Maladaptive Internet usage patterns and Internet Addictive Disorder

¶ … IAD on today's society, and attempt to outline how an individual with IAD can help overcome the limitations of the disorder.

First, IAD is defined, and its impact on society, as a whole, is discussed. The warning signs and symptoms of IAD are then outlined. Second, the methodology of a survey designed to study Internet usage patterns is outlined. A thorough review of the relevant literature on IAD is summarized, and the importance of the current proposed study is given.

Further, the hypothesis is clearly stated, as follows: Maladaptive patterns of Internet usage can lead to Internet Addictive Disorder (IAD). The term "maladaptive patterns" is clearly defined, and used as the independent variable in the study. As such, it is the variation in patterns of Internet use that are assumed to have a causal relationship on IAD. The dependent variable is Internet Addictive Disorder.

A brief, succinct, but thorough summary of the findings of the research is noted. Summation and interpretation of responses to questions are carefully discussed. Further, the results of the survey are given in light of theories and arguments that are found in the current literature on IAD.

Finally, a comprehensive discussion on the possible treatments and prevention of IAD is given.

Specifically, the idea of a cure, in opposition to a treatment, for IAD is discussed. Further, an overview of current methods of treatment is outlined, and success rates are discussed in light of the specific treatment solutions.

In summary, the current research supports the hypothesis that maladaptive patterns of Internet usage can lead to Internet Addictive Disorder (IAD).

Introduction

Internet Addictive Disorder (IAD) is not a formally recognized mental disorder. Commonly, IAD is simply a catch phrase used to describe maladaptive behavior surrounding Internet use. For example, a wife may note that her husband comes home from work, and spends his entire evening online, instead of interacting with her and the children. An employer may note that an employee spends a large amount of time on the Internet, and neglects to perform her jog. Some individuals may run up huge online bills, indicating a possible problem with excessive Internet use.

IAD is a very difficult concept to define. There are many factors that may attract the IAD sufferer to the Internet. Chief among these is the social interaction that can be found on the Internet. The Internet can provide a safe, almost anonymous place for individuals to exchange ideas. In this sort of a setting, individuals with relatively poor social skills may feel the support and acceptance that they lack in real life situations. On the Internet, shy people can be opinionated, witty and assertive, traits that they cannot display in their real life. The Internet community can provide a sense of acceptance, respect and connection that the IAD sufferer lacks in real life.

The Internet can also provide a safe refuge. Unlike a demanding boss, or a critical spouse, the Internet is a relatively safe and unquestioning environment. For those individuals seeking to escape from their daily pressures, the Internet can provide a great refuge from the outside world. When this escape becomes maladaptive and pathological, IAD can result in the susceptible individual.

The IAD sufferer's real life may not be fulfilling, making the person susceptible to IAD. In this case, the Internet can become one of the greatest sources of pleasure in life. Individuals who are shy, lonely, depressed, or recovering addicts are especially susceptible, according to Dr. Maressa H. Orzack, founder of McLean Hospital's Computer Addiction Services in Massachusetts.

One of the great questions about IAD is whether it has its root in genetic or social conditions. Like a great many other disorders, this is difficult to discern. In the case of IAD, very little research has focused on the root cause of the disorder, so it is difficult to say with certainly if the root of IAD is social or genetic. If IAD proves to be fully accepted as a disorder within the professional mental health community, research into the root causes of the disorder will likely become a higher priority.

Certainly, IAD is a new disorder, and as such, has received a great amount of criticism. Many critics argue that it is indisputable that many people spend too much time online, and that this affects many parts of their lives including jobs and personal relationships. However, these critics argue that this does not necessarily mean that the affected individual has a disorder per se. Certainly, it is true that many individuals spend too much time reading, watching television, playing golf, or walking their dog, but these are not necessarily defined as legitimate mental disorders, as are depression and schizophrenia. Critics argue that some psychologists simply like to label every maladaptive behavior that they see as a disorder, when in fact it may simply be a harmful behavior. Research into IAD has a long way to go before this issue can be thoroughly addressed, and this survey attempts to break some ground in getting IAD recognized as a serious mental disorder.

IAD largely affects the younger segment of society. IAD is rare in the elderly, and is seen with a low frequency in middle-aged individuals. Perhaps not surprisingly, given that the large majority of Internet users have traditionally been male, IAD sufferers are largely male as well. These young men are typically intelligent, middle-class Caucasian males.

