Artifact 10

This particular article talks about the internet and how it can be very addictive.  Dr. Young, a professor at St. Bonaventure University, states that the internet is addictive because it allows us to create new personalities and use them to meet our psychological needs.  Dr. Young created a test to see how much people are addicted to the internet.   Some questions from the test ask if you ever neglect household chores to use the internet and how often you ignore stressful situations and think about soothing thoughts about the internet?  I have never personally done that, but I believe if you think about the internet that much, you might have a bit of a problem.  Later in the article, it talks about a 20 year old college student from New York who is absolutely hooked to the internet.  She sleeps with her laptop in her bed and listens to her music to put her to sleep.  She took Dr. Young’s test and she too believes that she has a problem.  Signs that she is a true “internet addict” is that she is constantly surfing the web.  She goes from Facebook, to Twitter, to looking at pictures.  It is constant action on the web.  I agree that there needs to be a balance between reality and virtual life.  I personally am on the internet a lot, but do not believe I am an addict.  I know my limits and know the difference between what is real and what is on the computer.  The internet is a powerful tool and can be an addictive one as well.