When the Internet Becomes a Problem

Unfortunately, in the modern society, the Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is distinctly evident among large populations of both teens and adults. Why is this such a serious a problem? Because if one does not REALIZE that he is experiencing PIU, no one can do anything to SOLVE the issue!

The PIU can be defined as an overuse of Internet that could consequently lead to other physical, social, emotional and/or functional impairments.

• Social or emotional impairments could mean that the person is choosing to spend more time on the Internet - especially on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram - instead of creating relationships in REAL life with REAL friends. This could ultimately result in the lack of ability to socialize and communicate fluently in real life situations.

• Functional impairment could indicate that a person is not sleeping at night because he is staying up to go on the Internet, or another example would be a person not getting a good grade in school because he is spending too much time online. 

If you were suffering from PIU, how long do you think you would be able to SURVIVE without phones, laptops, or tablets? A week at most? A day? A couple of hours? Or not even 10 MINUTES?!??

On a personal note, I would not be able to survive A SINGLE DAY without an electronic device. There is no WiFi on most provincial camping grounds. So during the summer when I go camping, I naturally tend to drive away from phones and laptops; all I do on my phone is taking pictures and listening to music. However, still at this point, I cannot possibly stop myself from regularly checking my social media pages and messages even when I don't have WiFi!

Those people who are experiencing PIU might feel irritated or anxious when they are not able to use the Internet on a daily basis; this would include the majority of teens today, and at times including myself. 

Check the resulting symptoms down below to see if YOU are experiencing PIU today.

Signs of Problematic Internet Use might include:

• Loosing track of time online
• Having challenges finishing tasks on time
• Feelings of restlessness, depression, and irritation when trying to cut down Internet usage
• Lies to family members or friends about the extend of Internet usage

The value of Internet is determined by the PERSON using it. 

Like Susan M. Snyder, Jennifer E. O'Brien, and Wen Li noted in their article titled "A new study says half of US students could be Internet addicts," there are both positive and negative components to the Internet.

If one uses such medium of communication and idea-banking in the CORRECT form, the Internet could be a more resourceful and more reliable source of our knowledge.