B1 – Intermediate
The Internet is like any other tool that can be useful or harmful. Many young people, including adults, find themselves addicted to the Internet. What is an Internet addiction? Can it really cause mental health problems?
Read the article below then express your thoughts.
http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1609/160921-internet-addiction.html
Discussion Questions:
- What do you think of internet addiction? Do you think it is possible to be addicted to the internet? Explain.
- Can internet addiction lead to more serious mental health problems? Explain.
- Do you rely on the internet for work?
- Are you able to “switch-off” or stay away from the internet, too? How do you do it?
- Is it important to disconnect from the internet, too? Why?
- What are the pros and cons of always being online?
- Discuss the following issues related to the internet:
Cyber-bullying
Identity theft
Online gambling
12 replies on “Internet Addiction Sign of Mental Health Problems”
1. What do you think of internet addiction? Do you think it is possible to be addicted to the internet? Explain.
It seems that the internet can be a drug. Yes, I think it is possible yo be addicted to the internet because people feel pleasure when using the Internet and this causes addiction.
2. Can internet addiction lead to more serious mental health problems? Explain.
It’s possible. When people are addicted, their mind only thinks about consuming their drug and that can affect their health.
3. Do you rely on the internet for work?
Yes, I rely and I need on the internet for work. When I’m working I don’t use the internet for anything else.
4. Are you able to “switch-off” or stay away from the internet, too? How do you do it?
I am able to disconnect the internet but it is difficult for me, I love social networks!
5. Is it important to disconnect from the internet, too? Why?
It is important because we need to live the real world and interact face to face
6. What are the pros and cons of always being online?
Being always connected is good for quickly interacting with whoever we need, but it makes us slaves.
7. Discuss the following issues related to the internet:
Cyber-bullying: When a child or teenager is harassed or abused by another, over the Internet.
Identity theft: When someone uses your personal information without permission.
Online gambling: Being able to play over the internet..
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1.What do you think of internet addiction? Do you think it is possible to be addicted to the internet? Explain.
I think internet addiction is a great problem nowadays because it makes people who have this addiction have problems in their work, homes and friends. Yes I think it is possible to be addicted to the internet like it is possible to be addicted to others aspects like games, alcohol, drugs and so on.
2.Can internet addiction lead to more serious mental health problems? Explain.
Yes I think internet addiction lead to more serious mental health problems because when somebody is addicted to something he has no aware of the reality, can suffer stress or anxiety problems.
3.Do you rely on the internet for work?
Yes I rely on the internet, I have to use internet for work, I need internet for my work.
4.Are you able to “switch-off” or stay away from the internet, too? How do you do it?
Yes I am able to switch-off from the internet, when I finish my work journey I try to to do other things outdoor, I try to do sport or joining to my family or friends
5.Is it important to disconnect from the internet, too? Why?
I think is more important to know how to manage the use of internet than to disconnect from the internet.
6.What are the pros and cons of always being online?
I think the pros of always being online is having the possibility to act in time but you should be able to manage the situation. If you don’t do a correct management of this then appear the cons like stress, anxiety or inattention
7.Discuss the following issues related to the internet:
Cyber-bullying
Cyberbullying is harass between teenegers or childrens and is a great problem in our society nowadays. We should work to reduce cyberbullying with education in schools and homes, the governments also should contribute with advertisements on tv, radio and social media nets
Identity theft
Identity theft is to get de keys of other persons and supplant them and access to their bank account or email, for example, to get money or information.
Online gambling
Online gambling is any kind of gambling conducted on the internet where people can bet. In many cases online gambling may be a profession but it may be an addiction too.
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1. Absolutly… I think that, today for today, the sociaety are addicted to the internet and we don’t konws live without phone, tablet, smart tv, etc…
2. Completely. You just have to look at all the cases of suicide in China, or the cases of murder in the US or Europe because of the loss of reality and not being aware of what world they are living in, whether the real one or the virtual.
3. Yes, for my eotk is necessary use th internet. In my house, i try to reduce de use my phone, tv, etc.. but really, we consume more internet that we should use.
4. I don’t know that is necessary write here..sorry!
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1. What do you think of Internet addiction? Do you think it is possible to be addicted to the Internet?
I believe that Internet addiction is more common than we think, there are many adolescents who have problems in how to socialize for fear of being rejected or being bullied
2. Can Internet addiction lead to more serious mental health problems?
Internet addiction can bring mental problems because it is likely that the fear of interacting with people increases and this generates a dependency to live in virtuality and not in reality.
3. Do you rely on the Internet for work? Are you able to “switch-off” or stay away from the Internet?
I use the internet a lot for work, but at the end of my work day I can calmly disconnect from the internet and be in real life, with real people, with real and not virtual problems.
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I think it is possible to have an Internet addiction; in fact, more than an addiction, I consider that Internet has become a need as it’s used in people’s daily lives, whether at work (in my work, Internet is necessary: I can’t switch-off as my job consists of locating candidates through social networks and posting offers in different digital job platforms), at school, at home, with friends or to enjoy leisure time (with videogames or online gambling).
I once saw a documentary where it was explained that the use of the Internet reduces the activity in the prefrontal lobe of the brain, which can lead to a lack of impulse control, planning and organization. Moreover, by having access to so much information, the most sensitive people may be exposed to content that favors the onset of anxiety, depression disorders, for example, due to continuous comparisons with other people or cyber-bullying. In fact, is easier to commit crimes in Internet, as well as identity theft, as the own identity is hided behind a screen.
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1. What do you think of Internet addiction? Do you think it is possible to be addicted to the Internet?
Is very dangerous of internet addiction is the drug of century XXI for many youngers and also for many adults.
I think that yes is possible as we can see in the guys of now they are almost all day surfing for internet, laptop, mobile phone, computer etc etc
2. Can Internet addiction lead to more serious mental health problems?
Yes, of course, there are lot of Countries that they know this problem and they are take taking steps to fix it as we saw in the lesson of China with their boot camps for internet addicts
3. Do you rely on the Internet for work? Are you able to “switch-off” or stay away from the Internet?
Yes I depend of internet for my job, I work at house therefore I have that connect all day of internet for to be able to do my job.
Yes when I finish my work I am with my family and forget of internet
4. Discuss the following issues related to the Internet:
Cyber-bullying
Identity theft
Online gambling
About it cyber bullyng saw in the last lesson that is problem in many youngers
The identity theft They are using it to steal our bank details for example they send link to mail boxes or sms and and if we access these links they steal our money from the bank
Online gambling is another addiction very dangerous, in Spain the government has prohibited the advertising of these games as well as betting but they continue to open many betting shops in the neighborhoods and young people can enter very easily
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