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More and more teenagers are now running from real reality to virtual reality. That is why experts say about the frightening scale of computer addiction in adolescents, which manifests itself in the unhealthy attachment of a child to a computer. By itself, this pathology is quite young, the first cases were recorded about 30 years ago. Although there are still people who do not recognize this deviation, the fact remains that every year more and more teenagers are captured by these devices around the world.
Plenty of treatment centers and groups have emerged over time, both offline and offline. In some cases, patients were admitted to inpatient rehabilitation. China recently opened a village for teenagers with problematic internet use. Since the Internet is an integral part of life for many, total abstinence may not be practical. Hence, many argue that moderate and controlled use is the most appropriate treatment goal.
As for children and adolescents, the contribution of parents is necessary. It has been found that while most parents are open to purchasing computers due to perceived positive cues, few are able to discuss their proper use in detail with their children, or carefully supervise their use unless or until use becomes problematic.
It was found that computer addiction in adolescents is of two types: Internet addiction and gambling addiction. But it remains frightening that no treatment has yet been invented, and parents have to deal with this disease on their own.
Being a rather complex phenomenon, this dependence is still different in that it can be caused by a number of specific factors.
Psychopharmacological treatment
After 10 weeks, subjects were blindly randomized to continue treatment with escitalopram or placebo. After an additional 9 weeks of treatment, the therapeutic gains achieved at week 10 were maintained in both treatment groups, and no additional benefit was shown for both groups. The drug was well tolerated. Most frequently reported side effects there were drowsiness and nausea that were modest and self-limiting. In a case report, escitalopram successfully treated adult depression with compulsive online games.
Moving into the world of computers and the world wide web is gaining momentum, as virtual reality helps children hide from real problems. In real life, a child can be the object of ridicule of his peers, but in a computer game, he can be whoever he wants. This is very dangerous phenomenon, because it can lead to the fact that the child will erase the line between the worlds. And this is a mental disorder.
Another case study reported the successful use of an atypical antipsychotic as an increase in citalopram in the treatment of a subject with Internet enforcement. Naltrexone has also been used in that it can counteract endogenous opiates induced by pleasurable stimuli, possibly through modulation of the dopamine pathways underlying motivated behavior. The patient's depressed mood initially responded to sertraline, but his desire to view Internet pornography was still uncontrollable before naltrexone was started.
In fact, the idea of a computer as a universal means for storing and processing large amounts of data is very useful and timely. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people spend a very large amount of time with this device. Well, for teenagers, the property of computers to provide access to an unlimited amount of information is very attractive, since they are at the peak stage of their development, and they no longer imagine their studies and leisure without computers.
He reported complete control of his impulse at a dose of naltrexone 150 mg per day. Further clinical trials are needed to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of monotherapy and augmentation therapy strategies. Cognitive therapy is based on the underlying theoretical foundation that a person's emotional states and behavior are largely determined by how he or she structures the world based on knowledge and assumptions. Recognition, testing and correction of erroneous knowledge and assumptions can then lead to changes in the regulation of affective states and the control of behavior.
It is also worth noting the fact that in recent times the average age of an active computer user is getting lower and lower. This is due to the easy availability of these electronic devices, and it is now quite common for 7-year-olds to be more computer savvy and use them more than their grandparents.
The principles of cognitive therapy have been applied to treat problematic Internet use. Research shows that compulsive Internet users may be more likely to expect positive outcomes and relief from negative ones. emotional states from using the Internet, which may not be true given the psychosocial impairment they experience from excessive use of the Internet. They may assume that the Internet is the most effective way alleviate depressive feelings and satisfy truthful friends.
Still very often, parents themselves push their children to addiction by imposing modern gadgets. After all, being carried away by the computer, the child behaves very quietly and does not interfere with the parents to go about their business. At first, this does not bode well, but then it is this harmless pastime that develops into a terrible addiction.
How can a teenager get rid of a computer addiction?
Such expectations represent potential targets for cognitive restructuring, as well as other dysfunctional thoughts such as "A few more minutes won't hurt," which can perpetuate Internet usage patterns. Cognitive therapy is usually combined with a behavioral component at the initial stage. Such therapy may initially begin with a daily journal to assess online behavior and focus on creating and achieving reasonable goals such as reducing usage time, abstaining from problematic applications, and developing alternative activities and coping skills.
Experts say that it is necessary to fight this disease as actively and diligently as possible, because dependence on computer games in its severity can be compared with narcotics.
That is why you should be attentive to your child, because the symptoms of addiction can be detected immediately. For a computer addict:
- there is a clear reluctance to spend time with their peers and communicate with relatives;
- baby everything free time sits at the computer, forgetting about sleep and food;
- the teenager may become aggressive and irritable;
- any physical exercise are very tiring.
