Adolescence: Teenage Internet and Online Addiction

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Teenage Internet and Online Addiction
The technological advancements in the world today, specifically the internet, have many great opportunities that better the everyday lives of people, truly creating a different environment in comparison to what the world was like before the internet and online world. Although many benefits are due to this technological advancement, such as connectivity, better communication, accessible knowledge and learning, and entertainment, some issues are created when the use of the internet is left unchecked, especially during adolescence. This paper aims to discuss the effects of the internet and online addiction among adolescents, and various assessment strategies and support options that will be beneficial for this contemporary issue.
Internet and Online Addiction
The addiction to the internet and the online world is now becoming a public health crisis. This is considered a disorder with clinical manifestations that are common among adolescents. This contemporary issue is characterized by behavioral patterns or changes namely preoccupation with internet activities, increased time spent using the internet to feel satisfaction, conflicts with self, others, or academic activities, presence of withdrawal symptoms, and relapse (Wallace, 2014). The internet offers different online activities that adolescents can engage in, but the widely used aspect by adolescents which are associated with internet and online addiction are games and social media.
The internet and online addiction among adolescents are often an individual’s coping response to stressors. The external stressors are usually in the form of major life changes such as the death of a loved one, divorce of parents, moving to a new home or school, presence of a fatal illness or injury within the family, peer pressure, bullying, etc. (See, 2017). The internet serves as an activity that helps individuals cope by avoiding the negative emotions that are associated with the stressor that they are experiencing.
Effect on Behavior and Overall Wellbeing
The adolescent years are the years of development, these are also the years that the person is vulnerable. Adolescence is a stage where the formation and strengthening of behavior, habits, values, and beliefs happen. During these eventful years, adolescents are faced with life challenges and issues, and they find ways to cope (Throuvala et al., 2019). The excessive use of the internet and online activities/engagement is one of them and is often used by avoidant individuals. The internet is used as a way to alter a person&rsqu...