Internet and Gaming Addiction

Internet addiction and gaming addiction refer to the child’s internet use or time spent on computer games being excessive and uncontrolled. The presence of internet addiction in children and adolescents is reported to be between 1-18%, and it is seen at higher rates in males than in females. In Internet Addiction (IA), there is excessive mental preoccupation with the internet and an intense desire to go online. Tolerance to internet use develops in the child (gradual increase in internet usage time), and when not used, withdrawal symptoms such as irritability, anger outbursts, and depressive findings are observed. There are repeated unsuccessful attempts to reduce internet use. Over time, failure to fulfill school/home responsibilities, deterioration in family-friend relationships, and lying about internet use may be added.

In Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD), similar to internet addiction, there is continuous and repeated use of the internet in the form of gaming at a level that causes clinically significant distress. Deterioration in children’s sleep and nutrition, sedentary lifestyle, and lack of exercise can lead to health problems. Many psychiatric symptoms such as attention and concentration problems, unhappiness, irritability and loss of interest in other activities (depressive symptoms), sleep disorders, and self-harm behaviors may accompany.

Family education, making environmental arrangements, developing the adolescent’s communication skills, and increasing activity level come first among interventions. In order to prevent the negative effects on the course of internet addiction, it is also important to identify and arrange the treatment of accompanying psychiatric disorders.