Risk factors of Internet Addiction

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Some behaviours are highly rewarding because our brain’s reward system - a network of structures that releases the neurotransmitter dopamine, among others - is intensely activated. This makes us feel good and motivates us to repeat such pleasant behaviour. This can be considered the "reward centre" of the brain. The original function of this reward system was to make us repeat behaviour that ensured the survival of the individual or the species (e.g., eating, sleeping, social interaction and sexual activity). The pleasant experiences produced by video games, social networks and other Internet applications also activate this reward system, motivating us to continue using them repeatedly. This repetition can lead to the development of "addiction circuits" in the brain. These changes in the brain explain why people addicted to online activities may prioritise them over everyday survival behaviour, such as eating and sleeping.

There are many factors that can alter the natural functioning of this reward system, making pleasant behaviour more likely to become addictive.

These factors, intrinsic to electronic devices and screen-based activities, can therefore increase their addictive potential. Video games (especially massively multiplayer online role-playing games, or MMORPGs), social networks and certain mobile applications with ‘infinite scroll’ (continuous content display by simply sliding a finger) are highly rewarding for users and are often designed to keep players engaged for longer periods.

Childhood and adolescence are periods of special vulnerability for addictions, because the frontal lobe of the brain is in development, and the capacity for self-control and self-regulation has not yet been completely acquired. During adolescence, the social environment plays a crucial role, as young people are especially inclined to maintain contact and engage in the activities of their friends and peers.

Individual factors in children and adolescents that may contribute to problems with screen control. Some of these factors are neurobiological, including the functioning of the brain’s reward systems and prefrontal control mechanisms Other factors are temperamental; for instance, introverted adolescents may use screens as a pathway for socialisation. Some of these factors could even have genetic components and could explain why addictive behaviour is usually repeated in different members of the same family.

Having a number of mental disorders can lead to a person developing screen-based behavioural problems. “Internet-related addictions” are most frequently associated with anxiety and depressive disorders, social or school phobia, attention deficit disorder (with or without hyperactivity), obsessive-compulsive disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Some of these disorders can facilitate the development of addiction due to difficulties with impulse control, which in turn affect the ability to self-limit Internet use for rewarding behaviours. Other disorders can cause significant emotional distress and lead to the use of screens as a coping mechanism, means of emotional release, distraction or refuge.

Environmental factors may also play a role in the development of Internet-related addictive behaviour. Family, school, and social contexts can either help prevent or, conversely, promote the development of problematic screen-based behaviour. Stressful contexts - such as domestic situations (e.g., conflict, separation, domestic violence), school experiences (e.g., bullying, academic failure) and social environments (e.g., isolation, loneliness, belonging to minority groups) - can foster the development of problematic behaviour and other mental disorders. Parental styles (e.g., how limits are set or affection is expressed), school teaching styles (e.g., use of screens in the classroom) and social support networks (e.g., extracurricular or leisure activities and roles and models with which the individual identifies) can also influence Internet use being either healthy or problematic.

Moreover, the aforementioned risk factors do not act in isolation. They are often interrelated and can create a vicious circle in which environmental or mental health problems lead to excessive use and addiction; meanwhile, excessive use and addiction, in turn, can negatively affect mental health and social relationships. It is almost impossible to know what came first and which factors are a consequences of others. So, when treating Internet addictions, all symptoms and contributing factors must be addressed, whether they precede or follow the addiction.