Internet Addiction by Kathryn Vercillo

Author:Kathryn Vercillo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Published: 2020-01-20T16:00:00+00:00

Socially Isolated Individuals

Author Johann Hari did a TED talk in which he says, “The opposite of addiction is connection.” Addiction feeds on loneliness and isolation. Therefore, anyone who experiences social isolation for any reason at all can be at risk of addiction in general. In fact, there is a well-known study called Rat Park that clearly demonstrates that isolation leads to addiction.

This study built upon earlier studies into drug addiction. In the earlier studies, rats were placed in solitary confinement inside of boxes where they couldn’t see or touch other rats. They were never let out of their cages, and they had very little stimulation from their human caregivers. The rats were able to press a lever that would inject them with drugs. The initial studies found that the rats would regularly dose themselves, consuming large amounts of heroin, cocaine, and other drugs. At the time, the information was used to suggest that rats, and by extension humans, just love drugs and can’t help themselves.

However, a group of researchers at Simon Fraser University decided to test this theory, in what became known as Rat Park. They created a relatively normal environment for the rats, one where they could live together, socializing and enjoying a variety of activities. It was called Rat Park because they had playground-like toys to play with, plus they had each other. Many variations were made to the situation during the research, but basically, the social rats were compared to those in solitary confinement. Regardless of the other variables, the social rats always consumed far fewer drugs than those who were locked up alone. When given the opportunity to interact with others, they apparently didn’t feel the need for the drugs. Put the other way, rats in isolation numbed out with drugs, because they felt lonely or bored or both.

This is just one study that has shown that social isolation increases risk of addiction in general. The Internet offers faux social connection plus ongoing distraction, making it a richly potential source for addiction. And there are so many people that this can impact, people who feel socially isolated for so many different reasons. Illness that leaves people homebound, old age, living in a rural community, or simply not fitting in can all lead people to feel like they are alone.

As we saw earlier in the book, loneliness is also a symptom or side effect of Internet addiction. So, it’s another of those Catch-22, chicken-and-egg problems. People who are already socially isolated are more likely to develop an addiction, and the addiction itself can increase the feeling of loneliness. The more you use your devices to reduce loneliness, the less you feel comfortable socializing in the real world; the more you turn to the Internet, the lonelier you actually feel. It is self-reinforcing. The Internet becomes a coping mechanism.

For example, Kevin Roberts describes a client who had a gaming addiction. He intended to quit, and he made every effort to do so, in large part by going out into the world to socialize.

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