As we work with families of autistic children  we are concerned enough to include in our program, the risks of social media and internet addiction. Our staff include a psychiatrist and psychologist  to ensure that parents are aware of every aspect of child safety. Autistic people appear to be at higher risk than others of addiction to, and compulsive use of, social media (Finkenauer et.al. 2012). Clearly an autistic person facing daily challenges understanding and communicating in the “real world”, may find sanctuary in a world that appears safe and offers an opportunity to meet and communicate comfortably with people (Shane-Simpson et al 2016).

Research suggests that a person with “autism traits” experiencing anxiety and/or depression are more prone to internet addiction (Ramano 2014). Mazurek and Wenstrup (2013)

Society is becoming more aware of some of the dangerous effects of social media, especially on young audiences. It is something that we are even actively working with families on to make sure these apps become safer places. Since it is such an important issue, we recently made a page dedicated to social media addiction. It sheds interesting insight into many trends like which app is the most dangerous, is social media addiction on the rise, are mental health issues are increasing, and more.

In addition, 65% of parents agree that social media trends related to appearance — like diet or exercise — have a negative influence on their child(ren)’s body image. Even worse, these apps are creating social media addiction in many children, making it harder to break away from them. You can learn more here: lanierlawfirm.com/social-media-addiction/statistics/

Internet addiction disorder (IAD), also referred to as problematic or pathological internet use, involves excessive and compulsive online activity, particularly on social media, that significantly impairs daily functioning over time. This condition is notably prevalent among young people, with numerous case studies indicating a decline in academic performance as students spend increasing amounts of time online. Additionally, many individuals suffer health issues such as sleep deprivation due to prolonged periods of scrolling, chatting, and gaming.

The pervasive use of the internet and computers has profoundly transformed contemporary society. Despite their widespread integration, the psychological, mental health, and overall well-being impacts of internet addiction remain under-researched. According to recent data from the Pew Research Center, 77% of Americans access the internet daily. While casual internet use, such as watching YouTube videos, is generally considered harmless, there are individuals whose excessive internet usage disrupts their everyday lives, affecting relationships, work, and education. When such behavior becomes a dominant and detrimental part of life, it can be considered an addiction.

Currently, internet addiction is not officially recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, a two-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, which began in August 2017, aims to provide substantial evidence for recognizing the significant issues arising from excessive internet use. Mental health professionals who acknowledge internet addiction often classify it under obsessive-compulsive or impulse control disorders to facilitate treatment. This condition is also known as compulsive computer use, pathological internet use, and internet dependence.

Dr. Anderson, from the Child Health Institute, reports that he finds himself saying to parents, “We understand your hypothesis that your kid is addicted to games, but it may be that he is socially anxious. It may be that he is depressed. It may be that he has alearning disorder. ”

Dr. Anderson recalls treating a 16-year-old whose mother was adamant that he was addicted to video games. “I was doing in-home sessions with him, and it was, indeed, very hard to get him off playing Call of Duty to even have the session. But what I realized very quickly was that he had both ADHD and depression, and he had been failing school for as long as he could remember.”

Call of Duty was actually a positive in his life, Dr. Anderson said, “the only thing that provided solace, a sense of belonging. He had joined a crew of people who play Call of Duty and post YouTube videos of them playing.”

Once his ADHD and depression got appropriate treatment, he was able to cut back on Call of Duty, and make offline friends. “He joined the football team at school. His grades improved,” said Dr. Anderson. “In that sense, it was treatment of ‘internet addiction’ through treatment of the actual underlying conditions.”

There is ample evidence indicating that heavy social media use is linked to heightened anxiety and depression among teenagers, particularly girls, who often compare themselves unfavorably to their peers and experience fear of missing out (FOMO) [Twenge & Campbell, 2018; Nesi & Prinstein, 2015].

Studies also demonstrate that excessive gaming—defined as spending two-thirds or more of one's free time playing games—is associated with adverse mental health outcomes, including increased rates of anxiety, depression, and substance use [Kowert et al., 2014; Männikkö et al., 2015].

Additionally, research suggests that multitasking, such as using social media, texting, and watching TV while doing homework, impairs cognitive functioning and diminishes learning effectiveness [Ophir et al., 2009; Calderwood et al., 2014].

Claire Rimmer (BA (Hons), Dip.Psychology, FDAD (NCAC)), Lead Addiction Therapist at

Priory Hospital Altrincham,

in March 2024, states, Internet addiction can cover a wide variety of problems, from compulsions to use social networking sites, through to shopping, gambling and pornography. Online addiction has been brought sharply into public awareness over the last few years due to a number of concerning headlines.

Often described as an impulse control disorder, internet addiction is a behavioural addiction that doesn’t involve the use of substances in order to feel desired side effects. If you have an internet addiction, the desire to go online may take priority over other aspects of your life.

Much like the relationship people experience when they're addicted to drugs and alcohol, heavy and repeated internet use can lead to them building up a tolerance to the pleasurable effects of using the internet or playing an online computer game. This can cause you to feel the urge to spend increasingly longer periods online to achieve the same effect.

Addiction to the internet can be compared to other forms of addiction such as alcohol or drugs, in the sense that it can provide a type of escape or 'high' for some users. This is especially true when considering the release of your brain’s ‘happy chemical’, dopamine, which is released when playing a computer game, interacting with people online, or receiving ‘likes’ for content that you've posted on social media. This mood altering effect thereby increases your desire to repeat the process in order to attain the same feeling.

Those with other pre-existing addictions or mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, can be more predisposed to having an internet addiction. The secluded behaviour of internet addiction can actually increase unwanted symptoms of co-existing mental health conditions, due to us needing social interaction to feel increased self-confidence, relieve feelings of mental illness and boost mood. Treatment at Priory involves treating the symptoms of related mental health conditions first, in the hope that this would address the severity of an internet addiction.

Situational issues such as loneliness and a general difficulty making and maintaining relationships can lead to an unhealthy amount of internet use. This is particularly the case if you're looking to replicate such emotional attachment with chat rooms, social networking and virtual communities.

Long-term effects of internet addiction can significantly impact various aspects of an individual's life. Like other addictive behaviors, uncontrolled internet use can lead to serious consequences. If left untreated, internet addiction may result in the following negative effects:

- Job loss* [Young, 1998].

- Academic failure* [Moreno et al., 2011].

- Loss of friendships* [Caplan, 2002].

- Health problems such as dry eyes, headaches, stiffness, and neck and back issues *[Kim et al., 2006].

- Financial hardship* [Chou et al., 2005].

- Onset of other mental health conditions*[Shaw & Black, 2008].

- Withdrawal symptoms, when unable to access the internet, including panic, anger, irritability, and fear *[Kuss & Griffiths, 2012].

If you are concerned about your child's or adolescent's social media and/or internet use, several facilities offer specialized addiction assessments:

In the United States:

Center for Internet and Technology Addiction offers comprehensive evaluations and treatment options (Hartford, CT) [Greenfield, 2011].

In Canada:

Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario provides specialized programs for internet addiction assessment and treatment (Ottawa, ON) [Boak et al., 2016].