Based on appearance alone, you could never identify an IAD sufferer from any other individual in society. Unlike many other mental disorders, like depression or schizophrenia, the addict's behavior, at least on the surface, is not apparently much different from that of other individuals within society. The Internet addict is even much less conspicuous than other addicts. Certainly, the alcoholic and the addicted gambler all have behaviors that can often be readily seen as significantly different than other, normally functioning members of society.

In contrast, the Internet addict's behavior is often very difficult to identify clearly as addictive. Many individuals are required to spend large amounts of time on the Internet in order to perform their jobs, and the Internet is seen as a normal, average way to spend leisure time, especially among the younger members of society. As such, simply spending large amounts of time on the Internet is not necessarily seen as a maladaptive behavior, and many suffers of IAD are viewed as normally functioning individuals by most, if not all, segments of society as a whole.

IAD has a surprising strong impact on many differing segments of society. IAD can impact not only the life of the individual sufferer, but like other additions, plays a large role in the lives of the people surrounding the IAD sufferer. Further, IAD plays a role in society as a whole, by reducing productivity at work, and removing intelligent individuals from potential interactions with society.

IAD can impact the individual sufferer in a great number of ways. Often the IAD addict feels no control over their life, and this can bring on feelings of guilt and depression in the susceptible individual.

The person with IAD may feel useless, and feel like they are losing their grip on their friends, family, and work life.

Depending on the degree of the IAD, the individual sufferer can lose friendships, and other personal, intimate relationships can suffer greatly. The sheer amount of time that the IAD suffer spends online can be a great barrier to maintaining and developing new intimate relationships. Further, friends and family can feel rejected by the IAD sufferer, who seemingly chooses to spend an enormous amount of time on the Internet, instead of spending this time with the people in their lives.

Often, people with severe cases of IAD have difficulty finding or holding a job, or attending school. As such, IAD threatens their very livelihood. While the effects of IAD on long-term heath have not been thoroughly researched, it seems logical to suggest that the prolonged periods of inactivity seen by the IAD sufferer may have a long-term negative effect on cardiovascular health (and the health of the individual as a whole).

Further, IAD can have negative financial consequences for the IAD suffer. Certainly, if the IAD suffer loses their job due to IAD, the financial losses can be devastating. More commonly, however, IAD sufferers may neglect their finances, resulting in less serious financial concerns such as failing to pay bills on time, not filing tax returns properly, or even spending money online. The combination of IAD with a gambling disorder can be especially devastating, as Internet gambling sites are easily accessible. Further, the IAD sufferer/gambling addict may lose enormous amounts of money by participating in online gambling games like blackjack and poker.

IAD can have a large role in the lives of the people surrounding the IAD sufferer. Certainly, those in intimate personal relationships with the IAD sufferer see declines in their personal relationships.

Intimate relationships decline not only because of the amount of time that IAD sufferers spend on the Internet, but also due to a variety of other factors. When IAD begins to affect the sufferer's work and livelihood, this can only have a negative effect on the sufferer's personal relationships.

Further, those in intimate relationships with the IAD sufferer are often largely unaware of the disorder, and often attribute the IAD sufferer's odd behaviors personally. For example, the amount of time an IAD sufferer spends online is often seen as a direct and personal rejection. Since the intimate partner does not understand the nature of the addiction, it is often difficult to understand, or empathize with the IAD sufferer. This lack of empathy is also often a source of additional strain on the relationship.

Certainly, IAD has an impact on those in less personal relationships with the IAD sufferer. Work colleagues and associates may find the IAD sufferers behaviors puzzling at best, and disturbing and unconventional, at worst.

Further, IAD plays a role in society as a whole. IAD costs our society by greatly reducing productivity at work. IAD sufferers are often unable to control their addiction at work, and waste valuable time and computer resources surfing the Internet while at work. This costs corporations untold amounts of money.

Some of the societal costs of IAD are often more subtle. IAD hurts society as a whole by intelligent individuals from potential interactions with society. These people could potentially be better, and more useful members of society, if the grip of IAD did not have them so tightly in its grasp.

The symptoms of IAD include the following: "1) Using the online services everyday without any skipping, 2) Loosing track of time after making a connection, 3) Goes out less and less, 4) Spending less and less time on meals at home or at work, and eats in front of the monitor, 5) Denying spending too much time on the Net, 6) Others complaining of your too much time in front of the monitor, 7) Checking on your mailbox too many times a day, 8) You think you have got the greatest web site in the world and dying to give people your URL, 9) Logging onto the Net while already busy at work, 10) Sneaking online when spouse or family members not at home, with a sense of relief" (Addictions and Life Page).

