Internet addiction: symptoms, prevention, treatment

Over the past 10-15 years, the Internet has firmly invaded the life of modern people. He even managed to become some part of it. Almost every modern person visits the Internet at least once a day. There are a huge number of reasons to go online: communication, dating, work, shopping, leisure, and so on.

The Internet in its current form brings enormous benefits to all humanity. It was the Internet that gave access to an endless flow of information, thanks to which new knowledge and the opportunity to study and receive education from anywhere in the world became available to every person. In general, you can talk about the benefits of the Internet for a long time, but like any vaccine, the Internet also has side effects, one of them is Internet addiction, which we will talk about in this article.

Internet addiction is a mental disorder accompanied by a huge number of behavioral problems and, by and large, consists of a person’s inability to get off the Internet in a timely manner, as well as his constant manic desire to go there again.

Internet addiction problems

But is Internet addiction really that dangerous in modern life? We have long been under the influence of phobias and remain insurmountably dependent on many modern advances. If you look into the recent past, you will be surprised for a long time at how people used to get by without a cell phone, computer, dishwasher, washing machine, etc.

So all the achievements of science, technology and progress can be viewed from different points of view. It is quite difficult to determine what is more beneficial or harmful - contained in a particular invention. None of the small or grandiose inventions have only positive properties. It is also impossible to assess the degree of dependence on a particular invention.

Some of them are presented as phobias or addictions if they begin to use them more and more often, and perhaps to the detriment of other things. This is how dependence on something is revealed. In the case of the Internet, dependence began to manifest itself when games “settled” there and social networks appeared.

Causes of Internet addiction

Until the time when the Internet was used exclusively as an information resource and was used to find the necessary information for work and study, there was no talk of any phobias.

What about your privacy?

According to the documentation provided by Microsoft on NCSI, their servers store access times as well as IP addresses when a DNS lookup request is made to www.msftncsi.com. Although they claim that the information is confidential, some may still find it inconvenient.

To resolve this issue, disable the NCSI feature in Windows. This can be achieved by changing the system registries, as well as from the Group Policy Editor.

How to disable NCSI from Registry Editor

Open Registry Editor by typing regedit in the Run box.
In the left pane, navigate to the following: HKEY_Local_Machine -> System -> CurrentControlSet -> Services -> NlaSvc -> Parameters -> Internet
Now double click EnableActiveProbing in the right pane and set the Value Data to 0.
Click OK and restart your computer.

Types of Internet addiction

Psychologists distinguish 5 main types:

uncontrollable thirst for constant, uninterrupted online communication (various Internet forums, instant messengers, social networks, chats) - this is the most common type
human problems in self-expression. In everyday reality among people, a person is afraid to express his opinion and thoughts. He cannot argue his position, his views, and is afraid to speak publicly. He has a fear of real society and its opinions. And such a complex person, unsure of himself, can very boldly express his thoughts on the Internet, and is not afraid of virtual interlocutors or their disapproval.
Internet gaming addiction (gaming addiction). A person cannot stop playing an online game. This becomes his main form of leisure. He strives to win, become a winner and a super hero at least in games (especially if in real life he cannot achieve any significant success)
online casino. Internet addiction of a person to gambling for money.
cybersex. A person develops cybersexual attraction (an obsessive addiction to watching porn films on the Internet and satisfying one’s sexual needs). The reason is sexual dissatisfaction in real life. Over time, this problem gets worse, especially if there is a family or a permanent partner.

Features of Internet addiction

Internet addiction does not appear immediately, but develops gradually. But a phobia inevitably arises.

Some users calmly and impartially tolerate everything that does not concern their interests and do not “buy” into all sorts of nonsense specifically posted on the Internet.

Only the initial bad manners and weakness of a person’s character allows one to fall into Internet addiction. If a person is so unstable to the imposed “free cheese”, then it is useless to educate him, especially with the help of the same Internet.

The network itself does not bring anything terrible; everything depends only on the individual person.

We have long been in an insurmountable dependence from which it is impossible to get rid of. It is impossible to live without money, be it electronic or cash. The natural needs for food and the need to relieve oneself cannot be overcome, but this does not mean that a person is fatally dependent on these needs.

