Introduction

Over the years, internet addiction has grown to become a source of concern. The term “Internet Addiction Disorder” has become a source of debate among leading psychiatrists in America due to the technicality of the condition.

Internet Addiction is also known as “compulsive computer use” or “pathological internet use”, it is classified as an obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Some negative effects of this disorder are what we will explore in this article.

Negative Effects of Internet Addiction

• Physical Effects

The compulsive use of the internet can have very harmful effects on the body due to the continual exposure of the body to unhealthy conditions.

Some physical effect internet addiction has on the body include eye problems due to exposure of the eyes to lights from the screen. Other effects include body aches from sitting or maintaining a particular posture. People who have this disorder sometimes suffer insomnia due to sleep deprivation.  

• Emotional Effects

Compulsive computer use also affects emotional health. People who are addicted to the internet suffer from things like anxiety and depression.

Internet addiction manifests through online sex addiction, online gambling addiction, compulsive shopping habits, and compulsive online dating. They often suffer frequent mood swings, anxiety, and depression. These things are detrimental to the emotional state of the individual affected. 

• Social Effects

People who are compulsive users of the internet are very likely to be sociopathic. They tend to have poor people skills because they are in social isolation.

People addicted to internet usage can suffer from low self-esteem due to frequent exposure to standards they can’t meet.

They also develop bad habits like cyberbullying when they are frequently on the internet. People also suffer from cyberbullying which can cause emotional trauma when they’re internet addicts.

Conclusion

To solve the problem of internet addiction, habit changes have to be made. Such changes include setting internet usage restrictions on your device or turning off your phone at intervals. In more extreme cases, therapy will suffice.