Even during the game, teenagers lose all sense of reality, they forget about given promises, responsibilities and lose track of time. And any obstacle that prevents you from enjoying the virtual world causes uncontrollable fits and rages.
This therapy can be combined with software to restrict Internet access. Overall, subjects reported gradual or permanent improvement in symptoms and functioning throughout the course of therapy over 12 sessions, and maintained benefits at 6-month follow-up. The moderate sample size and highly educated composition may limit the generalizability of the results.
Motivational Interviewing and Stages of Change
The transtaoretic model of behavioral change was proposed and developed by Prochaska and DiClement. Based on this model, motivational interviewing has been successful in drug addiction treatment. The model has been adopted in psychotherapy for problematic Internet use. The principle states that behavioral changes go through successive stages of pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance and termination, and individuals at different stages have different needs and levels of readiness.
And do not forget about the physical symptoms of addiction, which are expressed in headaches and back pain, dry eyes and sleep disturbance. Also, the gastrointestinal tract suffers significantly from such dependence, because due to the constant game, the child forgets to eat healthy food, interrupted by small snacks.
The therapist must be sensitive to the patient's motivational stage and respond accordingly to his needs. If the patient admits no problem with using it online, the therapist will not suggest a course of action. The goal in this pre-reflection stage is to help the patient overcome denial by discussing the pros and cons of using and using the Internet. If the patient is already trying to make behavioral changes, it may be unnecessary or inappropriate for the therapist to continue discussing the negative consequences of Internet overuse.
Internet addiction itself can lead to the fact that a teenager will not be able to communicate with his friends live, he will have a certain barrier that falls only when he sits down at the monitor.
As noted above, there is no one hundred percent cure for addiction, but this does not mean at all that this disease is not even worth fighting. On the contrary, you need to do it, and do it right.
Causes of computer addiction
Support and educational materials are provided according to the patient's readiness for change. A small study of group therapy using CBT principles, motivational interviews, and change steps showed improvements in quality of life and depression scores, but no significant changes in user computing behavior.
Intuitive-Oriented Psychotherapy
While people have different motivations for using and overusing the Internet, qualitative studies and case reports illustrate common psychological themes in patient history. Internet activities can serve to satisfy some of the inherent psychological needs - the need to achieve success, for interpersonal connectedness and a sense of belonging to a community, for entertainment and to eliminate frustration. This interpretation may explain why RPGs are one of the most popular genres.
Having discovered a computer addiction in your child, it is completely useless to scold or punish him, so as not to cause attacks of aggression. It is worth intervening wisely and gradually. But here, parents must immediately come to terms with the idea that it will not be possible to completely drive a teenager away from the computer, no matter how hard you try. But, if everything is done correctly, then after a certain period of time the computer will be used by him to the maximum for his benefit.
The blogosphere can also provide a space to fulfill the desire for self-discovery. Intuitively Focused Psychotherapy aims to help patients understand the relationship between their anxieties, inner needs, motivations, and online behavior so they can make their own choices for behavior change and develop alternative coping strategies.
Introduction to Computerized Substance Use Treatment
Empirical evidence on this and other psychotherapeutic approaches for problematic Internet use is limited. The history of computerized therapy has followed the development of technology. Computerized interventions have moved from internal desktop and telephone delivery to virtual reality systems delivered over the Internet and at home. The ease and increased interactivity of computerized therapies make them a more attractive therapeutic option. Here we believe that in the treatment of drug addiction, computers are approaching an era where they can help and possibly replace traditional individual interventions.
First of all, you can get rid of computer addiction by preventive means. Since the addiction becomes stronger the more time the child spends at the computer, it is worth giving it Special attention. Time limits must be set and enforced. According to experts, teenagers are allowed to spend at the computer no more than two hours.
Computerized procedures offer increased ease of care for both practitioner and patient. From a practitioner's point of view, computer delivery can significantly improve access to healthcare by reducing the amount of in-person treatment required. In addition, computerized procedures reliably ensure identical delivery of treatment, resulting in improved treatment accuracy compared to services provided by providers. One problem, especially in low-cost community clinics, is that providers may not have all the necessary training to implement treatments as they were originally intended, which can lead to the use of treatments that may not be evidence-based. and may also be ineffective for the patient.
If it has not been possible to keep track, then it is worth weaning the child from the computer with the help of some other activity: football, tennis, volleyball, dancing, singing, drawing. It should be especially noted that parents should also take an active part in the new hobby of their child, so that he feels support and care. It is necessary to treat addiction tactfully, in no case should a child be completely forbidden to use a computer, because this will not lead to anything good.