The Internet, in its essence, is not much different from a garbage dump or a chamber pot. And this phenomenon or object should be treated properly. While meeting our natural needs, the Internet allows us to live with greater comfort. This is similar to the conveniences in the house or on the street, this is the similar difference between the Internet network and a public toilet.

General characteristics of the Internet

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The categories “information”, “information sphere”, “information activity”, “information society” are most closely related to such areas of human activity as cognition and communication.

The emergence of the Internet was preceded by the appearance of the telegraph, telephone, radio, television, and computer. The creative combination of the advantages of these technical means ultimately led to the creation of a new technology for storing, transmitting and using information. The nature of the Internet follows from the cognitive and communicative functions of human activity. Information in the form of knowledge in the process of cognition and information activity in the communication process as a form of information interaction are in close interdependence.

In the 1960s a prototype of the Internet was created, which performed a purely communication function, i.e. used as a means of communication for primarily military purposes. With the invention of a special technology for internetworking (TCP/IP protocol) and the creation of web technologies for processing and using network information, the Internet itself appeared. Since the mid-1990s. The global process of creating electronic network libraries and web servers on which huge information resources are stored has begun.

From the point of view of scientific and technological development, the emergence of the Internet is an event of great importance. It is already difficult for modern man to cope without the Internet both in his transformative (scientific, educational and industrial) activities and in everyday life. The Internet is also of great importance for lawyers, since it contains a huge array of legal and other (law-related) information, including:

– about government bodies;

– legal activities;

– international aspects of the existence and development of the legal system;

– regulatory legal information;

– judicial practice;

– legal literature;

– information about international aspects of the existence and development of the legal system;

– news, statistical, analytical materials of a legal nature;

– counter-legal information.

To understand the place and role of the Internet in modern life, it is necessary to note some characteristic features and properties of this new social phenomenon.

To determine the essence of the Internet, it is necessary to consider it as a technological system and as a social phenomenon. First, it is more appropriate to consider the sociocultural properties of the Internet, which can be assessed positively (as advantages) or negatively (as disadvantages).

Positive properties of the Internet include mass character, social usefulness, accessibility, increased resource intensity, transparency, communication, versatility, and distance.

Mass character . According to experts, currently the number of computers connected to the Internet has exceeded 800 million. It should be noted that the number of computers and the number of their users may not coincide, since one person may have several computers connected to the network. In our country, the number of connections is already more than 40 million. An increasing number of representatives of science and education are becoming Internet users, for whom there are preferential conditions for collective connection, as well as entire systems (university collective computer networks, academic scientific networks, individual educational networks, etc.). d.).

Availability . The Internet network is quite democratic. To connect to the network it is enough:

– buy a computer with average technical characteristics,

– install standard software on it,

– call the provider providing Internet services and conclude an agreement for connection and service.

It is easy and accessible to many. Thus, you become a user of the global network information space. The terms of use are simple, and the amount of information received is practically unlimited.

Increased resource intensity and openness of information . The volume of useful information on the Internet today is measured in hundreds of exabytes, i.e. 1018 bytes. Experts point out that every three to four years the amount of information on the Internet doubles.

Network information is open (transparent) in nature. This is the general principle of activity on the Internet and the dissemination of information on it. This, of course, a progressive property of a new technological tool for humanity is gradually becoming a burden for society, since the relationship between the freedom of information dissemination and the responsibility of its distributor is in a deep crisis.

Communication skills . With the help of Internet technologies, today you can use e-mail, IP telephony, use interactive forms of work, conduct video conferences, communicate in chat rooms, forums, etc.

Versatility . The technological properties of the Internet make it possible to use it both as an electronic library and as a means of communication.

High speed of transmission , exchange and reception of information. Modern technologies make it possible to almost instantly transmit over vast distances not only simple messages, but also large volumes of multi-format information.

Distance . Ability to work remotely. This property of the Internet allows educational and scientific activities to be carried out regardless of the user’s actual location.

Possibility of exchanging information for commercial purposes . Currently, this property is successfully used when doing business electronically. Concluding transactions and conducting payments electronically are gradually replacing other types of payments in the business sector of the economy, especially in the countries of the “golden billion”.

