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Gaming addiction is not yet classified as a mental health disorder or "true" addiction like gambling or alcohol addiction. However, some gamers clearly struggle to keep their playing habits under control and may place more importance on their gaming accomplishments than their happiness and success in the real world (e.g., academic achievement, friendships, relationships, career advancement, health, etc.). As gaming addiction becomes more of a concern for parents, spouses, families, educators, and those in the mental health community, it is important for those hoping to learn more about this issue to get their gaming addiction statistics and facts from reputable sources.

iStockPhoto (CBS) Can a person be truly addicted to the Internet? A new brain scan study shows not only can that be the case, but also that Internet addiction might cause the same brain changes that are seen in alcoholics and drug addicts. For the study, published in the Jan. 11 issue of PLoS One, researchers studied 17 men and women who were diagnosed with Internet addiction disorder (IAD) and compared scans of their brains to scans of 16 healthy people who weren't addicted to the web. Study participants were between the ages of 14 and 21 and lived in China. Video Game-Obsessed Mom Neglects Kids, Starves DogsAre social networking sites turning teens into substance abusers? The researchers found more patterns of  "abnormal white matter" on brain scans of Internet addicts, compared with scans of non-addicts. White matter areas in the brain contain nerve fibers that transmit signals to other parts of the brain. These changes showed evidence of disrupting pathways related to emotions, decision-making, and self control. The researchers said earlier studies have found similar white matter changes in the brain scans of people addicted to alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, meth, and ketamine (also known as "Special K"). "The results also suggest that IAD may share psychological and neural mechanisms with other types of substance addiction and impulse control disorders," the researchers wrote in the study. Professor Gunter Schumann, chair in biological psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London, told BBC News that he's come across similar findings in brain scans of video game addicts. "For the first time two studies show changes in the neuronal connections between brain areas as well as changes in brain function in people who are frequently using the Internet or video games," he said. Dr. Henrietta Bowden Jones, consultant psychiatrist at Imperial College in London, who runs the U.K.'s only clinic for Internet addicts, said hardcore gamers are more likely to be addicted to the Internet. "The majority of people we see with serious Internet addiction are gamers - people who spend long hours in roles in various games that cause them to disregard their obligations," Jones told The Independent. "I have seen people who stopped attending university lectures, failed their degrees or their marriages broke down because they were unable to emotionally connect with anything outside the game." According to the independent, an estimated 5 to 10 percent of Internet users are unable to control their usage and are considered addicts.

Anna Cocke graduated from CUNY with a Master of Arts in Journalism, specializing in health and medicine reporting. She has helped produce segments for the Association of Health Care Journalists on health care reform and reported on diabetes in the South Bronx. She has been writing professionally for more than seven years. Photo Credit computer image by blaine stiger from Fotolia.com The Internet has become an integral part of many people's work and personal lives. The number of people online daily has nearly doubled over the past decade, according to research conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project. While internet addiction as a specific disorder was being debated for inclusion in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as of 2010, treatment centers already exist throughout the U.S. and abroad, including China, Taiwan and Korea. Physical Effects Internet overuse can lead to sedentary lifestyles, weight gain and a decline in physical fitness. Other symptoms can include carpal tunnel syndrome, dry eyes, migraine headaches, a decline in personal hygiene and back aches, according to Maressa Hecht, founder of Computer Addiction Services and a member of the Harvard Medical School. if(typeof disable_adsense_2 === "undefined") { ad_order_2 = (typeof ad_order_2 === "undefined") ? "2" : ad_order_2; ad_client = "ca-livestrong_html"; num_ads = "1"; type = "text"; channels = "art_sub_top_Addiction_Recovery,article_top_diseases,article_top"; class_name = "adsense_afc"; print_google_ad(ad_order_2, num_ads, type, channels, ad_client , class_name ); } Sponsored LinksHow to Stay Asleep Obey this one weird trick to stay asleep all night long. Learn more. www.PeakLife.com/TrySomnapure Depression Depression has also been linked to Internet overuse by researchers at the Institute of Psychological Sciences in Leeds, UK. Researchers found that study participants who exhibited signs of Internet overuse engaged disproportionately than the normal population in sites devoted to pornography, gaming, social networking and chat rooms. They theorized that Internet addicts' use of these sites as replacements for real-life socializing was resulting in depression. However, there is debate as to whether depression results from, or is a cause, or internet overuse. A study published in the "Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine" found depression, as well as ADHD and social phobia, to increase the chances of excessive Internet use in adolescents. Sleep Disturbances Evidence also suggests that internet overuse can contribute to sleep disturbances. Studies of Chinese and American children, published in the "Journal of Sleep" and the "Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics," found that computer use among adolescents was associated with later bed times, later waking times, less restful sleep and an overall decrease in sleep. The use of computers before bedtime has also raised concerns among sleep experts, including Phyllis Zee, a neuroscience professor at Northwestern University, that the light from screens is affecting circadian rhythms and possibly contributing to insomnia.

