With the rise of technology over the past years, the prevalence of Internet addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder has grown. Internet Addiction can easily turn into Internet Gaming Disorder when gaming activity is uncontrollable and leads to negative psychosocial effects Recent research by Anurag Tripathi from Ranchi, India found that many neurochemical and neuroanatomical changes in the brain take place in Internet Addiction, like alteration in dopamine reward circuitry, the thinning of brain’s outer layer (cerebral cortex) and decrease in the grey matter volume. Neuroimaging studies found that these cause changes in cognitive functions like attention, decision-making, cognitive control, emotional processing and regulation.
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Cognitive restructuring, behavioural exercises, lifestyle changes, yoga and mindfulness meditation are some treatment interventions that help deal with addiction. To treat Internet addiction, cognitive behavioural therapy, and motivational enhancement therapy are frequently used among psychotherapeutic interventions. Controlled use of the internet is promoted instead of total abstinence from internet use. Behavioural therapy and exposure therapy are also used, where individuals are engaged in socio-educational activities during offline time. According to Young, strategies to combat addiction include:
- Setting realistic, specific and achievable goals for clients
- Exposure to real-life events and setting a new schedule to disrupt old patterns of internet use
- Encouraging abstinence from the most attractive and uncontrollable application
- Reminder cards to remind the benefits of breaking addiction patterns
- Personal inventory, where clients are encouraged to explore new activities and interests that they neglected or compromised due to internet use
- Support group is provided for social interaction
- Family therapy provides where-family interventions to address interpersonal relational problems
The therapeutic relationship between client and therapist is relative to companionship rather than an expert-client relationship.
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Yoga and Mindfulness have been proven to be effective methods of intervention in addiction disorders. The physical postures and breathing exercises in yoga contribute to alleviating the symptoms of addiction such as stress, anxiety, depression and poor sleep quality. Practising mindfulness meditation, which involves focused and non-judgmental attention to the immediate present moment is validated to improve impulse control. Countries like India, the United States, South Korea, and China have opened internet de-addiction treatment centres that address the issues.
