Teens and Internet Addiction

Keeping a lid on the habit

By Celeste Debruzzi

In a world that has changed so much since we were kids, our teens are faced with new challenges and new problems. Our parents worried about smoking and drugs, but today our young adults are facing a new phenomena, computer addiction.

The introduction of the Internet into our society has created problems and dangers with our children we could never have imagined. When the Internet was established and the excitement was new, our greatest worry was waiting to connect through a phone line. Today, countless teens are addicted to on-line games, chat rooms, and instant messaging.

What’s the Attraction

Teens, both male and female, are addicted to role playing games that are so addicting teens are losing track of the real world. For instance, a friends son, once outgoing, active in sports and holding good grades in school, has become so addicted to World of Warcraft (more commonly known as “WOW”) that his “real” life has virtually faded from his memory. Grades have slipped, and his main social outlet is using his microphone to talk to friends from school while playing this game! His parents have disconnected the Internet, taken the computer away and are dealing with “withdrawal” symptoms similar to any illegal drug! Mood swings, angry outbursts and depression are signs of computer addiction during the withdrawal phase. Several visits to a therapist ended in disappointed parents, as the therapist hardly took this “addiction” seriously. Fortunately, love and patience seem to working as with any addiction.

Solutions

Are we to see “computer addiction rehabs” popping up soon? Are they needed? You bet! Parents are at a loss as to what to do when their children are being swallowed up by the computer monster. Soon we will start seeing more articles on what to do when an addiction is beginning, giving parents the help they need to control their teens.

Many people believe that this is a relatively minor problem. Since the majority of these teens are not doing drugs, having sex or causing problems in school. Unfortunately, some future issues may be overlooked. Some of these children may be lacking motivation, commitment, team work experience or even suffer from health problems from lack of exercise or poor eating habits.

Parents we must recognize this as a serious addiction and battle for help from schools and health care professionals. Parents and educators talk about drugs, sex and smoking, but could they be missing one of the most severe addictions in today’s society

Identifying and Dealing with Addiction

A parents’ guide

Adolescents who may be caught up in drug abuse and addiction generally exhibit some, if not all, of the following changes:

• Problems at school: poor academic performance, cutting class, disrespecting teachers, or dropping extracurricular activities
• Changes in friendships: spending time with peers their parents don’t know, making or receiving phone calls at odd hours, spending time with peers who smoke, drink, or abuse drugs
• Physical changes: weight loss, unusual sleeping habits, lack of personal hygiene, increased cough caused by smoking, nicotine-stained fingers and yellow fingernails, , reeking of smoke or alcohol.
• Personality difference: mood swings, unprovoked anger, depression, belligerent and argumentative attitude.

If you have observed some of the above mentioned changes in your teen, the time has come to take action:

• Get an outside opinion from school officials or counselors. Explain your suspicions and get their recommendation for how to proceed.
• Make an appointment for your teen with your healthcare provider. Don’t tell your teen why you’re taking them to the doctor, but alert the doctor ahead of time that you’d like a drug screening test performed.
• When the screening results come back, make an appointment with a mental health professional for your teen, and your family. Family counseling and individual counseling for your teen can be beneficial.
• Establish new house rules and enforce them. Parents should determine which expectations and consequences are best for their teen. In the event that your teen is wholly uncooperative, you may need to resort to other proactive methods such as contacting the police.
• If your teen is abusing illicit drugs such as methamphetamines, marijuana or cocaine, file a police report against your teen. If you suspect your adolescent is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, call 9-1-1 and provide the dispatcher with a description of the vehicle and your teen. By involving authorities you will be better enabled to get your teen into a treatment/rehabilitation facility.
• Continue to administer random drug tests. Once your teen has successfully completed a treatment program, trust must be rebuilt. Let your adolescent know that you love them, but you need to know that they are staying clean and sober.
• Stay involved. Parents should make themselves fully available to bring their teen to the necessary group meetings (such as AA) or court appearances consequent of addiction. Staying involved in your teen’s recovery reaffirms your concern and love for them.

Drug addiction issues in a family take a long time to resolve. Stay in touch with local support communities such as Nar-Anon, Al-Anon, or Families Anonymous, and keep the phone number of your family therapist at hand. As needed or desired, make positive changes in your family. After the crisis has passed, spend time reconnecting as a family.