Introduction

         The Internet – What is it all about? The Internet is mainly more than one network interconnecting millions of computers that can communicate and share information with each other. Certainly information includes correspondence or also known as electronic mail, but more than just that. Things like decisions of Supreme Court, latest jokes, news, market reports, latest games and a lot more are included on the Internet. (Clark 2). It is sometimes called simply as ‘the Net’. It is accessible to everyone with disregard of race, gender, nationality and religion. The Internet is easy to use, as it is compared to the previous access methods, which requires sophisticated technical knowledge. (Capron 39) That is the main reason behind the expansion of the Internet.

Who are on the Internet and what can be done on the Internet ?

        The Internet is accessed by students, business people, scientists, computer professionals, hobbyist and anyone else who can get onto the Internet. What can be done on the Internet is more than what we can ever think of. While on the Internet, one can access to various Internet sites, receive newsgroup articles, join in public online forums, transferring files, Internet Relay Chats and lots more.

       Amazing claims about what the Internet can do for everyone is almost true. Everyone is talking about it and more computer users are converted to Internet users every minute. Surfing the Internet is a popular pass time to some people but not for all. Getting online for a few hours is common in today’s society. Normally this is an occasional thing but for some people it is an obsession. This is where Internet addiction comes into their lives. The Internet is addictive because it has the same addiction like drugs, it is easy to use while allowing the user to browse at their own pace and it acts as a companion.

Internet is Addictive

        Millions of people access the Internet everyday. A new study says that the Internet has become similar substance to gambling and alcohol as an addiction. Addiction is defined by the Oxford dictionary as the giving up of oneself’s will to a habit or interest. How could one find something, which they cannot live without? Particularly something harmless and innocent like the Internet. Addiction is commonly considered as something bad and distant subject that is not talked about in polite mixed company. Some people find it very hard to resist something. This something in our context, the Internet, is so powerful to them that they must have it or rather be online everytime despite of harmful effects. Internet addiction is known as a behavioral addiction. Most Internet users deny that they won’t be addicted to the Internet. ”It could not happen to me or to anyone in my family,” they say. It happens. It can happen to anyone no matter how careful one is when he or she is online. Addiction however may take in many ways that we could not realize at all. 

Why is Internet Addictive ?

          It is known now that the Internet is addictive but why is it addictive? When an Internet user logs on to the Internet, one is tapping into another new realm where fantasies happen. There is much information one can find on almost any subject, from how to tie a shoe to how to drive a car. The greatest influence on the Internet is the “one click away” communication. One could send an electronic mail in seconds with the touch of a button on the mouse device. After all, no postage stamp is needed like in the snail mail in the real world. With this kind of advantages of a click away to send someone an electronic mail, how could it not be addictive? Even electronic mail would be considered slow by some users like me, here chat rooms began as a dominant role on the Internet as it is real time conversation. In chat rooms, user can talk to anyone in the world live. The chat room is filled with people who hang out and chat for hours. They of course have different issues to chat about in each different room. It ranges from cyber-romance to business. John Suler says about “The Palace”, when he was asked why this place is so addictive, the reply was ‘Sex’ (Suler para.5). He goes on to say that the primary human motive was sex. This seems to be true in chat rooms rather than in any other things that can be done on the Internet. Some people find cyber-romances to be the best kind of relationships. This is because it is harder to build emotional ties online. When a relationship does not work out, both parties can bail out without hurting each other easily. Normally, these addicts will likely to find a new partner on the Internet and in long term, they will be addicted to Internet because it makes them feel accompanied by someone. During chat, it is regardless of race, religion or nationality. It is often hard to know the differences of someone you are chatting with. Chat rooms on the Internet are said to be the most addictive area on the Internet. Based on a questionnaire by Dr. Kimberly S. Young, it shows that 35 percent of Internet Areas most utilized by Internet Users are chat rooms and 2 percent were utilized by information protocols. (refer to Figure 1, Appendix 1) Other than that, Internet is addictive because some people uses it as a new way to pass time when they are bored or have nothing else better to do in real life.