Internet Addiction

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addiction within 6 months. Other approaches to treating this addiction include psychosocial support or family therapy. There are also online tapes available for people who want to help themselves on their own time. In some cases, banning computer use may be the most efficient technique. An “initiated abstinence” program has shown preliminary evidence for successful treatment of children aged 12 to 15 in Austria, Germany, Italy, and Hong Kong, where internet addiction has become a serious issue. Comorbidity of internet addiction with ADHD and OCD can help researchers by giving them ideas for medications that suppress the symptoms of ADHD and OCD that may also suppress the symptoms of internet addiction. Examples include methylphenidate, used for ADHD, and Escitalopram, an SSRI used to treat OCD. Both of these showed positive results when used as a treatment for internet addicts.

After the endless debates between scientists about whether or not to include internet addiction in the DSM-5, it was decided that it should not be included. I personally think that the people who decided to exclude “internet addiction” from the newest version of the DSM-5 made the right choice. I do not think that the causes of this addiction are clear enough, resulting in the inability to confirm that treatment is needed. The research that has been done is not extensive enough to pinpoint exactly what type of treatment would be needed. I think that with more research and evidence, it could eventually become an official disorder listed in the DSM-5. In order to decide if it is different from other disorders like ADHD or OCD, I would want to know exactly which causes and symptoms differ and stand out. Methods of research and the results need to be reliable and there needs to be a line established so that it can be diagnosed correctly.