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Internet addiction in children Where is the line between normal use and addiction?
For children and adolescents, the Internet is a natural part of their lives, for example, for obtaining information, cultivating social contacts or for leisure activities. But the "constant availability and the emotional and functional benefits in the worst case can also lead to an Internet addiction," warns the DAK health. Together with the German Center for Addiction Issues of Childhood and Adolescence (DZSKJ), the health insurance has published a booklet on the topic of Internet addiction, which provides information and assistance from the experts.
In a recent study by DAK-Gesundheit and the German Center for Addiction Issues, it became clear that intensive computer use is causing problems for many German families, according to the DAK. According to the health insurance, every fifth child reacts "restless and irritated to online restrictions." In addition, eleven percent of 12- to 17-year-olds had already "several times unsuccessfully tried to get their Internet use under control." The study on Internet addiction in the nursery has showed that parents often do not give their children any rules on how to use their laptop or smartphone. With a joint education campaign, the DZSKJ and the DAK now want to sensitize them to the subject of internet addiction.
Parents should know the signs of Internet addiction and counteract it at an early stage. (Image: lassedesignen / fotolia.com) Every fifth child with online restrictions moody or irritated
A total of 1,000 mothers and fathers were comprehensively questioned about the Internet and computer use of their 12- to 17-year-old children as part of the representative study by the Forsa Institute. In addition to the duration and the nature of the internet use, possible pathological consequences for the boys and girls were examined for the first time, according to the DAK. According to the results of the study, the children are online more than half of the interviewed parents longer than planned. In addition, 22 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds show restless, moody or irritable behavior if they are to reduce their Internet use. Around a tenth of the children use the Internet to escape from problems and in eleven percent of respondents, the child has several unsuccessful attempts to get its Internet use under control, reports the DAK. For seven percent of children, intensive Internet use poses threats to important relationships or educational opportunities, with boys being affected twice as often as girls.
Addictiveness in the nursery
"The Internet offers children and young people great opportunities and opportunities. Nevertheless, the risks must not be underestimated, "warns the Drug Commissioner of the Federal Government Marlene Mortler in view of the study results. According to expert estimates, up to one million people are already online in Germany. Here, communicating an early media literacy is a crucial key to the prevention of adverse health effects of Internet use and computer use. "The current survey makes it clear that addiction is also a problem in the nursery," adds Professor. Rainer Thomasius, Head of the German Center for Addiction Issues of Child and Adolescence at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). Based on the data obtained, it can be assumed that "about five percent of children and adolescents in Germany suffer from pathological consequences of their Internet use."
Missing rules about internet activity
According to the results of the study, on average, children over the age of 12 start to use the Internet independently. Frequently, no rules are given by the parents. According to their own information, 51 percent of parents said they had no rules on the duration of Internet use and 32 percent of parents did not influence the content their child is allowed to use on the Internet. The average duration of children's private Internet use was estimated by parents to be around two and a half hours on a normal working day and four hours over the weekend. One fifth of the boys and girls even spend six or more hours on the computer on Saturday or Sunday. Boys spend most of their time playing online games, while girls tend to use the Internet for chatting. For every third family use of the Internet "sometimes to very often for dispute", s the DAK.
Recognize signs of internet addiction
Parents should know the symptoms of an Internet addiction and watch closely, in order to detect early signs of the diagnosis of Internet addiction, the experts warn. However, the transition from a normal usage behavior to an addiction-driven activity is often difficult to recognize. Characteristics and symptoms that indicate an excessive as well as a pathological (Internet) use, according to the DAK an internal compulsion to use, loss of control, withdrawal symptoms, a steady increase in Internet activity, the neglect of other offline hobbies and the suppression of the be negative consequences. In Internet addiction, those affected can no longer influence their Internet activities and the use of the Internet has such a large impact on their lives that other areas are affected. Possible negative consequences are for example the failure in the training or the occupation, the failure of the marriage or relationship, the neglect of friends and family or other offline leisure activities as well as the accumulation of conflicts with relatives due to the InterNet activities, reports the DAK. (Fp)