Internet Addiction

Most of us can understand the phenomenon of "internet addiction."    We can easily end up spending too much time on the internet, or on other electronic gadgets.  An interesting documentary called "Web Junkie," which is set in Shanghai, is a good introduction to the subject.  This documentary also illustrates some interesting elements of therapeutic care in China:  on the one hand, there is sort of an authoritarian, militaristic boot-camp style (epitomized by the doctor who runs the clinic).  Yet on other hand, there are some calm, gentle, patient, quiet therapists shown (such as the one female doctor). 

A recent meta-analysis by Cheng and Lee (*) showed that rates of internet addiction in different countries ranged between 2% and 10%.  Interestingly, rates were lower in countries with a higher quality of life, such as in Western Europe, and rates were much higher in countries with lower quality of life. 

Restriction of children's internet use by parents is associated with lower risks of internet addiction (**).    Low satisfaction with family relationships is a strong risk factor. (***).

Children with ADHD are at particularly high risk for internet addiction, with a strong association between addiction scale scores and ADHD severity scores. (****).  Depression, anxiety, and introversion are also risk factors.    Internet addiction is further associated with other addictive problems, including alcohol dependence and smoking. 

Another study looked at a rating scale called the IMQ-A,****** which assesses motives for using the internet.  The scale is based on the DMQ-R , which looks at a person's motives for drinking.   The highest risk for addiction is for those who are using the internet as a coping device (e.g. "to forget your worries"), while using it for social reasons or for education is less risky.


Management:
A recent review by Spada (******) suggests that the treatments thus far are quite straightforward:
 1) management of anxiety, depression, and ADHD symptoms
2) addressing family relationships if necessary
3) simply keeping track of internet use, and limiting it strictly
4) medication trials including antidepressants or stimulants if indicated.  Naltrexone 150 mg/d plus sertraline 100 mg/d was used effectively in one case. (*******).

I would add that basic lifestyle habits, including daily exercise, healthy diet, and a deliberate daily activity schedule (including social visits, work, and leisure), are essential, particularly since compulsive internet use leads to a lot of time spent alone in a sedentary posture. Postures in front of a device are also usually slumped, in a head-forward position, looking downwards.  Aside from physical health problems, this type of posture probably has negative psychological effects.  Standing and walking around regularly, with simple posture exercises, stretching in an extension position, etc. are bound to be useful.  Amy Cuddy's work on posture would be worth checking out--a good place to start would be her TED lectures. 

A few other points:
1) a bright screen should not be used near bedtime, since it will interfere with melatonin secretion, and cause sleep disruption.   An alternative for bedtime reading can be to use a device in which the font is reversed, with dim white letters on a black background. 
2) ironically, the internet can also be a valuable aid to treating psychological symptoms.  Web-based CBT can be nearly as effective as seeing a one-on-one counselor for some problems, and at the very least could be a valuable adjunct.   But the problems lie with spending too much time on-line, such that other aspects of life suffer.    Reward circuits in the brain may be fired up by numerous internet activities, in an exaggerated way, causing a distortion of judgment about the merits of continuing the activity.