Проектная работа на тему Internet addiction as a real threat to a young generation

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Internet addiction as a real threat to a young generation
Dagestan Institute of Development of Education
Student: Osmanov Abdulkhalik Saigidovich
Gymnasium №17, Form: 11 «2»
Teacher of English: Dalgatova Zaira Magomedovna
Makhachkala- 2016
Plan
Introduction………………………………………………………………3
The main part………………………………………………………….…7
Conclusion………………………………………………………........…14
Literature………………………………………………………………..16
INTRODUCTION
Good afternoon, dear audience of the First Russian Channel, good afternoon, dear guests! I am glad to welcome you to our studio. And today we'll discuss really urgent, up-to-date and topical problem "Internet addiction as a real threat to a young generation". First of all, I'd like to welcome our dear guests: they are the headteacher of Gymnasium № 17 Osmanov Daniyal Arsenovich, psychologist, Doctor of Psychological Science Cakhaeva Anjelica Amirovna, and of course our independent expert, journalist, the host of the programme "The Time" Irada Zeinalova. Let's welcome them!
The Internet is considered as one of the most important foundations of the modern society. Its creation and introduction to the world during the late 19th century has brought about a large heap of development as to how humans perceive the importance of communication, connection and information. Ever since the time it has been released for public use, the Internet took into account several points of development and evolutional advancements that redefined the way humans operated with their everyday activities. While time spent online can be hugely productive, compulsive Internet use can interfere with daily life, work, and relationships. When you feel more comfortable with your online friends than your real ones, or you can’t stop yourself from playing games, gambling, or compulsively checking your smartphone, tablet, or other mobile device—even when it has negative consequences in your life—then you may be using the Internet too much.
The Internet provides a constant, ever-changing source of information and entertainment, and can be accessed from most smartphones as well as tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. Email, blogs, social networks, instant messaging, and message boards allow for both public and anonymous communication about any topic. But how much is too much Internet usage?
Each person’s Internet use is different. You might need to use the Internet extensively for your work, for example, or you might rely heavily on social networking sites to keep in touch with faraway family and friends. Spending a lot of time online only becomes a problem when it absorbs too much of your time, causing you to neglect your relationships, your work, school, or other important things in your life. If you keep repeating compulsive Internet behavior despite the negative consequences in your offline life, then it’s time to strike a new balance. Nowadays, surfing the internet is a simple way of spending time just like going to the cinema or café. Because internet is informative, easily available and of course entertaining. However, some people use internet resources non-stop and addictively.
So, what is the Internet addiction? «Internet addiction» means spending more time on line by ignoring some other aspects of life. Internet Addiction, Internet Addiction Disorder, Compulsive Internet Use, Computer Addiction, Internet Dependence and Problematic Internet Use — all these words are alternative terms for Internet Addiction. Anyone with access to internet can become addicted to it irrespective of gender or age.  Internet addiction makes people forget about their responsibilities. They neglect household duties, cooking, cleaning and above all they forget to take care of themselves. Children and teenagers get addicted to online activities like multi-user games, instant messaging, pornography and chat rooms. The children of working parents and vulnerable children are easily getting addicted to internet. Children and teenagers who are shy with friends are often attracted to online communities for making new friendships and new identities.
The aim of the project work is to study psychological side of internet addiction, its main behavior and physical symptoms and also to study the ways of treatment and prevention of internet addiction.
The practical significance of the work is that in our work there will be introduced prophylactic programme, recommendations for prevention and treatment of internet addiction among young generation. The work also presents the results of a survey conducted in one of the schools of our city.
The results can be used as practical recommendations for parents and can be read on special psychological courses.
So, let's see video about it.
Information from the video:
The causes of the Internet addiction could be many. The main reason why Internet addiction is so common is the sense of anonymity it provides. It is another way by which people can get out of their worries and problems; they can share their feelings and expressions with their online friends without even having to make any regrets or confrontations. This helps a lot of people getting away from the stress, depression or phobic problems.
