"?

If a person is truely addicted to the internet, the only way in which to
communicate to him/her would be through the use of the internet. I agree
with the facts that internet addiction causes people to miss a lot of
important things in their lives, and i think it should be controlled at
any cost.