The Internet is a global network of billions of computers and other electronic devices (GCF Global, n.d). The internet contains a vast amount of information that is easily accessible such as social media, electronic mail, mobile applications, multiplayer online games, file sharing, and media streaming services to name a few. Although the internet was first used in the 1960s, the internet became widely used beginning January 1, 1983. Comparing internet usage from the creation of the internet until now, there is a high increase of internet usage. According to Perrin and Atske (2021), 85% of Americans say they go online daily, with 31% reporting going online almost constantly, as well as 48% who say they go online several times a day. More it was reported in 2019 about 95% of children ages 3-18 had home internet access (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). So, with the internet being easily accessible today and continuously used, we must ask what the positives and negatives of internet usage on someone psychologically.
First, I want to highlight some of the benefits of having internet. For one there is a vast amount of information available online. Before the internet, accessing information meant a trip to the library, picking up a newspaper, or through the TV. Although there was way to access information, it was not easily accessible and often you did not get to pick the information you were receiving (through newspapers and TV). Now at the click of a button and in milliseconds you have almost too much information available at your fingertips. Secondly, communication is an additional benefit of the internet and my personal favorite benefit. Before the internet’s time, communication happened through post mail, share phone lines or in person visits. Now you can communicate with anyone in any part of the world in so many ways such as, video chat, email, social media etc. The internet truly closed the gap on communication as it allows people to connect virtually and even build new relationships. Continuing, because of the internet you can escape boredom with its many ways of entertainment like online gaming and video streaming. Continuing with the list I want to add job opportunities as an additional benefit. Most job opportunities are only available as an online application today. Also, on many jobs search sites they are available resources that allow you to not only connect with future employers but prepare for careers through resume and interview tips. Lastly, an additional benefit of internet usage is online education. Not previously available, online education provides flexibility to those who want to seek an education virtually and are incapable of pursuing an education in person.
Now after highlighting all the benefits of internet usage, it may seem like there can’t be a downside, but there is. There is plenty of research supporting that internet usage can contribute to poor psychological well-being. For instance, a study done focused on the dependency on the internet in Korean adolescents’ and the relationship this has on their mental health, showed that groups with larger than average daily internet usage time had poorer subjective health, higher level of stress, and had feelings of sadness and suicidal ideation compared to the group with less than average internet usage (Kwak et al., 2022). Another study I read was aimed at understanding the relationship between excessive internet use and someone’s personality, loneliness, and social support. Researchers Hardie and Yi found that over-users and addicts both were more neurotic and less extraverted, more socially anxious, emotionally lonely, and gained greater support from internet social networks than average internet users (Hardie and Yi, 2007). Not to mention the internet is now another avenue for media violence that contributes to trolling, cyberbullying, and stalking others which in turns contributing to poor psychological well-being.
Like anything in life, you can either develop a healthy relationship with something or a toxic one. So, the internet is what you make of it. I think it is most important to understand in which ways you are using the internet and how you feel when using. No one knows you better than yourself! So, if at any time you see internet is hurting your psychological well-being, I think it is best to make the decision to cut back on internet usage. I also don’t want to discourage the use of internet as it does provide many benefits and conveniences to our everyday life, I just want you to be conscious of the way you are using it.
References
Hardie, E., & Yi Ti, M. (2007). Excessive Internet Use: The Role of Personality, Loneliness and Social Support Networks in Internet Addiction. Australian Journal of Emerging Technologies and Society, 5(1), 34–47.
Internet basics: What is the internet? GCFGlobal.org. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2022, from https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/internetbasics/what-is-the-internet/1/
Kwak, Y., Kim, H., & Ahn, J.-W. (2022, March 23). Impact of internet usage time on Mental Health in adolescents: Using the 14th korea youth risk behavior web-based survey 2018. PLOS ONE. Retrieved September 25, 2022, from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0264948
Perrin, A., & Atske, S. (2021, June 5). About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online. Pew Research Center. Retrieved September 14, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/03/26/about-three-in-ten-u-s-adults-say-they-are-almost-constantly-online/
Hello,
Social media is a big part of our society. To answer your title question, “Is Internet Usage Hurting Our Psychological Well-being?” Absolutely, but only if you get addicted to it if you allow the internet to take over your life and forget the reality that we have more relevant responsibilities than using the internet, such as house chores. Many people don’t realize the impact of using social media, for example, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and youtube. Because digital has altered everyone’s lives as a new way of staying connected with people around the world, it changes how people initiate and maintain relationships with others like co-workers, friends, and family (Freitag, C.)
However, I like the benefits you mention; Before every morning, my grandparents always sent me outside the house to check the porch to see if the newspaper had arrived. Now turn the Tv, and open your laptop or computer at the tip of your fingertips. You gain so much knowledge just by reading information on the internet. It makes me think that the internet is helpful by giving many people access to grow and expand their horizons. It was a struggle to travel before because GPS didn’t exist. Now you can go everywhere without getting lost, only if you know how to navigate your electronic devices.
During the covid-19 2020, many people find the internet a coping mechanism for everyone’s boredom. Therefore, using the internet to access social media can negatively impact our mental health; a co-founder, Aza Raskin, of the Center for Human Technology, talks bout the “digital loneliness epidemic,” focusing on the rise of depression and loneliness correlated with social media (Freitag, C.)
It is relevant that before we use the internet to access any social media account, people should think first about their purpose and why do you need to use the internet. Internet or social media networking is a powerful tool; be aware of what your intentions on doing (Thompson-Markward Hall.) Because when you click and send, the whole world will know, and you can never take it back!
References
Freitag, C. (2022, January 26). Social Media’s impact on society. Ad Council Org. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
Thompson-Markward Hall. (2022, September 9). The benefits of using social media for Networking. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
Even though the internet has been around since 1983, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders(DSM) still does not have an official diagnosis of internet addiction. Evidence shows that internet usage has a high impact on many individual’s lives’. According to research, it has been noted, that one in eight adults have an addiction to the internet. The vulnerable populations including adolescents and young adults are at high risks for developing behavioral addictions (Christakis et al; 2011). In 2014, statistics showed that only 24% of teenagers were constantly online. In the 2018, that percentage increased to 45% with it constantly trending upwards especially during the pandemic (Vojinovic , 2022).
You also briefly mentioned one of the negative impact internet has created known as cyberbullying. Cyberbullying became popular in the early 2000s when internet usage had become more widespread. The age group most impacted are between the ages of 12-15 years old. According to statistics, females are more likely to be cyberbullied than males and males were more likely to cyberbully someone more than females. Cyberbullying has many detrimental effects and statistically students who experience cyberbullying are twice as likely to attempt suicide (Hinduja, 2021)
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References:
Christakis, D.A., Moreno, M.M., Jelenchick, L. et al. Problematic internet usage in US college students: a pilot study. BMC Med 9, 77 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-9-77
Hinduja, S. (2021, October 21). Cyberbullying statistics 2021: Age, gender, sexual orientation, and Race. Cyberbullying Research Center. Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://cyberbullying.org/cyberbullying-statistics-age-gender-sexual-orientation-race
Vojinovic , I. (2022, March 15). Heart-breaking cyberbullying statistics for 2022. Dataprot. Retrieved October 23, 2022, from https://dataprot.net/statistics/cyberbullying-statistics/