We can name various forms of internet addiction:
Net Compulsions – this includes compulsive gambling, gaming, shopping, trading stocks or other obsessive use of the internet that interferes with your work or home, relationships or financial well-being. For example, while gambling has been a well-documented problem for years, the availability of Internet gambling has made gambling far more accessible. It has also made it harder for recovering addicts to avoid relapse. Online or virtual casinos are open all day, every day for anyone with Internet access. People who don’t live within close proximity of a traditional casino or betting track, for example, or even those who are too young to gain access, now find it much easier to gamble online. Net compulsions such as compulsive stock trading or online shopping can be just as financially and socially damaging as online gambling. EBay addicts, for example, may wake up at strange hours in order to be online for the last remaining minutes of an auction. They may purchase things they don’t need and can’t afford in order to experience the excitement of placing the winning bid. Compulsive online gamers can isolate themselves for many hours at a time participating in virtual reality or online fantasy games, neglecting other aspects of their lives such as work and family.
Cybersex Addiction – compulsive use of the internet to take part in adult chat rooms, fantasy role playing sites, or to watch internet pornography. When used responsibly, the Internet can be a great place to interact socially, meet new people, and even start romantic relationships. However, online relationships can often be more intense than those in real life. Our fantasies are given free reign, and the idea of being with our online love can exceed all realistic expectations. Since few real-life relationships can compete with these wild, fantasy relationships, the Internet addict will prefer to spend more and more time with their online friends. Another problem is that about 50% of people online lie about their age, weight, job, marital status, or gender. When online friends meet and the real-life person fails to match the online persona, it can create profound emotional disappointment.
Cyber-Relationship Addiction – taking part in social networks, chat rooms and virtual messaging online to a point in which these online relationships mean more than real-life relationships with friends or family members.
General Computer Addiction – obsessively playing on the computer, not necessarily online. This may include playing games such as Solitaire or programming a computer obsessively.
Compulsive Web Surfing – obsessively surfing the web or a database to a point in which you take time from your friends, family members or regular daytime tasks at work or home [1; 13-14].
THE MAIN PART:
Abdulkhalik: Internet addiction can be compared with other types of addictions which create great impact on a person’s psychological health, especially of young generation. I wonder what the symptoms of Internet Addiction disorder are. And I believe that our psychologist, Doctor of Psychological Science Cakhaeva Anjelica Amirovna will help us and answer this question.
Psychologist: Good afternoon, Abdulkhalik, good afternoon everybody! Thank you for invitation to your nice programme. Of course Internet addiction is psychological problem. Internet addiction is similar to drug and other addictions. Internet addicts struggle to control their behavior, and get depressed when they encounter failures in their life. Their loss of self-esteem grows, feeling the need to escape even further into their addictive behavior. A sense of powerlessness spreads through the lives of addicts.
Internet addiction is not defined by a single symptom. When the behavior or symptoms of internet addiction take control of addicts’ lives and become unmanageable, the following may happen [3]:
Uncontrollable internet usage.
An anxiety to be online.
Sometimes it may also happen that a person may lie or hide to cover the extent or nature of online behavior.
An inability to your online behavior.
If the way of internet use affects your work, family life, relationships and school, it can be confirmed that you are experiencing the signs of internet addiction. It is important that it is not the actual time spent online that determines if you have a problem, but rather how that time you spend impacts your life.
Ignoring family and friends.
Feeling depressed, irritated when not at the computer.
Problems with school or work.
Internet addiction shows the following physical symptoms:
Carpal tunnel syndrome.
Dry eyes.
Headaches.
Backaches.
Eating disorders like skipping meals or overeating.
Neglecting personal hygiene.
Sleep disturbances and changes in sleep patterns [3].
Abdulkhalik: And how do people become addicted to the internet?
Psychologist: You are at greater risk of Internet addiction if:
You suffer from anxiety. You may use the Internet to distract yourself from your worries and fears. An anxiety disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder may also contribute to excessive email checking and compulsive Internet use.
You are depressed. The Internet can be an escape from feelings of depression, but too much time online can make things worse. Internet addiction further contributes to stress, isolation and loneliness.
You have any other addictions. Many Internet addicts suffer from other addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex.
You lack social support. Internet addicts often use social networking sites, instant messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of establishing new relationships and more confidently relating to others.