Interestingly, this list of symptoms illustrates one of the problems with the definition of Internet addiction. How much is "too much time on the Net," and how do you define going out "less and less"? If IAD is to be considered as a serious mental disorder, issues like this must be clearly and decisively resolved among researchers into IAD. Until this is done, IAD will remain a fringe disorder.

Interestingly, Dr. Kimberly Young, the founder of the Center for Online Addiction, and netaddiction.com, has identified five types of IAD. These are: 1: cyber sexual addiction, 2) cyber-relationship addiction, 3) Internet compulsions, 4) information overload, and 5) computer addiction.

Cyber sexual addiction occurs when the individual is obsessed with pornography on the Internet, and/or adult Internet chat rooms. Cyber-relationship addiction occurs when online friendships are made in chat rooms, role-playing games, or newsgroups. Cyber sexual addiction can also take the form of online affairs. Internet compulsions occur when the individual participates in online gambling or day trading, or online auctions. Information overload, one of the forms that is the least familiar to the lay public, occurs when the individual exhibits compulsive Internet or database searching. Finally, computer addiction occurs with obsessive playing of computer games, or obsessive programming.

Dr. Ivan Goldberg coined the term Internet Addiction Disorder. He argues that the key feature of the disorder is that the sufferer will continue to use the Internet, despite knowing that their behavior is socially, physically, occupationally, or psychologically damaging to themselves or others.

Interestingly, there are a large number of Internet sites which offer quizzes that attempt to offer self-diagnostic tools for IAD. They ask questions about the amount of time spent online, whether Internet usage has resulted in job loss or financial losses, and whether Internet usage has resulted in damage to personal relationships.

Certainly, it is not clearly understood why the Internet is so addictive for those suffering from IAD. The social interaction on the Internet may be its greatest appeal. This includes interactions by e-mail, chat or even gaming. Critics argue, however, that the social seeking behavior of the online "addict" is not the same as that of the reward seeking-behavior of the slot machine addict.

Methodology

The methodology that is proposed in this research paper will outline the procedures for developing and implementing a survey on Internet usage patterns.

Certainly, there are a variety of confounds which may become important in any survey of Internet addiction. Survey respondents will be assessed for a history of previous mental disorders like depression and anxiety. Further, health problems and disabilities will be assessed, and survey participants will be asked about their history of other addictive disorders, like alcoholism or problem gambling.

Given that current Internet use is divided equally among men and women, the survey will consist of 50% males, and 50% females.

The survey will cover a wide range of ages, but will only focus on those of legal age in the United States, due to legal considerations.

Interestingly, the current literature on Internet addiction has a great many inconsistencies. Further, according to John M. Grohol, Psy.D., in the Internet Addiction Guide, none of the current studies "agree on a single definition for this problem, and all of them vary widely in their reported results of how much time an 'addict' spends online." This survey will attempt to clarify some of these inconsistencies, bring IAD into clearer focus, and silence many of the criticisms of previous research on IAD.

To date, research on IAD has consisted almost exclusively of surveys that were not designed to draw a causal relationship between specific behaviors and their root cause. These surveys were not able to define if the Internet was the cause of the maladaptive behaviors of those studied.

Many case studies have also investigated the phenomenon of IAD. These, while highly informative, do not give us much information about the disorder as a whole. Certainly, there are many of us who have heard the urban legend of the women who was so addicted to Tetris that her husband left her, and her children no longer recognized her. These case studies are often invaluable in gaining public recognition of IAD, but from a scientific standpoint, they have very little constructive to offer the serious researcher, or even the serious layperson on the serious topic of IAD.

One interesting theory is that what researchers often term as IAD is simply a "phasic" behavior (Grohol, 1999). These critics argue that the IAD diagnosis is just simply the reflection of new users on the Internet, who are fully and completely immersing themselves in this new technology. Interestingly, this argument supposes that the initial phase of Internet usage is followed by a period of disillusionment, where the new user avoids Internet usage. After a time, Internet use will eventually drop to normal levels. Accordingly, the survey proposed here will attempt to distinguish if this phasic behavior exists, by attempting to determine the length of the respondent's Internet use.

Hypothesis

Hypothesis: Maladaptive patterns of Internet usage can lead to addictive disorder.

Summary of Research Findings

Actually missing an important message" (Rothburd.)