Disadvantages or properties of a negative nature include the danger of unauthorized access, increased availability of negative information, the danger of being used as a tool for causing harm, substitution of values and society’s dependence on Internet technologies, virtuality.

Danger of unauthorized access . The danger manifests itself not only in the threat of viruses, but also in the possibility of unauthorized access to data, including personal and sensitive data.

Availability of negative information . The destructive nature of information on the Internet is manifested not only in the negative content of “dirty” content, but also in the ease of access to such information, which undoubtedly harms both the individual and the safety of society.

Substitution of public values and society's dependence on Internet technologies . The availability of Internet resources and the ease of mastering them gradually changes the lifestyle and image of human activity; it becomes, as it were, simplified. A person easily replaces familiarization with the real values of civilization (books in libraries, paintings in museums, etc.) with familiarity with their virtual forms, often of low quality or unreliable content.

Getting used to network resources, people and even collective communities (Internet clubs) switch exclusively to online communication, online introduction to culture, online forms of education, etc.

Due to these circumstances, it is quite acceptable to apply to the assessment of the network nature of modern society Marshall McLuhan’s conclusion about revolutionary changes in society at the junction of the information era: changes not only in “the language and form of human perception of reality, but also in qualitative changes in the system of human activity and social values” (8, 288-295).

Society's dependence on Internet technologies . Internet addiction is becoming one of the most dangerous phenomena of modern society. This includes professional-technological dependence, for example, stock exchange activity is already purely virtual in nature, all trading on stock exchanges and transactions concluded there are carried out exclusively in electronic form on the basis of Internet technologies. No less dangerous is socio-psychological dependence, the possibility of manipulating consciousness. Some scientists and specialists note that this quality has become a decisive element of the information technology revolution, and at the same time the creation of a new type of society that has qualitatively new, previously unprecedented features.

Virtuality . The reality of existing reality and its virtual representation in a technologically created Internet environment or network space (cyberspace) is one of the most significant contradictions of the modern era of development of the information society. Unfortunately, the virtual representation of existing objects of life and activity is often deliberately created in a distorted form. An Internet user does not have the opportunity to check the accuracy of virtual images of reality immediately as they are received, and therefore he creates an incorrect idea of reality, given by the virtual, and forms distorted knowledge about objects and objects.

Internet definition

In its structure and content, the Internet is a complex interweaving of social, technical and technological, cognitive and sociocultural dimensions, connections and interdependencies. We are interested in the Internet from the point of view of understanding the technology and technology of network information processes and their content.

As a social phenomenon and as an independent object of social relations, the Internet becomes the subject of legal science and the educational discipline of information law.

What is the technological nature of the Internet and its characteristics? The difficulty is that there is no single definition in the computer science literature.

Some authors note that the Internet is a global network for transmitting information in the form of data. Others write that the Internet is international networks and internetworking based on them. Probably both are right.

The basic definition of an information and telecommunications network is given in Art. 2 of the Law “On Information”: “a technological system designed to transmit information over communication lines, access to which is carried out using computer technology.”

The Internet as a system includes complex elements of network technological infrastructure - a network of lines and communication channels (telecommunications) and complex telecommunications equipment, special software designed for placement (presentation) on a website, transmission and use of data.

A telephone communication line (telecommunications) is a physical medium through which network information is transferred (data transfer) between final telecommunications equipment (terminals). Depending on the nature of the communication line, the principle of its construction, purpose and use, wired, fiber-optic, radio, telephone, telegraph and computer communication lines are distinguished.

A communication network channel (data transmission) is part of the Internet and connects (connects) each pair of communication terminals (terminals).

line - a communication line installed only for the duration of the connection between the transmitting and receiving switching device, organized in the telephone network using modems (modulators) that convert the analog signal into digital form (for processing by computers) and back .

In addition to modems, complex telecommunications equipment may include a hub (a device for connecting several workstations of a local area network to the Internet) and a router (a device for organizing communication between several networks and their interaction).

In addition, the network technological infrastructure includes organizational and technological requirements specifically created for simultaneous data transfer - standard rules for organizing the reception/transmission and use of data (TCP/IP protocols). The TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) protocol determines the order in which data is divided into discrete packets and controls their transmission (delivery) and integrity. The IP protocol (Inernet Protocol) describes the format of the data packet transmitted over the network, as well as the assignment and support of network subscriber addresses (21, 500).

