Internet Addiction: What Is It?

Abstract

Internet addiction is a behavioural problem that has gained increasing scientific recognition in the last decade, with some researchers claiming it is a “21st Century epidemic” The classification of Internet addiction has been problematic ever since the term’s conception in the mid-1990s. In an effort to provide consensus and clarity in the area, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) proposed the inclusion of Internet Gaming Disorder in the revised fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5), although this has led to greater confusion as Interne Gaming Disorder is arguably a sub-type of Internet addiction and/or a sub-type of video game addiction. This chapter provides a brief overview of the current scientific knowledge on Internet addiction, including diagnosis, risk factors, and neurobiological underpinnings.