Computer addiction is not a 'virtual' reality

IN THE past, addictions were considered to be the result of a physiological dependency upon a substance that was also often associated with psychological stimulation.

This physiological dependency would seem to rule out so-called addictions to shopping, pornography, exercise, gambling and computer usage.

However, one could argue that engaging in these activities produces chemical changes in the body (production of endorphins) to which a person can become addicted.

So, can people really be considered to be addicted to computer use? If they're not addicted, why do some people engage in self-destructive overuse of computers?

Computer and Internet addiction have entered into our language for good reason. Problems related to computer and Internet use are very real. According to a Stanford University School of Medicine Study, one in eight Americans suffer from Internet addiction, 14 per cent of respondents found it hard to abstain from the Internet for several days; 5.9 per cent said excessive Internet use affected their relationships; 8.2 per cent said the Internet was a means of escape from the real world.

Researchers reported that the incidence rate of Internet addiction among Taiwan college students was 5.9 per cent and claimed that 10.6 per cent of Chinese college students were Internet addicts.

One Beijing judge claimed that 85 per cent of juvenile crime in the city was Internet-related. The China Communist Youth League claimed in 2007 that over 17 per cent of Chinese citizens between 13 and 17 were addicted to the Internet.

Recent research data suggested that 13.7 per cent of Chinese adolescents, roughly 10 million people, meet the diagnostic criterion for Internet addiction. This, reportedly, led to China restricting use of computers for gaming to three hours a day. Computer addicts tend to lose all sense of time when they are online. They are drawn so deeply into the cyber-world that they do not notice entire days passing by.

They forget to eat, sleep, go to school or even care for their children. They shirk responsibilities, slack off at work and miss appointments.

The virtual world and the real world are competing for their attention, and the virtual world often wins.

This is particularly true for those who play online games or develop online personas and are drawn into a real-time online world where they can be a new and "better" self that is rich, powerful and popular.

The same is true for those who use the Internet to develop romantic or sexual relationships with other online users.

I have worked with clients who have struggled with computer use and have suffered serious consequences.

Some have jeopardised marriages while others, who were excellent students, began to fail high school or university, became isolated and even malnourished, and required serious intervention to prevent further problems.

Despite the appearance of addiction, most experts feel that computer use that interferes with daily living and relationships is better considered an obsessive-compulsive behaviour or simply a symptom of other existing disorders. Many who overuse computers do so to avoid stressful, anxiety-provoking or depressing situations in the real world.

When someone is suffering with these kinds of issues, the key is to identify ways to maintain a healthy balance between time spent online and time spent interacting in person with family and friends.

Arguing that computer use is an addiction and therefore you are not responsible for your actions and cannot control yourself is not a valid argument.

Most compulsive computer users respond well to cognitive-behavioural therapy, which helps them examine what they get out of their computer use and what they are avoid or not get in the real world.

Once the problem has been fully examined, it is much easier to make progress in achieving a healthy balance between computer time and real-life time.

Although it may take some work and require effort, those who beat the problem are happier afterwards. Instead of pining for the computer, they are happy to have a richer, more satisfying real life.

Todd McPherson is a psychologist and therapist at Riverview Medical Clinic, Bandar Seri Begawan. Tel: 8637750. Email: counsellingbrunei@hotmail. com

The Brunei Times