Rise Of Internet Addiction

Theriseofinternetaddictionamong today's youth, termed "netholicism," has become a pressing concern in the digital era. The pervasive nature ofinternetusage among youth, driven by factors such as individual vulnerabilities, societal norms, and addictive online activities, contributes to the development of problematicinternetuse.

Internetaddictiondisorder (IAD) is a behavioraladdictioncharacterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges, or behaviors regardinginternetuse that lead to impairment or distress. 1 This disorder encompasses a variety of online activities, including excessive gaming, social media use, and generalinternetbrowsing. 2 ...

Excessive and compulsive use of theinternetor online activities can lead to negative consequences in various aspects of an individual's life. Technologyaddiction* can potentially involve various forms of online activity including social media, gaming, gambling, problematic use of online pornography, and others.

Internetaddictionin North America stands at 15.2%, showing a steady upward trend over the last five years. South America saw a sharprisein reported cases, now at 22.6%, attributed partly to increased mobile broadband penetration.

This chapter presents the history and evolution ofInternetaddictionand describes the risk factors identified. As the problem has become more widespread, new studies examine the neuroscientific causes ofInternetaddictionand ways that the disorder may be treated primarily using behavior therapy, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and residential care. The chapter also provides the ...