Internet Addictive Disorder or Iad Is Defined

¶ … Internet Addictive Disorder or IAD is defined in this paper as a "maladaptive behavior surrounding the use of the Internet," and it was established earlier that this kind of disorder is not yet formally recognized, most especially among the scientific community. IAD is significant and poses a crucial problem for every individual who gets acquainted with Internet use, and even though IAD may be difficult to define and determine accurately, the problems it poses to an individual and the society around him/her can be considered serious and critical.

This paper also discussed some behavioral patterns in which one can observed an individual or even one's self if they are afflicted with this kind of disorder. Primarily, IAD is considered to be type of an obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD). Another theory says that IAD is only a "phasic" behavior, which can be rationally explained because of the overwhelming effect of Information Technology, particularly the Internet, in everybody's lives. Although these theories only describe and try to explain the phenomenon of IAD as a psychological disorder, scientists and other proponents against the psychological theories that explain IAD have raised certain arguments. These IAD opponents stated that Internet Addictive Disorder is not entirely a disorder, since psychologists, they say, tend to label maladaptive behavior as a disorder. This is not entirely the case, they say. IAD may be characterized as a maladaptive behavior, but is certainly not a disorder, since individuals who tend to be 'obsessed' or 'engrossed' in an activity such as Internet use can hardly be identified as a disorder at all, but rather, Internet use that characterizes maladaptive behavior is just a simple case of the initial phase of Internet use, which will eventually decline once an individual's interest and use in it declined. Despite the theories proposed explaining IAD and its nature, and arguments that oppose the IAD theories, Internet Addiction Disorder, or whatever term we may call it, exists in our society and is thus, inevitable, most especially with the advent of media technology where people are entertained and provides social contact by only sitting in front of the computer.

To establish clearly whether IAD is really a prevalent and existing disorder, and to determine the degree by which IAD affects an individual and the people around him/her, a research study investigating the possible origins of the said disorder was conducted. The study found out that there are a large number of theories that explains the behavior and nature of the disorder. In determining end explaining these theories in the realm of individual and social interaction, the cognitive-behavioral theories and therapy are often applied, although the biological aspect of an individual known to have IAD is also essential to study the physiological effects of too much Internet use in an individual. Although this disorder is purely individualistic in nature, the environment surrounding an individual with IAD is affected as well. Social and personal relationship with the environment and family, respectively, deteriorate because of frequent Internet use. An individual gradually becomes detached with his surrounding world, and becomes more involved with the 'Internet world.' Thus, IAD is not only a psychological disorder, but a social problem as well.