Internet addiction – what is it, where does it come from and how to fight it? FOMO syndrome

Proven content

The Internet is an integral part of the lives of many of us. Thanks to the wide range of possibilities it offers, it has become not only a work tool, but also a source of gratification. According to research conducted by the American Psychological Association, about 6% of people are addicted to the Internet. people who use the web on a daily basis. Find out what Internet addiction manifests itself in and how to treat it.

What is internet addiction?

Internet addiction, also known as network addiction or internet addiction is a condition when a person develops behavioral disorders through contact with the Internet. The addict begins to malfunction in the mental, social and economic spheres. As a result, they may have problems, for example, with finding or keeping employment, with relatives or at school.

This phenomenon is not officially recognized as a disease entity and is not included in the International Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death. From a medico-sanitary point of view, it means an unbridled need for internet use. The lack of such a possibility leads to psychophysical disorders. A compulsive internet user is unable to help himself.

K. Young identified five subtypes of Internet addiction: They are:

1. Internet erotomania – its symptoms are frequent visits to pornographic sites. Such people are also often active on internet forums and erotic chats. Internet eroticomania can even stimulate pedophilia and zoophilia. It is especially dangerous for emotionally unstable people, especially the youngest.
2. Internet sociomania – it is addiction to social contacts on the Internet. For a sick person, Internet connections displace those from the real world – he or she may talk to people from all over the world for several hours, and at the same time have a problem with establishing relationships with a neighbor or other people outside the Internet. What is more, people with Internet social mania often do not have any friends except those from the Internet and they lose the ability to make contacts.
3. information overload – this is a phenomenon in which a person is unable to cope with the amount and speed of information provided to him. Taking in so many stimuli is beyond his absorption capacity. Information overload is a kind of mental discomfort, especially noticeable nowadays, when we are flooded with information every day with the use of electronic media.
4. computer addiction – a person addicted to the computer uses it compulsively and loses the sense of time spent in front of it. The patient ceases to function in social life and gives up his current interests in favor of the computer – it is often associated with Internet addiction. Computer addicts often have obsessive thoughts, dreams and fantasies about computer game heroes.
5. addiction to the Internet – it is an addiction that manifests itself in many hours of using the Internet. The network becomes a source of distress for the patient and has a negative impact on every sphere of his / her life – this name is also used by many researchers as a collective name, which also includes the four above-mentioned dysfunctions.

Learn more about computer addiction

What are the symptoms of Internet addiction?

An internet addicted child has difficulty concentrating. He begins to neglect his home and school duties, loses contact with his peers and friends, and often gives up his interests to spend time online. Because of the internet, he starts eating less and even goes to the toilet less often and becomes irritable. He often loses track of the time and does not know exactly how many hours he spends using the Internet.

Internet addiction in adults has similar symptoms as in children. Adult networkaholics have to use the Internet for longer and longer to feel satisfied. They also lose track of time and feel a strong need, or even mental compulsion, to “check something” on the Internet. Not being able to use the Internet makes them feel worse and sometimes causes aggression.

Internet abuse has specific health consequences, for example:

1. problems with sleeping,
2. deterioration of mood
3. depression,
4. phobias,
5. anxiety disorders,
6. greater susceptibility to infections,
7. chronic pain: back, neck, arms, hands and wrists,
8. “Screen epilepsy” – a disorder that manifests itself in severe shocks associated with loss of consciousness.

People addicted to the Internet treat it as a way to avoid unpleasant emotions. Lack of access to the Internet causes discomfort, which manifests itself in irritation, anxiety and bouts of aggression. Many activities of the network addict is related to the Internet – he subordinates his day to it, and as a result there are problems with carrying out everyday tasks. Along with the development of addiction, the patient uses the Internet more and more time.

You can become addicted to the Internet after just six months of using it – every fourth person who starts surfing the web becomes addicted at this time. Internet addicts, like many other addicts, hide from their relatives how much time they spend online. The first phase of addiction is treating the internet as the most important thing in life.

Check how you will know that stress has a negative impact on your health

Who is the most susceptible to internet addiction?

People who stay at home often, lonely people and people without work – mostly men, often become network addicts. Many of them are foster children of dysfunctional families. Most of them are city dwellers under the age of 34. According to researchers, people with too little concentration of mood-regulating neurotransmitters in the brain are most at risk of becoming addicted to the net.

The risk group, in the opinion of a group of psychiatrists, are shy people with low self-esteem. They most often have problems with making new friends, and the network favors communication with people from all over the world. For shy and complex people, virtual friendships can be a substitute for friendship. Another group of risk are people recovering from addiction, e.g. drug addicts and alcoholics.

Find out more about addiction

Internet addiction – Facebook

Facebook is a social platform created by Mark Zuckerberg. It is the main platform for communication in many parts of the world. What’s more, Facebook is also a marketing platform that is used by both the largest enterprises and small businesses.