Dr. Kimberly Young has likened Internet addiction to addictive syndromes similar to impulse-control disorders on the Axis I Scale of the DSM. She also developed the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ) to diagnose the disorder. Meeting five of the following symptoms were considered necessary to be diagnosed.1. Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous online activity or anticipate next online session)?2. Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?3. Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?4. Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use? 5. Do you stay online longer than originally intended?6. Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?7. Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?8. Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?Other Symptoms Include:• Failed attempts to control behavior• Heightened sense of euphoria while involved in computer and Internet activities• Neglecting friends and family• Neglecting sleep to stay online• Being dishonest with others• Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed as a result of online behavior• Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome • Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities

Looking for something? SEARCH Causes Of Internet Addiction  0  0   With more than 100 million users worldwide, the internet has become one of the most universal methods for communication. From e-mail to the possibly billions of web pages, the amount of information flowing is infinite. It gives the user freedom to talk and mingle with others online and access MUD (Multi-User Dimensional) games. No doubt, the World Wide Web (www) is informative, convenient, resourceful and fun, but this freedom comes along with the possibilities of abuse and addiction.   Inte

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Internet Addiction Disorder, a psychophysiological disorder involving tolerance; withdrawal symptoms; affective disturbances; and interruption of social relationships, is a presenting problem that is becoming more common in society as on-line usage increases by the day.

To be diagnosed as having Internet Addiction Disorder, a person must meet certain criteria as prescribed by the American Psychiatric Association. Three or more of these criteria must be present at any time during a twelve month period: 1. Tolerance: This refers to the need for increasing amounts of time on the Internet to achieve satisfaction and/or significantly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of time on the Internet. 2. Two or more withdrawal symptoms developing within days to one month after reduction of Internet use or cessation of Internet use (i.e., quitting cold turkey) , and these must cause distress or impair social, personal or occupational functioning. These include: psychomotor agitation, i.e. trembling, tremors; anxiety; obsessive thinking about what is happening on the Internet; fantasies or dreams about the Internet; voluntary or involuntary typing movements of the fingers. 3. Use of the Internet is engaged in to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms. 4. The Internet is often accessed more often, or for longer periods of time than was intended. 5. A significant amount of time is spent in activities related to Internet use ( e.g., Internet books, trying out new World Wide Web browsers, researching Internet vendors, etc.). 6. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of Internet use. 7. The individual risks the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of excessive use of the Internet. In recent research, other characteristics have been identified. Th

e first is feelings of restlessness or irritability when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use. The second is that the Internet is used as a way of escaping problems or relieving feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression. The third characteristic is that the user lies to family members or friends to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet. And, finally, the user returns repeatedly despite excessive fees (Egger & Rauterberg, 1996).

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Back to Microsoft SubnetPrivacy and Security FanaticMs. Smith -- Select Microsoft Subnet Blog --Author expert: Microsoft Expression Web 3Brian Egler's SQL Server StrategiesEssential SharePointManaging MicrosoftMicrosoft Explorer Microsoft InsightsMicrosoft, Google and cloud tech newsMostly MicrosoftPrivacy and Security FanaticRated Critical: A Microsoft Security BlogSecrets of Windows Back Office ServersSQL Marklar The Best Microsoft VideosThe Social EnterpriseWatch Your Assets Previous Article iPredators: Cyberbullying to cyber-harassing troll cop from hellOctober is pegged to raise awareness about cyberbullying, cybersecurity and domestic violence, but an iPredator can play a part in all three. While getting help from the authorities is not always easy, what about when the cyber-creep doing the harassing and trolling is a cop? By Ms. Smith on Wed, 10/24/12 - 12:24pm. window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId : '147094931979429', //NWW appId channelUrl : '//www.networkworld.com/community/sites/all/modules/nwmisc/channel.html', status : true, // check login status cookie : true, // enable cookies to allow the server to access the session xfbml : true // parse XFBML }); FB.Event.subscribe('edge.create', function(response) { if(typeof(OPG.Tracking.omniture_tl) != 'undefined') OPG.Tracking.omniture_tl('Social Click Complete', 'default'); }); }; (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); 4 Comments Print document.writeln(''); document.writeln(''); document.writeln(''); document.writeln(''); document.writeln(''); document.writeln(''); document.writeln(''); clas

When it comes to cyberbullying, there are thousands of articles online about the tragic suicide of 15-year-old Amanda Todd and how Anonymous may have unmasked the man who bullied her into sending pictures which he later posted online and sent to her friends. While the man responsible for tormenting the Canadian teenager was a creep and a bully, since an adult was involved then it technically wasn't cyberbullying, according to Stop cyberbullying.

