What are the Causes of Internet Addiction?
People become addicted to the internet for a number of different reasons. Most of the time, the urge to compulsive use the internet is the result of a desire to manage unpleasant feeling such as depression, anxiety, stress or loneliness. Some feel socially inept in the real world and turn to social media interaction as a means of feeling close to people, while others may lose themselves online in an effort to temporarily feel better. Unfortunately, the internet, when used compulsively, can lead to many consequences.
Some causes of internet addiction include:
• Self-medication for a mental health disorder. Many people use the internet to mask anxiety, depression, or other mental illness.
• Information addicts. Some people have an intense hunger for knowledge and the internet provides immediate access to tons of information that can be very attractive for information addicts.
• Anxiety or social disorders. Some people have anxiety when they are face to face with people or suffer from other social disorders that make it difficult for them to interact in real life but easier to interact online.
• Loneliness. Many people, especially those who do not have a companion, interact online to fulfill a void that causes them to feel lonely.
• Shifting from a real world addiction. Many people who suffer from a real world addiction to shopping or gambling will shift their addictions to an online version such as internet gambling or excessive shopping online.