In addition, the ability to rapidly and cost-effectively disseminate new treatments without the time and expense of a therapist can improve efficiency. effective methods treatment for those who need it. For the patient, the benefits of computerized treatments do not limit the number of patients that can be seen in a given amount of time, allowing treatment centers to avoid using waiting lists for services. In addition, computerized treatment allows services to be provided near or close to where the patient lives, so that rural areas do not have to travel to treatment to receive treatment.
Computer addiction is especially dangerous for teenagers, because children at this age are in the period of formation of character, psyche and personality, that is, in the most difficult period of their lives. Therefore, parents should carefully monitor their children to protect them from this disease, and treat if addiction is detected.
In addition, patients can access computerized treatments at any time of the day, as this is independent of provider availability. Increasing use of computer technology in medical institutions helps both the provider and the patient. On the one hand, the cost reduction and higher accuracy of treatment that computerized treatment allows clinics to provide is less costly and more effective care. On the other hand, increased coverage of empiric therapies independent of provider availability provides an opportunity more patients to receive the care they need.
Internet addiction among teenagers is a fairly common problem in today's world. Parents and psychologists are sounding the alarm as they watch as children become more and more immersed in the virtual world, trying to get away from the problems of reality or in search of entertainment. Of course, it cannot be denied that the computer can bring a lot of benefits to the child - it is an invaluable source of information, educational material, exciting books, movies, a way to make new friends around the world, etc. It is easy to find rare and valuable books on the net that few people have at home. Many games carry a fairly significant developmental potential - for example, logical games and puzzles perfectly develop the ability to analyze, find connections and restore logical chains. Communication in social networks allows you to improve communication skills and learn foreign languages.
Advances in technology have grown so much that the opportunity to increase access has never been greater. For example, the International Telecommunication Union reports that there are more than seven billion mobile cell phone subscribers worldwide, and almost half of all people in the world use the Internet. Given the scale of the technology, computerized treatments are now widely used.
Watson's cloud computing capabilities allow almost instantaneous processing of complete medical records referenced by entire fields of medical research to inform diagnosis and treatment in ways far beyond the human mind. Watson is one of the many ways technology is revolutionizing science and healthcare.
Alas, all these wonderful features of the computer have reverse side in the form of persistent dependence of adolescents on the computer. We are talking about teenagers because, due to age characteristics, they are most susceptible to the development of such psychological disorders, but we should not forget that both younger schoolchildren and adults can develop computer addiction.
Internet addiction in adolescence is usually one of two types: social media addiction or gambling addiction.
Gambling Addiction in Adolescents
The most dangerous psychologists consider role-playing games. Especially those in which the player sees the game world not from the outside, but, as it were, through the eyes of his hero. In this case, after a few minutes of the game, the player has a moment of complete identification with the game hero.
Games that require a large number of points are considered quite dangerous - they can also provoke the development of gambling addiction in adolescents.
Teen addiction to social media
The danger of social networks is anonymity and the ability to hide your identity, trying on various roles at will. Teenagers play the role of who they would like to be, moving away from reality and living on the network someone else's, completely unlike reality, life. In some cases, this leads to a split personality and a loss of a sense of reality.
Signs of internet addiction in teenagers:
- Loss of control over the subject of addiction, the child ceases to control himself and the time spent in front of the computer.
- The “dose” (that is, the time spent at the computer) gradually increases.
- The predominance of "tunnel" thinking. All thoughts are only about the game or social network and how to get to the computer faster.
- Denial of the existence of a problem, a categorical refusal to help.
- Discontent real life, a feeling of emptiness in the real world.
- Problems with study.
- Ignoring relatives, friends, persons of the opposite sex, interest is concentrated only on the subject of addiction.
- Sleep disorders, a radical change in regimen.
- Aggression in case of unavailability of the subject of dependence, inability to "use".
As you can see, computer addiction in adolescents manifests itself in the same way as any other type of addiction (drug addiction, alcoholism, gambling, etc.) and it can be just as difficult to get rid of it. That is why the prevention of any kind of addiction in adolescents is so important. If the child refuses to go to a psychologist for help (and this is what usually happens), the parents themselves should turn to specialists for advice. After all, the family is one. The dependence of one of its members inevitably reflects on all the others. And at the same time, by starting to change yourself, you can help your child return to a normal life.
Prevention of Internet Addiction in Adolescents
Prevention of computer addiction in adolescents generally does not differ from the prevention of other types of addictive behavior. The most important factor is the emotional situation in the family and the spiritual connection between its members. The likelihood of developing addiction is less if the child does not feel lonely and misunderstood by loved ones.
Show your child the diversity of life, non-computer related entertainment. Spend time with your children, walk with them in the park, go to the skating rink or go hiking, try to improve friendly relations. Find for yourself and your children a source of pleasant emotions that is not related to the computer.
And most importantly, love your children and don't forget to show it to them.
