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Internet Addiction

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Internet Addiction

In today's world, most Americans use the internet daily for daily needs. It has become very common to go online because it makes research and socializing easier. The internet is a great place for social networking and meeting or communicating with people across the world. Nicholas Carr, author of the article “Is Google Making Us Stupid”, claims that using the internet can make people less intelligent. After spending a number of days researching on the topic of internet use, I have came to agree with Carr. I not only agree with him, that using the internet does make internet users less intelligent, I also believe that using the internet too often can make a person addicted to the internet. Once a person is addicted to the internet, they not only become less intelligent, like Carr believes, but they also develop mental and psychological problems. People should be more aware of internet addiction. The signs and symptoms should not be avoided when someone sees themself in the addiction situation. Once they become addicted, it is like a real drug, it will pull them in slowly and be hard to get away from.
DSM IV and the International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) define addiction in terms of substance dependence or pathological gambling. To define internet addiction, it would be someone that meets at least three of the following criteria: tolerance, salience, withdrawal symptoms, difficulty controlling use, continued use despite negative consequences, neglecting other activities, or the desire to cut down (Flisher 557). Although it has very similar symptoms addictive drugs have, it is not classified as an addiction. Some psychologists argue that internet addiction is a symptom of depression rather than a clinical disorder. Many people believe that the internet is just a tool to obtain information, communicate instantly, and get

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