Story by Cara Pantone
Photograhy by David Betts
The mesmerizing lights of the computers, phones and gaming devices that are so prevalent in the lives of college students often seem innocent, but these devices are the centerpiece of an emerging social problem: screen and Internet addiction.
Approximately 5.9 to 13 percent of Internet users exhibit disturbed Internet use, and 15 percent of university students in the United States and Europe know someone who is addicted to the Internet, according to Janet Morahan-Martin, a psychologist at Bryant University in Rhode Island. But there’s a disparity between the number of students who experience screen addition and those who actually seek help.
Chuck Morrison, University of Idaho Testing and Counseling Center counselor, said it is likely addicts don’t recognize or want to admit they have a problem. Morrison said most students who struggle with screen addiction rarely come forward to receive help. In the decade Morrison has worked with students at UI, he has seen the problem escalate.
“I would estimate that about 2 percent of UI students are struggling with Internet addiction. Although it isn’t a large percentage of students, it has a big impact on the individuals,” Morrison said. “I personally define an addiction as a compulsive problem that interferes with a healthy lifestyle. In terms of substance abuse, Internet or screen addiction is very similar in that people are dependent on that one thing.”
While screen addiction is defined differently by experts, most agree with Morrison and say symptoms of uncontrollable Internet use include social and relationship struggles, damage to academics or other responsibilities, deterioration of health, and anxiety when denied access to the Internet. While Internet addiction is not yet classified as a disorder, some psychologists report over-zealous Internet users develop unhealthy behaviors.
College students, who are often comfortable with technology and go to it regularly for entertainment and communication, might find it difficult to detect when a normal activity and resource becomes a problem. UI student Chris Wilkins said it is easy to justify use of devices.
“Our life is in our computers. They are a form of communication, a way to do assignments, a gaming device… it’s an all-inclusive life, and we’re dependent on our devices,” Wilkins said.
This idea of an “all-inclusive life” on devices is understandable, especially when it comes to social media websites. Morrison said online interaction is an easier alternative for those who may struggle to cultivate person-to-person communication.
“It is much less intimidating talking to someone through a screen rather than in person,” Morrison said. “However, this affects intimacy and it is far less likely to be fulfilling and take the place of a life partner, family friends, etc. While there is some value in online communication, the gratification is different.”
A study conducted at the University of Florence connected Internet addiction to poor social skills and low self-esteem. The latter is central to developing Internet addiction because it is “implicated in lapses of self-control, with the problematic aspects of heavy Internet use acting as direct expressions of such lapses,” the study stated.
Online group gaming sites are also gaining popularity, but present a major opportunity for addiction. Massively Multiplayer Online games, or MMos, are a prime example of this. One reason is their popularity, another is the fact that interpersonal behavior and relationships are central features to MMOs.
Joseph Arveson, a UI student and part owner of Strategy & Games in Moscow, said he has struggled with MMO addiction in the past.
“I started playing Ever Quest 2, and for a long time, it never seemed like I was addicted. I have an addictive personality and a competitive nature,” Arveson said. “Gaming gave me tasks to accomplish, in a way, and people to hang out with. It wasn’t until I realized I was scheduling work and life around gaming that I recognized I had a problem.”
It is not uncommon for college students who become addicted to screen time or Internet use to have an overall addictive personality and become easily absorbed by a single activity. Morrison said this is the case with most addictions, including drug abuse and gambling.
Arveson said it took stepping back and re-evaluating his life to shift his focus to a healthier activity.
“I still game, but instead of being involved with games and MMOs where you play for hours and hours, I changed my direction. I’m a student and helped open [Strategy & Games],” Arveson said. “Gaming, for the most part, is just a hobby of mine now.”
Social media and gaming are prominent areas of Internet addiction. Researchers recognize movie and television websites such as Netflix and Hulu as another potential problem area for Internet users. For most college students, these are an easy escape from daily pressures and an innocent hobby. But even “How I Met Your Mother” can become problematic when it interferes with responsibilities and other aspects of life. Wilkins said he knows other students who struggle with managing their movie or show-watching time, and that he sometimes has trouble controlling time spent on these sites.
“You make deals with yourself that you’ll only watch one more episode or one more hour, then you fall into a pit of laziness and you regret it later,” Wilkins said.
Although that glowing light beckons from iPhones and computer screens, students should be aware of how they spend time with these devices.
“Even though it isn’t easy, you have to suggest to yourself that you need to look outside your bubble of what seems important,” Arveson said. “When you’re dealing with addiction, you have to find other things you enjoy to replace it, change your focus, make goals, and look outside your bubble.”