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Too much of a good thing A real addiction 1 Perhaps the greatest change the world has seen in modern times has been the rise of the Internet. It's hard to deny the positive changes it adds to people's lives as it makes life easier with quick access to things like maps news and online stores. As a research tool it is unmatched. It's a great way to keep up with friends. It enables a wealth of media outlets and alternative news sources. Internet access and the ability to make good use of it is practically a must for success in the modern world. 2 Like any technology though it has negative aspects that become clear as we start to depend upon it. Like pollution and traffic jams that come with the convenience of cars Internet access has proven so popular that it has given rise to a new kind of social epidemic Internet addiction. 3 Consider the following stories. A few years ago a couple in the United States was charged with child neglect. It was their addiction to playing games online that kept them from caring for their two infant children. Another recent news story told of a man who spent so much time online that he didn't sleep enough to keep his job. Eventually he lost his house but kept his laptop and still spent all day online. 4 College students are impacted as well. There are many stories of excellent students who lost their university scholarships from poor grades or of other students who failed at the university altogether simply because they spent too much time online. One student not only failed but lost 12 pounds. He was so involved online that he forgot to eat! Imagine the agony of this condition!! 5 These things did not happen to these people because they were lazy or stupid. They happened because of addiction. New college students even the brightest and most successful ones are most at risk from these effects because the Internet is important for their studies and because they are just entering a world where their online habits are no longer monitored by concerned parents. Without the discipline and structure of home students have to manage time by themselves. During their very first term their grades can plunge their health decline and their friendships cease. 6 It is easy for those who are unaffected by the powerful draw of connectivity those who can easily control their time online to view Internet addiction as an imaginary problem or to attribute its origins to a weak personality. But the brain chemistry behind Internet addiction is not imaginary. Many common Internet interactions such as scoring points in online games getting emails or instant messages finding new blog entries all cause the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are the essential brain chemicals connected with positive feelings of success and pleasure. This is no surprise considering that Internet interactions often involve succeeding at a challenge or having social exchanges. Our brains reward us for these activities in real life all the time. 7 The trouble with the Internet is that it makes it possible to have unnaturally long periods of endorphin release sustained rewards from the brain that are as quick as the click of a mouse. These rewards are not actual useful real-life rewards but simple stimulation that arouses positive feedback in the brain. In real life endorphins encourage us to interact with friends or family or attempt to learn something new. With Internet addiction endorphins do nothing but keep people hooked to their computers. Internet addicts behave very much like gamblers pulling the lever at machines in Las Vegas even if it is not rational hurts their studies or spoils their health and their lives. 8 So watch how much time you spend online; moderation is your best defense against Internet addiction. Use the wonders of connectivity to enrich your studies stay connected with distant friends and explore multiple new worlds. Just be careful. Notice if you find you are thinking about the Internet even when you're not online or if you prefer your online time to time with your real-life friends or if you hide or lie about how much time you spend online. If you find yourself doing any of these things take a step back. Look for other ways to enjoy your life. Get some exercise which is a major source of endorphins! Visit a museum or a beautiful park. Get together with friends to study or schedule some fun time to relax. The Internet is a powerful tool but make sure that you use it wisely for all the good value it offers and that you won't let too much of a good thing become something bad. 过犹不及——真正的成瘾 现代世界经历的最大变化也许就是互联网的崛起。我们难以否认网络给人们的生活带来的种种便利。通过网络，人们能够迅速地查到诸如地图、新闻和网上商店等，网络使生活变得简单。作为研究工具，互联网是无与伦比的。它是我们与朋友保持联系的极好的途径。它给我们提供多样的媒体渠道以及各种各样的新闻来源。有条件上网以及有能力充分利用网络是现代社会取得成功的必要条件。 然而，像任何技术一样，随着我们开始依赖网络，网络的负面因素就显现出来。正如伴随着汽车的便利而来的是污染和交通堵塞一样，互联网的大行其道导致了一种新的社会流行病，那就是网瘾。 看看下面的报道。几年前，美国一对夫妇被指控疏于照顾孩子。正是因为他们迷恋网络游戏而疏于对两个幼儿的照顾。最近还有个关于一位男子的新闻报道，他因为上网时间过长，导致睡眠不足而丢掉了工作。最终，他连房子都没了，但他保留了手提电脑，仍然整日上网。 大学生们也受到影响。有很多报道是关于一些优秀的学生由于成绩差而失去奖学金，还有的学生因此而无法毕业，这全是因为他们上网时间过长所致。有一个学生不仅没有毕业，而且体重减了12磅。他过于沉迷网络，结果连饭都忘了吃! 想一想，这是多么令人痛心啊！ 这些事情发生在这些人身上，不是因为他们懒惰或愚蠢，而是因为他们上网成瘾。新入学的大学生，甚至是那些最聪明、最成功的大学生，受此影响的风险最大，因为互联网对他们的学业很重要，也因为他们刚刚进入一个新环境，他们的上网习惯不再受到关心他们的父母的监督。没有家人的监督和约束，学生们只能自己管理上网时间。在第一学期，他们可能成绩骤降、健康受损、友谊中断。 那些不受网络巨大吸引力影响的人，也就是那些可以轻松控制上网时间的人，容易把网瘾问题看作是假想的问题，或者把网瘾的根源归咎于软弱的性格。但是，网瘾的背后有其脑部化学病理，这不是想象出来的。许多常见的网络互动，如在网络游戏中得分﹑接收电子邮件或即时信息、寻找新的博客日志，所有这些都会引发大脑中内啡肽的释放。内啡肽是大脑中与成功和快乐这些正面情绪相关的重要化学物质。鉴于网络互动经常包含成功应对挑战或进行社会交往，因此网络互动能引起内啡肽的释放也就不足为奇了。对于这些现实生活中的活动，我们的大脑一直在给予我们奖励。 互联网的问题在于，它可以造成过于长期的、非自然的内啡肽释放，也就是来自大脑的持续不断的奖励，就像点击鼠标一样快速。这些奖励不是真实的、有用的、现实的奖励，它们只是引发大脑中正面反馈的简单刺激。在现实生活中，内啡肽促使我们和朋友、家人交往或者尝试学习新东西。而一旦上网成瘾，内啡肽只会使人更加迷恋电脑。有网瘾的人的行为就好像那些在拉斯维加斯的赌徒们不断拉动赌博机的操作杆，虽然这样做不理智、妨害他们的学业或损害他们的健康和生活。 所以，要留意你在网上花了多少时间。节制是对抗网瘾的最好的防御方式。利用网络创造的奇迹来充实你的学业、与远方的朋友保持联系、探索多样的新世界。只是要小心。留意一下，看自己不上网时是否还惦记着网络，或者你是否更愿意上网而不愿意与现实生活中的朋友在一起，或者你是否对上网时间进行掩饰和撒谎。如果你发现自己符合以上任何一种情况，那就要停下来想想了。去寻找其他享受生活的方式。做些运动，运动是内啡肽的重要来源！参观博物馆或去逛逛美丽的公园。和朋友们一起学习或安排娱乐时间来放松一下。互联网是一个强大的工具，但是要确保能明智地利用它，来获得它所能带来的一切好处，确保不会因过度使用而使它变成害人的东西。 |
