It may seem normal to be attached to your phone, but when mindless scrolling crosses into compulsive, it might be time to address internet addiction disorder.
We’ve all heard that spending too much time in front of a screen isn‘t all that great for our well-being.
Whether spending hours scrolling through social media or online shopping, excessive and compulsive internet use can cause significant psychological stress over time. This can contribute to symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.
In addition, obsessive internet use may cause sleep disruptions and could also negatively affect your relationships and career.
If you‘re overly dependent on the internet or other online services, you may have internet addiction disorder (IAD).
Internet addiction is a behavioral addiction. Also known as “cyber addiction,“ internet addiction refers to excessive and compulsive engagement with the online world.
People who may have a loss of control when it comes to time spent online tend to prioritize the internet above important commitments, like parenting, work, or fun social activities. A person’s obsession with the internet can negatively interfere with their daily activities and responsibilities, relationships, and mood.
In the scientific community, internet addiction disorder (IAD) is sometimes called:
Despite many research studies that have looked at the effects of IAD, it is not yet recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) as a mental health condition.
IAD also shares similar characteristics to cell phone addiction or “nomophobia“ — the fear of being without your mobile device. Similarly, nomophobia can also affect an individual’s day-to-day life, since many people with this compulsion find it difficult to change the way they behave with technology.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have gotten more attached to our phones than ever. Research from 2021 found that non-academic screen time for adolescents in the United States increased to 7.7 hours after the pandemic began.
Could this qualify as IAD? Not necessarily.
But if someone is experiencing negative consequences or feels unable to pull themselves away from the internet — even for responsibilities like going to work — then they might have an obsessive relationship with the internet.
It’s not fully understood why people become addicted to the internet, but it’s safe to assume the rise of advanced technology, dopamine-inducing social media platforms, and smartphones have led to increasing dependency.
Social media networks have dopamine-boosting features, such as likes or reactions. Our brains love the feeling of getting a hit of dopamine and seek it out more and more as we build up a tolerance.
People also use the internet and online games to escape difficult emotions. A few other things may play a role, including:
There’s an important distinction between regular and problematic internet use. Regular use might include long hours spent online for work or school, in addition to a few hours per day of browsing in your free time.
Problematic internet use is a compulsive and overwhelming use of screens that interferes with your personal, professional, and social life.