Organizational and technological elements also include a hierarchically distributed system for registering and identifying network computers (domain name sistem). On the Internet, there is a double meaning of the address (domain) name - digital and symbolic. A numeric value is determined by a combination of four sets of numbers (from 0 to 225) separated by a period. The symbolic meaning is determined by the semantic combination of letters of the English alphabet, for example, usla.ru, yandex.ru or kremlin.ru.

Each computer on the Internet must have its own IP address - a unique combination of digital and symbolic meaning of its location on the global network.

The technological elements of the network infrastructure include a web browser - a special program designed to view network pages. Such a program (for example, Internet Explorer) is installed on the network user’s computer.

In addition, the technological elements of the network technological infrastructure include a program for integrating network documents, which uses special languages for creating and presenting, as well as searching and using documents logically related to each other by keywords and phrases, and ensuring their quick search and viewing (hypertext). Such programs use, for example, markup languages HTML, XML, etc. Based on the principles of operation and use of these infrastructure elements, a modern system for creating and presenting information on the Internet (WWW - World Wide Web) is organized. This abbreviation is associated with various names of elements of the Internet (web server, web portal, website, web page, web client, etc.).

Finally, the technological elements of the network infrastructure include a portal (site, page) - a technological information and telecommunication system for posting, presenting and using network information, as well as direct user access to it. A portal (from the Latin porta - gate) is a system of network hierarchically constructed information resources and a technology for providing access to them using a special service and software. A portal (site) can be a creatively designed information graphic drawing that has individual characteristics of the work. Based on the combination of all these characteristics (hierarchy of resources, technology of placement, presentation and use, as well as graphic design), a portal or site can be registered as an object of copyright protection.

As a rule, a web portal differs from a website in a large volume (array) of information in various forms (text, graphic, video, speech, etc.), direct access and fast navigation, the presence of a search service, ensuring group work of users, the presence of cataloging, the use of powerful telecommunications equipment and its support, as well as safe working conditions with all applications.

The Internet is a global information and telecommunications technological system consisting of a collection (array) of information intended for transmission via communication lines and presented on a portal (website), access to which is carried out using organizational, software and computing tools, as well as other elements of the network. infrastructure.

Signs of the Internet are the presence of:

– hierarchically organized arrays of information (information resources);

– networks of lines and communication channels;

– complex telecommunications equipment;

– computer equipment (workstations, computers);

– organizational and technological infrastructure;

– systems for presenting data and accessing them (portals and websites).

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Stages of Internet addiction

The following stages are divided depending on the development of the disease:

a person begins to use the Internet, gets acquainted with its functions and capabilities, and chooses his priorities as a user.
a person becomes involved in the virtual world and moves away from reality, spending more and more time on the Internet.
a person is completely absorbed by the Internet. The problem of addiction is obvious, the symptoms are pronounced, and develops into a chronic stage. The increasing factor of addiction is constant stress, insomnia, and physical ailments.

Checking connection status

If it becomes clear that the problem with the Internet is related to the laptop, then you need to check its settings. First of all, you need to find out the connection status. In order to view it, you need to take the following steps:

Click on the “Start” button, which is located in the lower left corner of the screen. In the menu that opens, select “Control Panel”.
Go to the “Network and Internet” section, then to the “Network and Sharing Center”.
There is a vertical menu on the left side of the page. In it you will need to find the line “Change parameters”.
After this, a new page will show all available active connections.

Connecting and setting up the ZyXEL Keenetic router model Lite II

To check how the Internet connection settings work, you need to right-click on it. In the menu that appears, select the bottom line “Properties”. After this, a window with a large number of tabs will open. In the list that appears, select “Internet Protocol version 4” and click on the “Properties” button.

Here they check whether the IP addresses are set correctly. In some cases they must be static. Then they must be entered in accordance with the instructions of the Internet provider.

Important! Dynamically obtained addresses are often used. For them, the necessary notes should be in the settings.

