Psychological Manifestations of Internet Addiction Syndrome
1. Weakened cognitive abilities.Human cognition fundamentally involves responding to the phenomena and essential attributes of objective reality. Individuals addicted to computer games, due to prolonged reliance on visual imagery thinking, experience diminished logical reasoning abilities. Immersion in gaming leads to disengagement from cultural knowledge, diminished motivation, and alienation from life's pursuits. This disconnection from learning materials and real-world experiences results in impaired observational skills centered on perception and memory.The obsession with computer games among addicts reflects psychological dysfunction—a distorted focus of mental activity and an expression of childhood fantasies. This abnormal concentration impairs their ability to shift attention, making it difficult to control the intense urge to play games and redirect that impulse toward other activities.Teenagers addicted to computer games experience various successes within the games. As one college student with gaming addiction stated, conquering territories, capturing officials, and slaying bandits in strategy games brought immense excitement, whereas in real life, feeling insignificant and overwhelmed by pressure caused profound distress.
4. Personality changes. Surveys of addicted teens, their teachers, and parents reveal noticeable personality shifts in gaming-obsessed students: they become introverted, reclusive, weak, insecure, depressed, and timid.Simultaneously, the financial burden of gaming expenses on families further fuels guilt and self-reproach. Moreover, gaming addiction evolves into a behavioral syndrome that can trigger conduct disorders, schizoid personality disorder, or pre-schizophrenic stages in adolescents. These mental illnesses share a common trait: underdeveloped or weakened self-identity.Internet addiction syndrome is no longer confined to the white-collar class. With rising living standards and the widespread integration of computers into daily life, an increasing number of people—including middle-aged adults, young adults, and even teenagers—are becoming addicted to the internet, unable to extricate themselves. This phenomenon demands high-level attention from our nation and society.If you have any further questions about internet addiction syndrome, feel free to consult our online doctors. They will provide detailed answers.