In findings that will worry parents across America, researchers said going online was such a compulsion for some High School students that withdrawing could cause serious medical and psychological consequences.

Researchers found that one in every 25 teens had 'problematic Internet use' - and these students were most likely to report serious problems when not online.

Asian and Hispanic students were most likely to qualify as problematic users --

1 in 6 U.S. high school students were bullied through e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites or texting in the previous year.

Cyberbullying is a serious issue. In extreme cases, it may have legal and/or psychological consequences for the victim and bully.

UK acts on kids addicted to online porn

Australia was one of the first countries to offer official help for those suffering from video game addiction problems.

Video games can be very addicting; in fact, some people accuse developers of making the games addictive on purpose. The following are 10 cases of video game addiction that get more and more extreme. 10 Skipping School I’ve skipped school before, but this kid takes the cake for the most elaborate excuse. A 15-year-old from Perth, Australia, skipped school to play online games for over 16 hours a day, over a full three weeks. How did he do this? Every morning he put on his school uniform until his mother went to work. As soon as she left, he would change out of it and started playing. His mother would return home after he was supposed to have come home from school. To cover for himself at school, he had informed the school he was having surgery. His parents finally caught on to his ruse when the school contacted them to check up on him. 9 Teen Burns Classmate How many of us have gotten into a schoolyard scuffle? We’ve all been there, but a boy in Beijing took it to the next level. Apparently having lost himself in the game, World of Warcraft, he “became” a fire mage in his mind, and set his classmate on fire. For those who don’t play World of Warcraft, I’m sure it’s fairly easy to deduce what a fire mage does by putting two and two together. 8 Fifty-Hour Starcraft Session I’ve pulled all-nighters before while playing games, but a man in South Korea almost pulled off three all-nighters…in a row. After a 50-hour Starcraft session, the South Korean man collapsed and died from heart failure. It was presumed that his death was caused by exhaustion, because he had only stopped to use the washroom and for short periods of sleep. There have been other cases in China where people have been playing anywhere from 3 to 15 days. However I chose to include this one because it received attention from a major news agency. 7 Suicide over a Game On December 27, 2004, Xioyi left a suicide note saying he wanted “to join the heroes of the game he worshiped.” The thirteen-year-old then jumped off a tall building after playing World of Warcraft for 36 hours straight. His parents are now suing the Chinese distributors of the game for $12,500. 6 Girl Dies Because of Neglect A three-year-old South Korean girl died of neglect when her parents spent more time raising a virtual girl than her. The game they had been playing was Prius Online, a game similar to Second Life where players work virtual jobs and well… live a second, virtual, life. The couple had left for a 12-hour gaming session at an internet café, leaving their daughter unattended. Upon returning home, they found her dead. googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1350520431768-2');

Nearly every study performed on the topic has found not only a direct correlation between age and Internet addiction, but also one between age and neglect of work. That is to say that teenagers and young adults are more likely to be addicted to the Internet than any other age group, and among all people suffering from this addiction, teenagers and young adults are more likely to neglect work (school or employment) than older adults with similar addictive behavior. In fact, in the most widely recognized study of its kind, age was the only factor that was a direct and constant contributor to this addiction across all other factors.[1] While this may be good news, suggesting that teenagers and young adults might grow out of their addiction (or reduce their intake) as they age, because this is a new "genre" of behavior, this data might simply reveal that teenagers and young adults are "early adapters." What this means, essentially, is that they may have found this addiction before the rest of the population. If this is the case, today's Internet-Addicted teenagers and young adults may carry it with them into adulthood. In fact, Stanford University's School of Medicine found that nearly one in eight Americans suffers from at least one sign of problematic Internet abuse (although this does not in and of itself constitute addiction).[2] Internet abuse is so widespread that the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association, is reported to be considering adding it to its next release, alongside such issues as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorders.[3] Indeed, as children and teenagers are still developing their brains, they may grow accustomed to the speed and flashy graphics associated with the Internet and actually adapt their physiology, developing problems such as ADHD, and becoming generally more impatient than people raised without the instant gratification offered by the Internet

Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying. More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online. Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet. Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.

Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most popular form of technology and a common medium for cyber bullying About half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20 percent experience it regularly Mean, hurtful comments and spreading rumors are the most common type of cyber bullying Girls are at least as likely as boys to be cyber bullies or their victims Boys are more likely to be threatened by cyber bullies than girls Cyber bullying affects all races Cyber bullying victims are more likely to have low self esteem and to consider suicide

Talks to teens about cyber bullying, explaining that it is wrong and can have serious consequences. Make a rule that teens may not send mean or damaging messages, even if someone else started it, or suggestive pictures or messages or they will lose their cell phone and computer privileges for a time. Encourage teens to tell an adult if cyber bullying is occurring. Tell them if they are the victims they will not be punished, and reassure them that being bullied is not their fault. Teens should keep cyber bullying messages as proof that the cyber bullying is occurring. The teens' parents may want to talk to the parents of the cyber bully, to the bully's Internet or cell phone provider, and/or to the police about the messages, especially if they are threatening or sexual in nature. Try blocking the person sending the messages. It may be necessary to get a new phone number or email address and to be more cautious about giving out the new number or address. Teens should never tell their password to anyone except a parent, and should not write it down in a place where it could be found by others. Teens should not share anything through text or instant messaging on their cell phone or the Internet that they would not want to be made public - remind teens that the person they are talking to in messages or online may not be who they think they are, and that things posted electronically may not be secure. Encourage teens never to share personal information online or to meet someone they only know online. Keep the computer in a shared space like the family room, and do not allow teens to have Internet access in their own rooms. Encourage teens to have times when they turn off the technology, such as at family meals or after a certain time at night. Parents may want to wait until high school to allow their teens to have their own email and cell phone accounts, and even then parents should still have access to the accounts.

Cyberbullying is a growing concern around the world. It is clear that cyberbullying has a world-wide impact, but existing laws and increased education about the issue can help countries respond to and eliminate the problem. The Internet industry works to prevent and stop cyberbullying. One common solution to help stop cyberbullying on social networking sites is the ability to report abuse.

Cyberbullying is a global problem but government responses vary by country. This issue cannot be solved by the criminal punishment of teens; instead, the best solution is to encourage kids to make the right choices online in the first place.

More than 10 percent of parents around the world say their child has been cyberbullied and nearly one-fourth know a youngster who has been a victim,

n Indonesia, 91 percent said they knew about cyberbullying, in which a child, group of children or yo

I am frequent computer user. Of course it’s interesting to know how danger for my health computer can be. Working with computer for whole day is not rare nowadays. If it’s an aspect of our work or if we use computers just for fun, there are certain risks involved with prolonged computer use. 1. Eye Disease It’s the first what occur to us, when we talk about computer harm (right?). Prolonged computer use could be linked to glaucoma, especially among those who are short-sighted. Our eyes are very badly affected by how long you stare at that bright screen. We stop blinking and start staring which makes our eyes strain and dry out. Make sure you look away from the screen and close them for a few seconds every few minutes. We can find many information about eyes health, as Snuz made. And it’s very important not to forget about our eyes while working on computer. 2. Bad Posture Bad posture is enemy number one. Check your posture now! You should be able to reach the keyboard and mouse whilst bending your elbows at 90 degrees, with your shoulders relaxed. If you are stretching, this could cause problems. Your back should be straight and the top of the monitor should be just below eye level. If your monitor is to the left or right of your keyboard you are putting strain on your neck. Long periods of time at the computer while blogging, working or reading often leads to pain in the lumbar region of the back. Neck and shoulder problems also result from poor seating and the poor organization of equipment on the desk (stretching for the telephone or files etc). 3. Hurting Hands Your hand and wrist ache after working at the computer all day, and they sometimes start feeling numb. Research in recent years has found that things like typing and sewing rarely cause carpal tunnel. Wear splints while you work to keep your wrists from bending too high or low, and use a keyboard tray or adjust your chair so the keyboard and mouse are below your elbows and your wrists are level. It is really important to give your fingers, wrists and hands a break from resting on the keyboard all day. A tennis ball is a great way to do this. Every time you need to think you should grab the ball and give it a few quick squeezes. This will do wonders for your joints and muscles. 4. Computer Stress Injuries Many people suffer from structural problems related to the physical stress of sitting incorrectly, or for too long in front of their computers. So there are chances you’ve experienced a fair amount of computer stress, from minor frustrations here and there to a virtual visit to computer hell. High levels of stress can kill you, don’t make mistakes! Highly stressful workers have a higher risk of developing heart diseases and even cancer. So make sure that you can manage your stress. Start making something to reduce it, don’t wait till computer stress will be the main problem in your life. Taking frequent breaks is an important step in preventing repetitive computer stress injuries. Thus, it shows up that there are several problems that occur with prolonged computer use. It is also clear, however, that if certain rules of using computer are observed the risk of any of these problems can be minimized and computer users affected with computer related disorders can avoid or treat them. I consider that persons should have active lifestyle and an ergonomic computer work station, thereby even hardly computer working can’t affect their health. What do you think?