Signs of Internet addiction

constant thoughts about web surfing, the desire to be always online
disturbance of the psycho-emotional state - turning on a computer, tablet, mobile phone and access to the Internet causes an emotional upsurge
It takes more and more time to get pleasure/euphoria from virtual communication or Internet games
the inability to access the Internet or the absence of a long time for web surfing become causes of severe irritability, bad mood, apathy, and depression
internal or interpersonal contradictions of a person, conflict of activity on the Internet with other activities
It is impossible to distract a dependent person from a computer, tablet, mobile phone and motivate him to go outside
reduction in communication with real people, refusal to visit friends, acquaintances and relatives, gradually loss of contact with others
constantly checking email on the Internet, updating pages on social portals, dating accounts, etc.
regular conversations about the Internet, even with people who are not knowledgeable about this topic
decreased sense of time. A person does not notice how time passes on the Internet, he planned to go online for just a couple of minutes for an important urgent matter, but left after a few hours;
immersed in the Internet, a person forgets about work, his responsibilities, other people, meetings with them, his promises, etc.
the Internet network is turned on and visited unconsciously (automatically) without a specific purpose
the fact of money spent on the Internet is carefully hidden from the family.

Age of Internet addicts

Not only teenagers suffer from this disease (they constantly need to be online, always in touch, aware of all events).

The adult generation, and even grandparents, who use social networks and instant messengers to try to cope with loneliness and dissatisfaction with the world around them, are also at risk.

Family and loved ones complain about the person’s irresponsibility and disconnection from reality. But the addict himself cannot notice his deviations and his painful passion.

Internet addiction treatment

If there is a suspicion that a phobia is occurring, then measures should be taken and get rid of addictions. Leave the Internet to others to impartially assess whether the impact of the Internet will affect them more than it will affect you. The presence of the Internet is now perceived as natural as the presence of water in the tap.

But if a person nevertheless becomes highly psychologically dependent on the Internet, then he needs the help of a qualified specialist—a psychotherapist who will prescribe the necessary treatment.

First, the causes of Internet addiction are diagnosed and the depressive state is eliminated. The basis of addiction treatment is psychological support, which is selected for each patient very individually. Her goal is to improve relationships with family and friends. The addict is taught self-control and the ability to solve problems on his own, develops will in a person, increases his self-esteem, and forms new life habits and hobbies.

The treatment complex also contains a medicinal method. A doctor prescribes mood-improving antidepressants to an Internet patient. Antagonists of narcotic analgesics help to get rid of psychological dependence.

Internet addiction as a mental disorder

Checking the router for Internet connection

In this case, you need to reboot it first. In this case, the router can usually configure itself to the desired wireless communication channel. If it is connected to a laptop or tablet via WiFi, then it may turn out that the wireless networks available in this place occupy all available channels and interfere with normal communication. When rebooting, most router models look for the least busy channel and use it for the home network.

Options for refusing to use Beeline home Internet and television services

In order to make sure that the router settings are correct, you can use any browser. Here you manually enter the IP address that was indicated in the technical data sheet of the router. After this, a window will appear for entering your login and password. At the first launch, the lines “admin” “admin” are used in this capacity (for login and password). They can be changed later, but they are often left the same.

After entering the settings, they are checked. If necessary, make adjustments, confirm the entry and exit.

Important! Features of the choice of parameters are determined by the router model and the equipment connected to it.

Consequences of Internet addiction

In general, dependence on the Internet is not something to be afraid of. In the future, it will be replaced by something new that will certainly appear in society under the influence of the growth and development of innovative technologies. The world does not stand still, everything develops, and the Internet also appeared in its time.

In the first time after its appearance, the attitude towards the Internet was completely indifferent. After several years, web technologies began to conquer the virtual information space.

And what resulted as a result, we can judge by what the Internet now represents, how it influences modern society and what phobias are associated with it.

Is it possible to cope with addiction on your own?

It is difficult to cope with such a mental disorder on your own. But as a preventative measure, and to reduce the craving for the virtual world, you can learn to control yourself, namely:

record the time spent at the computer;
gradually reduce your online time, delete some personal pages;
organize alternative exciting leisure activities;
try to use the Internet only for business purposes, etc.

The environment and relatives can help you follow such simple rules. But if independent steps in the fight against pathological cravings for the Internet do not bring the expected result, you should not delay visiting a doctor. You need to contact Internet addiction treatment clinics as soon as possible.