The portal gives internet users a wide range of activities. Thanks to it, users have an unlimited possibility of self-promotion. Facebook allows you to present yourself, your achievements, creativity, thoughts, etc. For this reason, many people are not able to spend a day without using the portal, not to mention the complete abandonment of the account on the site.

Who is addicted to Facebook?

One of the main reasons so many people use Facebook is loneliness. Young people and women constitute a large group of addicts. Addicted Facebook users have a strong need for interpersonal contacts, they are especially interested in gaining admiration and approval from recipients – addicted people are often people prone to narcissism and extraversion. They are often undervalued people struggling with low effectiveness of their actions.

People with a tendency to rumination often become addicted to Facebook, i.e. obsessive thoughts about the quality of tasks and constantly brooding over even small events. The portal “absorbs” the most people experiencing severe stress in connection with offline contacts, neurotic people, emotionally unstable people and people with social anxiety.

For addicts, the portal enables the regulation of difficult emotional states, sometimes it serves as a substitute for interpersonal relationships. Compulsive use of the portal also results from worse well-being and problems with coping with stress and health problems. The results of research carried out by the Omnicore agency showed that the portal is used by every second person in the 18-34 age range right after waking up.

How to recognize a person addicted to Facebook?

Both Internet addiction and Facebook addiction are manifested in the fact that the person is fully absorbed in the virtual world. Activity in the online space is a priority for the patient, it will subordinate other activities to it, and family and professional relationships often suffer from it. Over time, the facebook addict feels an increasing need to use the portal, thanks to which he improves his mood.

The addicted person hides how much time he spends using the portal and has withdrawal symptoms. Like an alcoholic, for example, she has an increase in tolerance, which means that she needs more and more to use Facebook. A compulsive Facebook user uses the website to improve their well-being or evoke a specific mood – this is a manifestation of the inability to deal with negative emotions and a way to reduce stress.

People addicted to Facebook often run into conflicts with family and friends for this reason. Relatives often notice and admonish the sick person for this reason, but often his reaction is aggression. An addicted facebooker, like any addicted person, also has relapses – after a period of abstinence, he may again return to uncontrolled use of the portal and unsuccessful attempts to stop being active.

To recognize if you are addicted to Facebook, it is worth answering the following questions:

1. Do you think a lot about Facebook and its possibilities during the day?
2. Do you need to use Facebook more and more?
3. Do you log into Facebook to forget about any unpleasant experiences?
4. Have you tried to limit the time spent on using the portal to no avail?
5. Does not having access to Facebook make you feel worried or nervous?
6. Are you neglecting your work and home responsibilities because of Facebook?

How is Facebook addictive?

Facebook addiction is linked to dopamine and the reward center. A user who expects and receives likes, i.e. likes and comments, gets an injection of dopamine with their appearance – and feels euphoric as a result. Dopamine is the pleasure hormone. Its level increases even when someone is waiting for someone who has something to bring with them that will be fun, e.g. it can even be a courier with a package. The same mechanism is also used by the Google search engine.

Facebook becomes an addiction when the body regularly receives excess dopamine. It is worth knowing that psychoactive substances, gambling and pornography raise the level of dopamine as high as Facebook. Psychologists and therapists call this phenomenon the dopamine loop – the addict wants more “likes” and comments, but his thirst cannot be satisfied because the dopamine system does not have the mechanism of feeling full.

How to free yourself from Facebook?

At the beginning, determine how many times a day you will check Facebook – you can start, for example, with a few visits of 15-20 minutes each. It is also worth setting times when it will be done. Over time, reduce the number of entrances and the time allocated to them. Only notifications on the computer and phone are helpful – each new message, like will only encourage you to log in to the portal again.

One of the steps recommended for Internet addicts is to restrict access to a phone or computer during the night. During sleep, they should not be in the same room, and in particular, lie next to the bed – then they would encourage you to reach for them immediately after waking up and check notifications. The computer and telephone should be placed in another room for the night.

It is helpful to arrange the hours when both the telephone and the computer are used – e.g. until 21:30. Thanks to the curfew, you will limit the access of stimuli that would otherwise make it difficult for you to calm down. People are also helpful in Facebook detox – it’s worth leaving home to meet friends. You can also spend one day a week not to use Facebook or other social media at all.

The above criteria and recommendations can also be used when fighting addiction to Instagram, YouTube and other websites.

Find out more about healthy sleep

How to cure internet addiction?

The first step in treating Internet addiction, but also other addictions, is to admit that you have a problem. Addicts are great at justifying themselves – they often argue that they are in full control of their lives. When a network addict is an adult, he has to admit that he cannot cope with the problem and ask for help. In turn, when a child is addicted to the Internet, the responsibility for explaining to him that he has a problem rests with the parent or guardian.

In the fight against addiction, it will be helpful to establish a schedule for using the Internet, so that sessions do not last for several hours. It is important to shape new behaviors related to the use of the computer. Experts advise you to use it only at certain times of the day and take breaks – some choose one day a week when they don’t turn on their computer at all.

