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Sheena VanCott
Matthew Merkel
Comm 2500
16 December 2015
Technology Addiction

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Introduction
In todays world, our society is consumed by technology and how far it has come. What
was made to improve our world can sometimes be the very thing that is destroying it.
Technology started with social interactions that could be enabled through networking as a series
of memos written by J.C.R. Licklider of MIT. He envisioned a globally interconnected set of
computers through which everyone could quickly access data and programs from any site. In
spirit, the concept was very much like the Internet of today. (Origins of the Internet) From this,
came the Internet. What stems from the creation of the Internet, are both the positive and
negative effects of what it has done for our society.
For example, the Internet is now a serious public health issue that should be officially
recognized as a clinical disorder, according to a leading psychiatrist. Between excessive
gaming, online pornography, and email, Dr. Jerald Block, author of an editorial for the respected
American Journal of Psychiatry, has identified it all as causes of a compulsive-impulsive
disorder. He says there are four main components to Internet addiction:
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Excessive Use

Withdrawal

The need for better computers

Negative repercussions such as arguments, lying, poor achievement, social isolation

and fatigue.
(Smith. David; Technology Correspondent)

Facts
A study conducted on ABCNEWS.com resulted in a large number of people that may be
addicted to the use and abuse of the Internet.

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The combination of available stimulating content, ease of access, convenience,
low cost, visual stimulation, autonomy, and anonymity, all contribute to a highly
psychoactive experience. (Greenfield, David N.; Ph.D.)

Dr. Greenfield speaks of this, and many other improvements to our world which may
have unintended negative effects. The survey was conducted online in cooperation with
ABCNEWS.com who placed the study on their website in the late fall of 1998. They received
over 18,000 responses in less than 2 weeks, reflecting geographic representation throughout
the United States and Canada, along with smaller representation throughout other English
speaking countries.
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The average age was 33 years old, with a range from 8 to 85.

They were predominantly white (82%)

Mostly Male (71%)

Most were employed (85%)

The average income range was $25,000-$50,000.

The majorities were college educated (87%)

Results
The Results of the survey suggest that there is a psychological pattern of compulsive
Internet use for certain individuals. For others, there are indications that the Net is an easily
abused medium in and of itself. The Survey was called The Virtual Addiction Survey. This was
based off of the DSM-IV, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (Wiki)

Problem Areas of the Internet

According to Dr. Greenfield, the Internet is very popular in sexual areas sue to
accelerated intimacy or Love. The question he asks, Is this a new type of intimacy? (Pg.9 of

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Virtual Addiction: Sometimes New Technology Can Create New Problems) Researchers from
the University of Glasgow found that half of the study participants reported checking their email
once an hour. (WebMD) I personally check my cell phone, which is linked to my email, every
single time an email comes in. Part of me believes that to have something to do with the fact
that I am a little OCD, and I cant stand the look of that little red 1 that sits next to my email app
telling me that I have an email, and the only way to get rid of that 1, is to check your email.

Why We Need to Rest

These constant interruptions take a toll on our bodies and our mental states. Not
only that, but technology affects the people around us as well. I know that while I sit home doing
homework every night after work, my daughter finds other means of comfort, because I am
simply not there to give it to her. Not physically, but emotionally. I am mentally absent while
focusing on my schoolwork.
Some people suffer from insomnia and blame it on an obsession with being
connected at all times. Some people are known to lie in bed with their phone in their face until
they fall asleep.
Multitasking can cause the brain to overheat, like a car engine. The brain
needs periods to recover, not just sleeping at night. Edward Hallowell,
MD
Hallowell says, People joke about being crazy busy. Sometimes they brag about
it, like being busy is a status symbol. But they dont realize that its as harmful for them as
obesity or cigarette smoking.
New Solutions for a New Age
Scott Dockter, president and CEO of PBD Worldwide Fulfillment Services Inc.,
decided to take Casual Friday one step further, and created email-free Fridays, where
employees are encouraged to talk offline to resolve issues, by picking up the phone or meeting

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face-to-face. As a result, he saw an 80 percent email drop-off in the first year and noticed a
reduction of unnecessary reports sent and excessive ccing. People started talking to each
other. Before we were robbing each other of our culture. (Scott Dockter; WebMD.com) There
are several things we can do to make this better, day-by-day.
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Experiment with short periods of inaccessibility.

Leave your cell phone and PDA at home one day a week.

Set a not-to-do list.

Eliminate rather than streamline whenever possible.

Hire a virtual assistant.

Buddy up. Dont go it alone on the road to recovery.

Learn Moderation: Some is good for you, but too much is really, really bad.

Conclusion

In an ever-changing world with vastly changing technology and means of

communication, we as a civilization need to continue to evolve without forgetting who we are
and why we are here. All too often we lose sight of ourselves, and our loved ones in something
as fascinating as a video game, or a new smart phone. Breaks need to happen, loved ones
need to be paid attention to, and life needs to be lived.
Technology will never cease to be something that we wont want to be involved
in. Well always want to see what that new game console is like, and well always want to have
the latest model of iPhone, because were human beings and thats just human nature. As long
as we remember what it is that makes us human, and continue to do the things that keep us
human, then technology addiction wont get the best of us to the point where we cant evolve
anymore.

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Works Cited
1. "Addiction to Internet Is an Illness." Www.theguardian.com. The Guardian, n.d. Web.
2. Leiner, Barry M. "Internet Society." Brief History of the Internet. N.p., n.d. Web. 16
Dec. 2015.

3. "JCR Licklider." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.

4. Greenfield, David M. "Virtual Addiction: Sometimes New Technology Can Create New
Problems." Virtual Addiction: Sometimes New Technology Can Create New
Problems (n.d.): n. pag.Http://www.navigatorcounseling.com/. The Center for Internet
Studies @ Psychological Health Associates. Web.
5. Feature, Jennifer SoongWebMD. "When Technology Addiction Takes Over Your
Life." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.