You’re an unhappy teenager. You might be wondering where you fit in and the Internet could feel more comfortable than real-life friends.
You are less mobile or socially active than you once were. For example, you may be coping with a new disability that limits your ability to drive. Or you may be parenting very young children, which can make it hard to leave the house or connect with old friends.
You are stressed. While some people use the Internet to relieve stress, it can have a counterproductive effect. The longer you spend online, the higher your stress levels will be.
Abdulkhalik: Thank you, Anjelica! Now we see that this problem is very serious and dangerous especially among young generation. And how it influences on education we'll ask a headteacher of Gymnasium №17. Daniyal Arsenovich, do you think that internet addiction is a real threat to our society?
HEADTEACHER: Good afternoon, Abdulkhalik! Yes, I absolutely agree with you and our psychologist that the problem of Internet addiction has become urgent and up-to-date. Of course it is the biggest advanced technology of this century. Today it is the biggest sourсe of information to our students. No doubt internet has become a part of their life. But it has negative aspects as well. Mainly internet has a bad effect on the mental and physical health of the young people. Doing internet all time reduces their chances to participate actively in physical activities at home, school and study. They are less interested in doing homework. Also, spending much time on internet damage student’s physical health. Internet Addiction Statistics shows the following disappointing results:
Approximately 3 out of every 8 Russian people experience signs of internet addiction.
In a small study, 82% of people were found to spend more time online than anticipated. In the same study, 65% of people claim they use the internet to escape their problems.
The most addicted people are the people of the age from 18 to 24 [2; 3-5].
We also conducted anonymous survey among students of the age from 13 to 17 in Gymnasium number 17.
28 % of students say that they are internet addicted.
46 % of students say that they spend too much time on social sites.
26% of students say that they are not internet addicted but that they can’t do without internet and use it all the time.
34% check their smartphone before getting out of bed.
21% wake up in the middle of the night to check Facebook, Whats App etc..
27% check Facebook, Whats App while on the toilet.
2787651053465The results of this survey are reflected in the following diagram:
Abdulkhalik: And how does your school try to solve this problem?
HEADTEACHER: Children are not allowed to use mobile phones and internet at school. There are also psychologists in our school who can help our students if they have such a problem. But of course we can’t solve this problem without their parents’ help.
Abdulkhalik: Thank you! And now it’s high time to show you an interview-survey of some students from Gymnasium №17. We asked them three simple questions:
How much time do they spend on internet?
Can they imagine their life without internet?
And finally do they consider themselves to be internet addicted?
And this is how they answered, let’s see!
Video: (Interview of students).
(Student 1) No, I’m not internet addicted. I don’t spend much time on internet. Maybe 5-6 hours a day. But to tell you the truth, I can’t imagine my life without internet. It’s very useful, you know!
(Student 2) Am I internet addicted? Hmmm, really good question! I can’t answer it. But I know that I can’t do anything without internet. It’s everything for me. It helps me to find information for school, to communicate with my friends. To cut a long story short internet is my best friend. Even now I’m using it!
(Student 3) I think that internet has become a part of our life. But I’m not internet addicted. I use it only when I’m at home and need some information for my lessons. My mother believes that constant using it is harmful for our health.
(Student 4). I think that modern society can’t live without internet. As for me I adore shopping online. I can buy what I want and when I want online, and it is even cheaper.
Abdulkhalik: So, this is our children’s opinion! And today we can also listen to independent expert’s opinion- journalist, the host of the programme «The Time» Irada Zeinalova. Irada, is this problem so serious as we see it? What’s your opinion?
Irada: Hello, Vita! Of course I agree with you. Lots of children are on internet for hour after hour. Some parents feel that it’s safe, they are at home – all is well. Others are concerned about over-use of the internet. In China and Korea, for example, parents have been sending their children to clinics to cure them of what they see as internet addiction. In one tragic case earlier this month, a young boy beaten to death at one of this institution. Another boy has been seriously injured. That was treatment taken to extremes. But should efforts be made to reduce the time children spend on line? And in some cases, is treatment necessary? Or is it the parents who need to change their ways? I don’t know. But I know that we should control our children and help them in such a difficult situation.
