Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Introduction and Definitions

This blog will focus on depression caused by extreme and excessive internet use. Studies have a harder time showing singular causes of depression, therefor for the purpose of educating parents and teachers, it is important to be knowledgable about the other factors that lead to depression and internet use, such as internet addiction and high rates of cyberbullying. Addiction in general can lead to depression and/or depression can lead to addiction, so it is useful to discuss the two psychological phenomena together. Also, being bullied online is something that many teens are grappling with today and is a huge factor in depressive tendencies and anxiety in youth. Therefor it is important to define all three in order to gain a more well rounded image of the higher incidents of depression, anxiety, addiction and loneliness caused by the revolutionary use of the internet. 

The three definitions below was found in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary:

de·pres·sion: "a state of feeling sad, a psychoneurotic or psychotic disorder marked especially by sadness, inactivity, difficulty in thinking and concentration, a significant increase or decrease in appetite and time spent sleeping, feelings of dejection and hopelessness, and sometimes suicidal tendencies". 

ad·dic·tion: "compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful".

cy·ber·bul·ly·ing: "the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (as a student) often done anonymously".

There has been more diagnosis of addiction in relation to internet use and has been categorized as Internet Addiction Disorder. The following definition was found on The Free Online Medical Dictionary:

Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD): "A maladaptive pattern of Internet use, characterised by psychological dependence, withdrawal symptoms when off-line for prolonged periods, loss of control, compulsive behaviour, and clinically significant impairment of normal social interactions or distress".

I would like to take into consideration the first definitions of depression and cyberbullying, but to update the first definition of addiction with the newer one of IAD. I feel that both definition of addiction are applicable, yet the former presents an image that seems to pertain only to drug use while the latter accounts for the specific nature of the addiction we are discussing. Giving the above definitions, one could see correlations between the three subjects, in that being bullied online can lead to "feelings of dejection and hopelessness" and that "loss of control" and "withdrawal symptoms" described in the definition of IAD could be seen within the framework of depression.

All three of these subjects need to be examined in order to fully understanding the impact that increasing internet use has on the well being of teen in modern society. While internet addiction may seem like a newer phenomenon, it is a serious problem facing our youth and something that needs to be examined in order to understand and aid those is need. Also, after reading further research presented in this blog, cyberbullying should be taken seriously, not just seen as harmless "childs-play", but as something that can cause further isolation and depression with extreme reactions compared to that of in person bullying. In order to cease epidemics of depressed teens taking their own lives or resorting to isolation and self-mutilation, these topics need to be analyzed and taken very seriously because they are seen more in today's society than those of the past without the internet.

http://www.merriam-webster.com
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com

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