In this scenario, the client is first only asked to imagine the least feared stimulus. The client then imagines all stimuli up to the most feared. In continuing therapy sessions the client may be asked to imagine someone telling them that they missed an important message.

Theoretically, this type of therapy would eventually result in the client being able to miss an important message without feeling anxious and unhappy.

Behavioral assignments are also used to help treat the IAD sufferer. These assignments attempt to help the sufferer gain insight and evidence of their underlying belief system. The client is then asked to test other views, and try new methods of dealing with difficult situations. Behavioral assignments are believed to help the IAD sufferer test new ways to deal with their problems. The same negative thoughts may still exist in IAD sufferers who have undergone this type of treatment. However, their specific behaviors may have changed in response to these thoughts. Further, the IAD sufferer may be aware that these negative thoughts are maladaptive, and thus begin to question them.

Interestingly, the IAD sufferer often resorts to the use of self-help therapies. Many self-help strategies can be employed, including: online self-help therapy, integrating online and offline life, and going cold turkey. Certainly, self-help therapies are usually better than no treatment, but often fail for a number of reasons. First, the motivation that is needed in order to continue self-help treatments is often difficult to maintain. Further, patients that hit difficulties or roadblocks in treatment may not have the needed self-help skills to overcome these difficulties.

In addition, treatments like going cold turkey are often impractical. Certainly, becoming a Luddite in our technologically dependent society can be greatly damaging to chances for future employment. Further, the idea of online self-help therapy for the IAD sufferer seems somewhat ludicrous. In this case, actually seeking therapy online may reinforce the disorder, as the sufferer continues to see the Internet as a source of comfort and information, which will help to solve their problems in life.

Interestingly, some have looked to governments do to help solve the problem of excessive Internet use. For example, the Saudi government requires that all Internet companies to block all illegal or unethical sites. Certainly, this approach is untenable in a country like the United States where freedom of speech is a right of all people.

In Internet addiction: symptoms, evaluation and treatment, Kimberly Young offers nine key treatment strategies for IAD that are largely based on the behavioral therapy model. These technique Young developed to treat IAD are "(a) practice the opposite time in Internet use, (b) use external stoppers, - set goals, (d) abstain from a particular application, (e) use reminder cards, (f) develop a personal inventory, (g) enter a support group, and (h) family therapy" (Young, 1999).

Interestingly, the first three of these strategies are simply techniques for time management. They simply help the IAD sufferer to recognize and hopefully to their maladaptive patterns of Internet use. While helpful, they may not be effective in treating more severe cases of IAD.

The fourth technique, which suggests abstaining from a specific application, is based on the systematic desensitization techniques already discussed. Young suggests that abstinence is most effective for IAD sufferers with a prior history of other addictions, including alcohol or drug addictions. These IAD sufferers often see the Internet as a safe substitute for their other addictions, and use the Internet as a way to avoid dealing with the underlying causes of their addictive behaviors.

Reminder cards help the IAD sufferer stay focused on the goal of reducing or abstaining from Internet use. These cards list the problems caused by Internet use, and the benefits of limiting or abstaining from Internet use. These cards help the client from feeling overwhelmed by the task of treating their IAD.

Personal inventories work on much the same principle as reminder cards. In this case, the therapist asks the IAD sufferer to list the things that they have lost because of their IAD. This can include time lost with loved ones, or time lost pursuing hobbies or employment. The client then ranks this list. This cognitive-based therapy is thought to be effective, because it forces the IAD sufferer to think about their disorder.

Support groups are commonly used to treat IAD. These groups are especially useful if the IAD is driven by the socially positive effects of the Internet. In other words, IAD sufferers who benefit from this treatment often use the Internet excessively as a social crutch. In this case, support groups can provide a much-needed social interaction. It is important that the support group be nonjudgmental and truly supportive of the IAD sufferer. Further, the group must be specifically tailored to each individual. These groups allow IAD sufferers to make friends in a non-Internet related situation, thus hopefully decreasing their dependence on the Internet as a social crutch.

Family therapy is often also used to help treat IAD. This is necessary for IAD sufferers whose personal relationships have been damaged by excessive Internet use. Family therapy helps to educate the family about IAD, and reduce the blame that is directed toward the IAD sufferer. Further, family therapy seeks to improve communication within the family, and attempt to discover some of the underlying causes of the IAD. Family therapy can also help to encourage the family to assist with the IAD sufferer's recovery.