On Internet Addiction

1. CORINA IONESCU & SORINA PERSINARU
SECONDARY SPECIAL SCHOOL NO.2, BUCHAREST

2.  INTERNET - a vast computer network linking
smaller computer networks worldwide. The
Internet includes commercial, educational,
governmental, and other networks, all of which
use the same set of communications protocols.
 ADDICTION – a strong and harmful need to
regularly have something or do something
(such as gamble);
- an unusually great interest in
something or a need to do or have something

3.  SUBSTANCE – RELATED ADDICTIONS - includes
dependence on any of the following: tobacco,
alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs, other
unspecified substances
 BEHAVIOURAL ADDICTIONS - involve excesses
related to: gambling, food, the Internet/using
computers, playing video games, work,
exercising, spiritual obsession (as opposed to
religious devotion), pain (seeking), shopping,
pornography (attaining, viewing), sex

4.  Information overload - Too much online surfing
 Compulsions - Excessive time spent in online
activities such as gaming, trading of stocks,
gambling and even auctions
 Cyber-relationship addiction - Excessive use of
social networking sites to create relationships
rather than spending time with family or friends
 Cybersex addiction - Too much surfing of porn
sites

5.  Emotional Symptoms:
 Feelings of guilt
 Anxiety
 Depression
 Dishonesty
 Euphoric feelings when in front of the computer
 Unable to keep schedules
 No sense of time
 Isolation
 Defensiveness
 Avoiding doing work
 Agitation

6.  Physical Symptoms:
 Backache
 Headaches
 Weight gain or loss
 Disturbances in sleep
 Carpal tunnel syndrome
 Blurred or strained vision

7.  There are currently more than 2.4 billion
Internet users, an increase of 566% in the
last 5 years
 Recording to Eurobarometer surveys
commissioned by the Safer Internet
Programme, in Europe 75% of children aged
between 6 and 17 years old are Internet users
(77% in Austria, 50% in Greece, 86% in
Lithuania, 70% in Romania, 68% in Portugal)

8.  Along with countries like Bulgaria, Poland,
Lithuania and Turkey, Romania is a country of
“digital natives”, whose use of Internet
surpasses by far that of their parents.
 Romania is among the countries where
children and young people spend the most
time online, but they also have the lowest
level of competence when it comes to the
virtual environment.

9.  Romanian children are at half of European
leader board, 32% of children saying they very
often or often experienced one or more forms
of behavior related to overuse of the Internet
(E.g. less time spent with friends, family or to
do their homework for school, because of the
time spent online, neglecting sleep or food
because).
 The percentage is close to the European
average (30%).

10.  78% of Romanian children are using the Internet
daily or almost daily
 75% of Romanian children are accessing the
Internet anywhere, using different type of devices
(computer, laptop, Smartphone, tablet)
 90% of Romanian children are using social media
(Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Ask.fm)
 17% of Romanian children are saying that they
spent less time with friends, family or doing their
school work, because of many hours spent on the
Internet

11. On a school day
 34% of Romanian children are spending at least 1
hour daily on the Internet
 24% of Romanian children are spending at least 2
hours daily on the Internet
 14% of Romanian children are spending at least 3
hours daily on the Internet
 6% of Romanian children are spending at least 4
hours daily on the Internet
 9% of Romanian children are spending more than
4 hours daily on the Internet (exist respons with
8 hours)

12. On a free day (Saturday, Sunday, holiday)
 9% of Romanian children are spending at
least 1 hour daily on the Internet
 17% of Romanian children are spending at
least 2 hours daily on the Internet
 20% of Romanian children are spending at
least 3 hours daily on the Internet
 15% of Romanian children are spending at
least 4 hours daily on the Internet
 33% of Romanian children are spending more
than 4 hours daily on the Internet

14.  http://oradenet.salvaticopiii.ro/
 http://www.lse.ac.uk/ - Livingstone, S, and
Haddon, L (2009-2011) EU Kids Online: Final
report.LSE, London: EU Kids Online (EC
SaferInternet Plus Programme Deliverable
D6.5.)
 www.healthyplace.com
 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
 www.merriam-webster.com
 wwww.psychguides.com