When we consider behavioral types of addiction, an already fuzzy line between addiction and use becomes even fuzzier. Drug addiction is perhaps the most clear-cut case of addiction because physical withdrawal and tolerance symptoms can be clearly understood on the basis of the physiological properties of the body. However, even with drug addiction the line between use and addiction can be unclear. Someone that feels socially awkward might use alcohol to feel more comfortable while out with other people without creating conflict. But if the physical drug use leads to withdrawal symptoms, tolerance, and perhaps using more than intended of the drug--three criteria for drug addiction in the DSM-IV--it still fits the primary criteria for addiction.
Behavioral addiction can be even more problematic to define because its physical effects are tied to a state of mind. If say a teenage boy that plays World of Warcraft for 4 hours a day with one friend and 20 guild members was made to cutback on his playtime, would any ill effects be from addiction or something else? Perhaps not playing 4 hours a day makes the boy upset because he missed the community of the guild or spending 4 hours a day with his friend. He might also be on for an hour, but then meet his friend or guild members about to do something really important. He could control his time and sign-off, or he could join his community in some group activity. According to addiction criteria, staying online longer than intended is indicative of addiction. But the boy doesn't necessarily seem to be staying on the internet for the sake of being on the internet. Rather, the boy is staying on the internet because he wants to help out his community or spend time with his community.
Ultimately, the boy could be considered either an addict or a non-addict based upon the person labeling. Like Dr. Bob said in class, many people could be considered addicts to a variety of things based on theirs actions, but if those things are socially acceptable, they typically aren't labeled. One of the reasons the above example is powerful is that it juxtaposes a socially acceptable activity, creating and participating in community, with a less acceptable activity, spending a massive amount of time online. As the internet becomes more common, perhaps nearly all internet "addiction" will become accepted.
Jordan I completely agree with what you said in your post and I touched on this same topic in my last post. I think one of the main reasons that many people don't see internet addiction as a possibility is the fact that the internet is so widely used and socially acceptable. In the case of drug addiction, many the drugs become addicted to are illegal and very socially unacceptable, whereas everyone uses the internet on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteJordan and Caroline,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you both that the internet isn’t seen as an addiction possibly because it is so widely used. Eventually, it will penetrate the whole world and everyone will have access to it. That leads me to think it may be possible for it to become so widespread, so frequently used, and so socially acceptable that it may even get to the point where it’s equivocated with eating or sleeping. I guess that’s the most extreme case scenario.
However, I think that one reason it may be socially acceptable is that people do receive benefits from it. One of the main ones being knowledge. Whenever I come across something I’m uncertain of, curious about, or trying to prove someone else wrong, I immediately “google” it to try and find the answer. So in cases like this the internet helps educate members of society faster, cheaper, and more conveniently. Therefore, for the people who spend the majority of their time information searching it could just be another way of spending a lot of their time learning kind of like if they were to read book.