Internet addiction is a behavioral disorder that’s characterized by compulsive Internet use despite negative physical, mental, and emotional consequences.
This may be called problematic internet use (PIU) or internet addiction disorder (IAD).
Many of us have felt the short-term and long-term effects of Internet use as it’s become an integral aspect of our everyday lives to complete school, work, projects, and as a means of entertainment.
Daily use can quickly turn to Internet addiction, which may be recognized by signs such as excessive use, lying to hide Internet use, a lack of control over Internet use, and other effects.
An Internet addiction can lead to several physical and mental health effects, as well as effects on relationships, employment status, and interpersonal interactions in real life.
Negative Effects on Mental Health
Researchers have found that Internet addiction can have profound negative consequences on a person’s mental health, causing serious disorders.
It’s important to recognize these early signs of mental health issues in conjunction with a person’s Internet use in order to make positive changes to improve these patterns.
Research from 2011 found that college-age students experienced adverse mental effects of Internet addiction, as there was a correlation with psychiatric symptoms such as somatization, sensitivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, phobias, and psychosis.
A more recent study of college students in 2020 published in the Journal of Education and Health Promotion proved similar results: Internet addiction was directly associated with anxiety, depression, and adverse mental health.
Worsened Sleeping Habits
Internet addiction leads to poor quality sleep and sleep disturbances. American psychiatrist and Yale professor Dr. Marc Potenza touches on this topic in an Expert Opinion interview.
He discusses unhealthy Internet behaviors, such as bringing an iPad into bed and remaining awake for hours instead of going to sleep earlier and getting quality rest.
(Learn More from Expert Opinion, a series where Yale experts give their opinion on medical-themed stories in the news. In this edition, Dr. Marc Potenza explains if there is medical relevance to the term internet addiction and what can be done to treat it. Courtesy of Yale School Of Medicine and YouTube.)
Anyone can be affected by the Internet’s impact on sleep.
However, this issue disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults who have grown up with streaming networks, social media, video games, and other uses of the Internet as primary sources of fulfillment.
Many younger individuals choose the Internet to oversleep, worsening their sleeping patterns and overall health. Additionally, because the light emitted from screens impacts melatonin production, many find it more difficult to fall asleep after heavy Internet use.
Impacts on Social Performance
Research published in 2021 in Frontiers in Psychiatry analyzed the interplay between Internet addiction and intolerance of uncertainty (IU), which is a cognitive bias that affects how a person perceives, interprets, and responds to uncertain situations.
This includes many social situations, such as meeting a new group of friends.
The article discusses how this level of uncertainty, though uncomfortable, encourages us to take control of our lives and adopt more proactive approaches for future situations.
Many individuals who lack the ability to handle social anxieties and new situations well turn to the Internet for temporary peace and detachment.
The more a person avoids these situations in favor of the predictability and comfort of the Internet, the more difficult it becomes to navigate social situations.
Work and School Performance
It’s been proven by several scientific studies that Internet addiction leads to lower performance at work and in school.
Internet addiction has been found to have a significant impact on students, as higher levels of Internet use typically lead to difficulty concentrating, lower grades, and worsened exam performance.
Other studies have shown that many full-time workers find it difficult to control their internet use, jeopardizing their employment status and personal relationships.
Not only this, but Internet addiction has also been linked to decreased job satisfaction for many employees, causing negative impacts on mental health, motivation, and other effects.
How to Protect Yourself from Internet Addiction
Though the implications of Internet addiction may seem alarming, we have control over these outcomes.
With better practices and techniques for self-monitoring Internet use, you can regain areas of your life that have been controlled by excessive Internet use.
In his interview, Potenza encourages Internet users to increase mindfulness over their time spent on the Internet, and recognize when problems arise that are associated with this use.
Try keeping a log of your time spent on the Internet and track any physical or emotional responses you experience as a result of Internet use.
For example, many people are fatigued, get headaches, or feel negative emotional impacts after long periods spent scrolling on social media, watching Netflix, etc.
Pay attention to how your mind and body respond to this time spent on the Internet, and implement new behaviors based on those findings.
Set time limits on your phone and computer, and plan screen-free activities to pursue in time spent off of the Internet. This will provide a healthy alternative to fill that void and encourage better patterns.
If further help is needed, the best treatment approach for Internet addiction is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), a therapy approach that involves replacing negative thought patterns with positive coping strategies, improving self-awareness and problem-solving skills.
Kevin Becker Recognized in 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program
American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now in its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.
Kevin Becker, PsyD, LCP
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Excellence in Scientific Research
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Trauma Counselor, and Owner of ORI Consulting
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In recognition of Dr. Becker’s lifetime of service as a practitioner and as a psychologist helping individuals, organizations, and governments prepare for, respond to, and recover from crisis and traumatic events, and the human impact of trauma, crisis, and disaster for organizations and individuals.
(Hear Dr. Kevin Becker, keynote speaker at Newtown Sandy Hook Community Connections Day posted on Jul 10, 2017. Courtesy of ORI Consulting and YouTube.)
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards highlight the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
AST Honors Thomas Richardson, FDNY Chief of Department; Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, President of NEC National Security Systems; and Richard Blatus, FDNY Assistant Chief of Operations, at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon at ISC East.