Many people are unable to completely opt out of using the Internet. However, they can limit the time they use it. It will be helpful to create a day plan that takes into account work duties, rest, time with the family. In addition, networkaholics also have support groups that often function similarly to AA groups.

Find out about the classification of addictions

How to help a child addicted to the Internet?

When your child develops symptoms that indicate that he or she is addicted to the Internet, start with honest conversation. It is worth listening to a young man first to find out his motivation. An important step will be to propose an alternative way to spend your time and meet your needs. It is important to work with your child to find out what their responsibilities are, to make a plan and to enforce them so that they follow them consistently.

During the conversation, it is worth paying attention to the function of electronic media and how family members use them. If these methods prove to be insufficient, some parents decide to see a specialist in addiction therapy or a child psychiatrist. Family consultations or skills workshops can be helpful. It is worth taking care of spending time together and actively with your child.

FOMO – the result of Internet addiction

FOMO (fear of missing out) is one of the dysfunctions caused by Internet addiction. FOMO is the fear of lack of access to information – the patient is panicky and afraid that he will miss something important. The result is a compulsive need to keep checking e.g. Facebook, Instagram and other social media. The fear of missing information causes severe psychological discomfort in the patient.

The cause of FOMO is, among others access to all information at any time – just one click. Therefore, it is impossible to keep up to date with all the news, be it from the world of fashion or politics, etc. People with FOMO syndrome feel the need to constantly research all possible sources of information. Being inquisitive is not a fault of course, but be careful – a need can quickly turn into an obsession.

Learn more about memory impairment

How to recognize the FOMO syndrome?

People with FOMO syndrome feel that their lives are completely unsatisfactory. They constantly follow the information appearing on social media. At the same time, they feel a strong need to constantly photograph what they are doing. Lack of access to the Internet causes them anxiety. They often go to places they don’t like at all just to, for example, take a picture or say they’ve been there.

FOMO is a disease of civilization that often leads to problems with decision making – people with this syndrome live in the constant conviction that they are doing the wrong things, are in the wrong places, and at the same time cannot find better ways to spend their time. Panic anxiety related to being offline means that they do not part with mobile devices in order to be able to check what is happening, for example, in social media at any time.

Check if you have FOMO syndrome. Answer the following questions:

1. During family gatherings, conversations with your wife / husband or child, do you constantly look at your phone to check your e-mail, social media or various Internet portals?
2. Do you regularly add posts, stories and photos on social media that reveal your current activities?
3. Does the lack of internet access make you anxious?
4. Do you need to be up to date with all the information, photos, etc. posted by your friends?

If you answered yes to the above questions, then you probably have FOMO syndrome – of course, the test result should not be treated as a final diagnosis, but it is worth considering this problem a bit deeper, examining it yourself and possibly seeking appropriate help.

How to treat the FOMO syndrome?

Being honest with yourself is key – you need to answer why living without information and the online world scares you. Secondly – it is worth to selectively approach the content we feed on and determine which of them are actually needed, and which are distractions that are not worth attention. Third – start working on developing healthy habits, e.g. do not use the phone when you are in the company of other people, e.g. household members.

Why should you treat FOMO syndrome?

FOMO, as well as any Internet addiction, makes it much more difficult to function healthy. People with this syndrome, when stressed, have trouble concentrating and procrastinate – and as a result are less productive at work. The FOMO syndrome means that the patient has a constant need to check all new applications, gadgets and technological tools that could help him, e.g. at work – the constant pursuit of gadgets often only leads to loss of money.

People who don’t treat FOMU syndrome often feel overwhelmed and distracted. They often have trouble saying “no” and take, for example, work orders that overburden them. This affects family and social life and makes it easy to miss many precious moments. If you feel that you cannot live without constantly learning more and more information, try at least to schedule a time when you will look for it.

What is dopamine fasting and does it help heal internet addiction?

Dopamine fasting is the complete abandonment of stimuli that affect the pleasure and reward center. Limiting access to dopamine makes it easier to calm down and can be an effective method in fighting Internet addiction. Dopamine fasting will have different rules for everyone – in the case of networkaholics, it means giving up the use of the Internet, games, computers and smartphones.

The lack of stimuli causing the release of dopamine makes the brain rest. As a result, it leads to the so-called reset. Interestingly, dopamine fasting has recently become particularly popular in the Silicon Valley. Its supporters claim that thanks to this “fasting” the nervous system rests, and after the end you feel more pleasure and you are more motivated to act.

How to perform a dopamine fast?

The duration of dopamine fasting should be set individually by everyone – however, it is worth it to last about 7 days, although even a day will give some effect. First of all, people who are addicted to the Internet should not use technology and media during fasting. Dopamine fasting can be combined with diet fasting and forgoing sugar, junk food, and even artificial light.

After all, dopamine fasting should not be treated as a golden mean that will allow you to completely free yourself to netoholism, especially when the addiction is in an advanced stage. There is no scientific evidence to support that avoiding the technology will reduce dopamine levels in the brain. Nevertheless, fasting is practiced in many world religions and is often considered a time of prayer.