The Internet Has a Negative Impact on American Families Essay -- Argum

The Internet Has a Negative Impact on American Families Does the Internet truly have a negative impact on today’s family life? Many say that is most definitely does. Have you ever known someone who is obsessed with the Internet or spends more time on the Internet than they had intended to? You might begin to think they are addicted. Ricco Siasoco defines Internet addiction as â€Å"a broad term including users addicted to chat rooms, auctions, web surfing, among others.† These other Internet addictions may include cyber relationships, gaming, and trading. I have read several articles related to Internet addiction, and can not come to a conclusion on whether or not it is a true addiction. However, I do believe that the Internet does have a negative effect on American families. There have been many studies performed to research the idea of Internet addiction. It is just like any other addiction, including gambling, alcoholism, and eating disorders, and all of which destroy families in one way or another. Experiments created by psychologists and sociologists to explain the addiction resemble those of pathological gamblers described in the DSM-IV.[1] Using that information, a survey was made to determine if users have Internet addiction. The questionnaire includes eight questions such as â€Å"Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?† and â€Å"Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood?† Participants who answered yes to five or more of the questions were considered addicted Internet users. One aspect of the Internet that people can become addicted to is Cybersex and Cyber R... ...e), and Stage III Balance (Normal). â€Å"Some people simply get caught in Stage I and never move beyond it. They may need some help to get to Stage III,† declares Grohol. Internet users are being tested for addiction, because of how it effects their lives. Most people may think that it is not a major issue. However, as you can see, many lives and families are destroyed because of the Internet. Who knows if there will be new laws against chat rooms to stop cyber relationships? Could our government stop online gaming? I don’t think people will be able to stop trading online, because of its convenience. This leads me to one last question: Will Internet addiction be the next disorder in the DSM-IV? [1] Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders- Fourth Edition. [2] http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/, by John M. Grohol, Psy.D.