The United States was forever changed 20 years ago on September 11th, and we were fortunate to have many of those who responded to those horrific tragedies join us at the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Luncheon.In the days that followed 9/11, the critical needs of protecting our country catapulted us into new and innovative ways to secure our homeland – which is how many of the agencies and enterprise organizations that are today ‘ASTORS’ Awards Champions, came into being.
Our 2021 keynote speaker featured a moving and informative address from TSA Administrator and Vice-Admiral of the United States Coast Guard (Ret), David Pekoske; to our attendees who traveled from across the United States and abroad, on the strategic priorities of the 64,000 member TSA workforce in securing the transportation system, enabling safe, and in many cases, contactless travel.
Legendary Police Commissioner William Bratton of the New York Police Department, the Boston Police Department, and former Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department was also live at the event, meeting with attendees and signing copies of his latest work ‘The Profession: A Memoir of Community, Race, and the Arc of Policing in America,’ courtesy of the generosity of our 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Premier Sponsors.
The 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program was Proudly Sponsored by AMAROK, Fortior Solutions and SIMS Software, along with Returning Premier Sponsors ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, and Reed Exhibitions.
The continually evolving ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program will emphasize the trail of Accomplished Women in Leadership in 2022, as well as the Significance and Positive Impact of Advancing Diversity and Inclusion in our Next Generation of Government and Industry Leaders. #MentorshipMatters
So be on the lookout for exciting upcoming announcements of Speakers, Presenters, Book Signing Opportunities, and Attendees at the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon in November of 2022 in New York City!
2022 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program Welcomes New PLATINUM SPONSOR: NEC National Security Systems (NSS)!
Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2022 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.Comprehensive List of Categories Include:
| Access Control/ Identification | Personal/Protective Equipment | Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism |
| Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System | Interagency Interdiction Operation | Cloud Computing/Storage Solution |
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Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?
Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
In 2021 over 200 distinguished guests representing Federal, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms gathered from across North America, Europe, and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
- ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI)
- Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
- The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)
- DHS Science & Technology (S&T)
- The National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health (NCDMPH)
- The American Red Cross
- The InfraGard National Alliance
- The Metropolitan Police (MPD)
- The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)
- Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS)
- The Federal Air Marshals Service
- The San Diego Harbor Police Foundation, and Many More!
Corporate firms, the majority of which return year to year to build upon their record of accomplishment include:
AlertMedia, Allied Universal, AMAROK, ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Axis Communications, Automatic Systems of America, BriefCam, Canon U.S.A., Fortior Solutions, guardDog.ai, Hanwha Techwin of America, HID Global, Mark43, IPVideo Corporation, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Lumina Analytics, NEC National Security Systems, NICE Public Safety, OnSolve, PureTech Systems, Quantum Corporation, Rave Mobile Safety, Regroup Mass Notification, Robotic Assistance Devices, Rajant Corporation, SafeLogic, Senstar Corporation, ShotSpotter, Singlewire Software, SolarWinds Worldwide, Teledyne FLIR, Valor Systems, and Wiresecure, just to name a few!
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The traditional security marketplace has long been covered by a host of publications putting forward the old school basics to what is Today – a fast-changing security landscape.
American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 75,000 readers at the Federal, State, and local levels of government as well as firms allied to the government.
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AST Reaches both Private & Public Experts, essential to meeting these new challenges.
Today’s new generation of public safety and security experts need real-time knowledge to deal with domestic and international terrorism, lone wolf attacks, unprecedented urban violence, shifts in society, culture, and media bias – making it increasingly difficult for Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military and Private Security Professionals to implement coordinated security measures to ensure national security and improve public safety.
These experts are from Government at the federal, state, and local level as well as from private firms allied to the government.
AST provides a full plate of topics in our AST Monthly Magazine Editions, AST Website, and AST Daily News Alerts, covering 23 Vital Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities, and Emergency Response among others.
AST has Expanded readership into integral Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other potential targets of terrorism.
Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – all enticing targets due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.
(See just a few highlights of American Security Today’s 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East. Courtesy of My Pristine Images and Vimeo.)
To learn more about ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Award Winners solutions, please see the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS Edition Fully Interactive Magazine – the Best Products of 2021 ‘A Year in Review’.
The Annual CHAMPIONS edition includes a review of Annual ‘ASTORS’ Award Winning products and programs, highlighting key details on many of the winning firm’s products and services, including video interviews and more.
It serves as your Go-To Source throughout the year for ‘The Best of 2021 Products and Services‘ endorsed by American Security Today, and can satisfy your agency’s and/or organization’s most pressing Homeland Security and Public Safety needs.
From Physical Security (Access Control, Critical Infrastructure, Perimeter Protection, and Video Surveillance Cameras and Video Management Systems), to IT Security (Cybersecurity, Encryption, Data Storage, Anti-Malware and Networking Security – Just to name a few), the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ CHAMPIONS EDITION has what you need to Detect, Delay, Respond to, and Mitigate today’s real-time threats in our constantly evolving security landscape.
It also includes featured guest editorial pieces from some of the security industry’s most respected leaders, and recognized firms in the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.
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For a complete list of 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Award Winners, begin HERE.
For more information on All Things American Security Today, as well as the 2021 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program, please contact Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
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