Internet the drug of teen generation

INTERNET addiction is the “drug of this generation” with new Australian research revealing it leads to mental health issues in teenagers and will be a serious handicap as they grow, producing lowachieving, unmotivated adults.

Normal, well-balanced teenagers are falling prey to compulsive internet use, such as gaming and social media, with violence, school refusal, loss of control and sleep and lying about devices some of the symptoms.

The authors of ‘Compulsive internet use and the development of self-esteem and hope’, are calling for interventions to teach teenagers to foster healthy habits, particularly given internet use and devices are now mandatory in primary and high schools.

“Just being on the internet or gaming isn’t the problem, it is the lack of control. It is an addiction, it is the drug of this generation and it is powerful,” said co-author Professor Joseph Ciarrochi from the Australian Catholic University’s Institute of Positive Psychology and Education.

“We found the ones who get addicted then start to experience damage to their character. This suggests even youth who are hopeful and high in self-esteem can become addicted and such addiction will likely damage their sense of self,” he said.

“This is going to be one of the biggest issues of the next 20 to 30 years and no one is immune.

“Previously a lot of addiction behaviours fell on the lower socio economic areas for example, but all kids are at a disadvantage and the games are like cigarettes, they are designed to addict you.”

The study examines how compulsive internet use can damage core psychological skills of self-esteem and hope, vital indicators of young people’s wellbeing defined as ability to define goals and achieve them.

The research found 15 per cent of teens surveyed were struggling with compulsive internet use and the examination is the first longitudinal study of its kind, surveying nearly 3000 adolescents.