Impact of internet addiction on mental health: an integrative therapy is needed

n the past few years internet addiction (IA) and internet gaming disorder (IGD) have become very frequent, leading to many personality and psychiatric disorders including low self-esteem, impulsivity, poor sleep quality, mood disorder, and suicide. IA has been included in Appendix III of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as IGD. In addition, IA leads to many neuroanatomical and neurochemical alterations including cortical thinning of various components of the brain and altered dopaminergic reward circuitry. Due to widespread neuropsychiatric and neurobiological implications of IA, multiple therapeutic approaches are needed. Integrative therapy in the form of yoga and mindfulness has proven to be effective in many addiction disorders including IA.

Tripathi, A. (2017). Impact of internet addiction on mental health: An integrative therapy is needed. Integrative Medicine International, 4(3-4), 215–222.

Read the full article on Karger.

‍

How do I keep my kid off social media (when I can’t get myself off social media)?

The amount our kids use technology, including social media, is the number one worry for 70% of New Zealand parents, according to the latest State of the Nation Parenting Survey from NIB. Now get this stat: 50% of parents admit they are addicted to their own devices.‍

Science

Problematic digital gaming behavior and its relation to the psychological, social and physical health of Finnish adolescents and young adults

The aim of this study was to identify problematic gaming behavior among Finnish adolescents and young adults, and evaluate its connection to a variety of psychological, social, and physical health symptoms. This research emphasized that problematic gaming behavior had a strong negative correlation to a variety of subjective health outcomes.

Science

Systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiology of internet addiction

The field of internet addiction has experienced significant debates on conflicting epidemiology. This meta-analysis investigated the prevalence rates of generalized internet addiction (GIA) and internet gaming disorder (IGD).

Article