Teenagers who are addicted to the Internet are more likely to develop depression or other psychiatric problems than teens who are classified as normal Internet users,

Researchers say that their work suggests that teens who use the Internet pathologically may be about 2.5 times more likely to develop depression than  teens who are not addicted to the Internet.

Researchers in Australia and China studied pathological or uncontrolled Internet use and later mental health problems in 1,041 teenage students in China. The students were free of depression and anxiety at the start of the study. Sixty-two of the teenagers were classified at the start of the study as being moderately pathological users of the Internet, and two were found to be severely at risk for uncontrollable urges to go online. Nine months later, the youngsters were evaluated again for anxiety and depression and 87 were judged as having developed depression. Eight reported significant

Awful things Internet addiction has done to me:- Internet addiction has made me a very lazy and unwilling fellow who would usually take 2-3 hours to start the day off.- Internet addiction has caused me great amounts of stress and anxiety. (For example, I have lots of pornographic material scattered around my two laptops and I start getting paranoid when people ask me if they can use my computer to check something.) The death of a loved one 2 years ago only made my situation worse.- Internet addiction has prevented me from exercising and staying fit.- Internet addiction has put lots of strain into my eyes, from constantly staring at the monitor for about 6+ hours a day. (Not natural.)- Internet addiction has made me less social with my friends and made me feel more impatient (like when I would wait longer than 5-10 minutes for a friend on an instant messenger program to respond to me and I'd start wondering if I said something that could have offended them or if I am bugging them too much).- Internet addiction has turned me away from playing some of my favorite video game consoles (I grew up with the Super Nintendo and still have it). Thankfully, at least I never got into MMORPGs or any other online game services. I mainly emulated.- Internet addiction has made me very obsessed with atheism and religion. Of course I am glad to no longer subscribe to any organized religion (I hold no grudges against those who do, just the ones that try to shove their beliefs down others' throats because I find it very inhumane), but I don't want to continue obsessing over it; it makes me feel very depressed. I don't want this.- Internet addiction has made me very untidy. Currently I have 4 stacks of plates, 2 stacks of cereal bowls, 3 stacks of 8 oz glass cups, and 2-3 forks and knives and 7 spoons. I have bits of shed hair (I have long, frizzy hair) here and there on the carpet and it is quite embarrassing!- Internet addiction has made me procrastinate on class assignments and fail school indubitably. - Internet addiction has wasted so much of my precious, precious time that could have been used for other things that are more worthwhile and productive. In fact, my one-year-and-a-half Facebook addiction has worsened me to the point where I just had to delete my account once and for all.- Internet addiction has made me forget about the usefulness and convenience of doing real-life alternatives, such as mailing out letters/post cards to friends instead of just refreshing my e-mail inbox every 1 hour when I am awake, or listening to my massive cassette/CD/record collection instead of just sitting around my computer listening to MP3s.So you see, I am in a SERIOUS need of a change! I am sick and tired of living this sad and pathetic lifestyle. The stupidity of sites like 4chan inspired me to leave the Internet behind.

About a year ago in my first visit to Second Life, the popular online virtual world, I spent half an hour trying to make my avatar, or online character, look like a hotter version of myself — which isn't easy when you don't know how to use the tools. When I finally made it onto Money Island to mingle, a stranger approached me and said, "Hello there, Devon." I froze. Then I tried to run. I was desperately searching for the teleport tool when my sister walked into the room, peered over my shoulder at the computer screen and said, "Why'd you make your avatar ugly?" I logged off.

I see two fundamental differences between connected life, that is, life through the lens of technology, and real life, the one in which we live (I realize that it could be argued that tech life is the real one in which many of us live, but I see that as a problem). First, wired life is not real, meaning experiences are created by technology with the aim of approximating and simulating actual experience. The problem with this "low-resolution" life is that, though it shares similarities to real life, it lacks the high resolution and the granularity of real life. For example, email can be a wonderful means of communication, but it lacks visual input (so important to effective communication), the nuance of facial expressions and body language, and clear emotional content. Second, digital life is mediated by the technology that makes it possible. There is always something between us and our experiences, whether a text message or a Wii sports game, and, as I just noted, a great deal is lost in the translation.