Abdulkhalik: Thank you, Irada! And finally, (addressing psychologist) can you give us adviсe how we can prevent and cure Internet Addiction?
Psychologist: If self-help for internet addiction doesn’t work for you, consider these internet addiction treatment options:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy – providing methods of changing compulsive thoughts that result in poor behavior into positive thoughts and reactions, cognitive-behavioral therapy can help to change the perceptions that you have regarding your internet use. This method of therapy is effective at reducing anxiety, eliminating stress or alleviating depression. Therapy can give you a tremendous boost in controlling Internet use. Cognitive-behavioral therapy provides step-by-step ways to stop compulsive Internet behavior and change your perceptions regarding Internet, smartphone, and computer use.
Support Groups – while there may not be as many support groups for those suffering from internet addiction as there are for those suffering from substance abuse or a gambling addiction, there are often alternatives. For instance, if you tend to spend your time online gambling, you can take part in Gamblers Anonymous, or if you tend to spend your time watching pornography, Sex Addicts Anonymous may be an alternative social support option. There are some Internet addiction support groups on the Internet. However, these should be used with caution. Although they may be helpful in orienting you and pointing you in the right direction, you need real-life people to best benefit from group support. [4].
Of course we can prevent it but preventing internet addiction in children and teens can be more difficult that you may think. If you observe that your child is spending more time on internet and if you want to establish a healthier balance between internet use and other activities follow the below suggestions:
1. Calculate how much time your kid is spending on internet and check whether your child is performing well in his education or not and whether it is causing any impact on his health and relationships with family and friends.
2.Keep your computer in a shared family room, not in a child’s bedroom. You can observe what your child is doing on internet.
3.Limit internet usage to include minimal use for social interaction.
4.Internet use should focus on the need to use the internet for school assignments and research.
5.Limit internet gaming.
6.Monitor internet use and set boundaries.
7.Talk to your child about anxiety, depression, school, and other potential triggers that may be causing additional internet use.
8. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms of internet addiction, seek professional counseling to make your child come out from the addiction [3-4].
Conclusion:
Abdulkhalik: Thank you dear guests. So as we see Internet addiction is a real threat to our society especially for young generation. And it is a growing problem with more and more people. The internet is much more accessible to people now than it was just a few years ago. The internet provides people with entertainment, loads of information and an escape from everyday life, but like anything else, too much a good thing can be addictive. An international group of psychologists has recently suggested that anyone who surfs the Internet for long periods is clinically ill and needs medical treatment. According to their report, Internet addicts should be treated in the same way as alcoholics, drug addicts, compulsive gamblers and people with eating disorders. Internet addiction is a growing epidemic characterized by a compulsive desire to interact online through internet gaming, gambling, cybersex, social networking or compulsive surfing of the web. According to Dr. Kimberly Young, the first psychologist to document internet addiction, these disorders are similar to impulse-control disorders. 
But our children aren’t addicted to the computer; they’re addicted to interaction, and being around their friends. Children, and especially teenagers, don’t want to only socialize with parents and siblings; they want to play with their peers. That’s how they make sense of the world. And we’ve robbed them of that opportunity because we’re afraid of boogeymen. We’re raising our children in captivity and they turn to technology to socialize, learn and decompress. Why are we blaming the screens?
Not all users who surf the web will become addicted to the internet and, excessive use of the internet is not always associated with addiction. There are many ways that the internet can be used in a healthy way and in some cases, even excessive use of the internet is safe. The internet provides us with a constant, ever-changing source of entertainment, information and tools that is accessible through computers, smart phones, tablets, laptops and other hand-held devices.
Every invention in the world has its bad as well good effects. Nothing was made with bad purpose. And it is up to us we make it use in out benefit or loss. And it’s up to parents and teachers to help their children in such a difficult situation. Because when we are close together we are stronger!
Literature:
A. Janov. Primal Center. Glasgow. – 2011.
B. Black. The Neuroscience of Internet Addiction. -2013.
http://blog.wisdomjobs.com/internet-addiction-a-new-generation-threat/http://www.addictions.com/internet/