Review article

Internet and Video Games Addiction

Joško Jurman ; Croatian Association for Behevioral-Cognitive Therapies, Zagreb, Croatia
Vlatka Boričević Maršanić ; Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Youth, Zagreb, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Medical School, Osijek, Croatia
Ljubica Paradžik ; Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Youth, Zagreb, Croatia
Ljiljana Karapetrić Bolfan ; Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Youth, Zagreb, Croatia
Svebor Javornik ; Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Youth, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

While most people use the Internet without significant hardship to their health, particular people develop dysfunctional Internet use and excessive playing of (online) video games. People with dysfunctional Internet use show behaviour patterns that indicate possible Internet addiction, which can have a negative influence on their everyday activities, interpersonal relations and psychological well-being. Symptoms of Internet overuse and Internet addiction vary in number and frequency, and there are growing amounts of evidence that some psychological and biological mechanisms are in the background of this problem, similarly to those regarding substance abuse. Research show that among adults Internet overuse is associated with a series of mental health and psychosocial problems such as: abstinence syndrome, social withdrawal, academic failure, financial problems, marital problems, etc. Physical problems such as back pain, eyestrain
and carpal tunnel syndrome are also present. Overuse and potentially addictive use of the Internet among children and adolescents recently proved to be a growing cause for concern. Clinical cases and research
results connect Internet and gaming addiction with the development and maintenance of depression, social anxiety and generally negative impact on mental health in this population. In the treatment of Internet addiction, the cognitive-behavioural approach is applied as the treatment of choice, and in some cases a combination of psychopharmacological drugs and family counselling.

Keywords

Internet addiction; Video games addiction; Cognitivebehavioural therapy; Children and adolescents

Hrčak ID:

178945

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/178945

Publication date:

27.3.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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