ladyrowan
August 11th, 2001, 05:43 PM
Just found this on www.newscientist.com
Thought you'd all like it 8O
Question
Is the Internet addictive? My mother always seems to be online chatting with her friends. If it is, does this mean that you can become addicted to your social life?
Answer
This depends on your definition of addiction. In the narrow sense of physical dependence on a psychoactive chemical, the answer is not really. But in the sense of mental dependence on an activity, the answer is yes--one could argue that it is reasonable to call it an addiction, obsession or compulsion. However, it would debase the term to apply it to everyone who happens to enjoy an activity and indulge in it whenever possible.
In the case of obsessive long-distance runners who run for the sake of a "pain high", for example, one could argue that there is a physical addiction to internal opioids. Similarly, some obsessive behaviour may have physiological components, but it seems more likely that when you're overloaded with the troubles and stresses of the real world, online correspondence takes your mind off them, and can sometimes gain you a very satisfying circle of friends. You soon associate that reward with the activity, and the need for it can rapidly grow to the point where deprivation can be very distressing. Such compulsive escape from unwelcome realities amounts to addiction of a sort.
But you mustn't jump to facile conclusions about your nearest and dearest. What you perceive as addiction may for them be a healthy and constructive social activity. Their friendship could even be saving someone else's life online. It has been known to happen.
Jon Richfield, Somerset West, South Africa
Thought you'd all like it 8O
Question
Is the Internet addictive? My mother always seems to be online chatting with her friends. If it is, does this mean that you can become addicted to your social life?
Answer
This depends on your definition of addiction. In the narrow sense of physical dependence on a psychoactive chemical, the answer is not really. But in the sense of mental dependence on an activity, the answer is yes--one could argue that it is reasonable to call it an addiction, obsession or compulsion. However, it would debase the term to apply it to everyone who happens to enjoy an activity and indulge in it whenever possible.
In the case of obsessive long-distance runners who run for the sake of a "pain high", for example, one could argue that there is a physical addiction to internal opioids. Similarly, some obsessive behaviour may have physiological components, but it seems more likely that when you're overloaded with the troubles and stresses of the real world, online correspondence takes your mind off them, and can sometimes gain you a very satisfying circle of friends. You soon associate that reward with the activity, and the need for it can rapidly grow to the point where deprivation can be very distressing. Such compulsive escape from unwelcome realities amounts to addiction of a sort.
But you mustn't jump to facile conclusions about your nearest and dearest. What you perceive as addiction may for them be a healthy and constructive social activity. Their friendship could even be saving someone else's life online. It has been known to happen.
Jon Richfield, Somerset West, South Africa