An Analysis of Internet Addiction's Negative Impacts on Relationships

This essay examines the detrimental effects of internet addiction on relationships, highlighting how excessive online engagement can lead to social isolation, weakened real-world connections, and the potential for cybersex and online infidelity. The author discusses how internet addiction can alter a person's personality, making them more aggressive and anti-social, and causing them to prioritize virtual interactions over face-to-face communication with family and friends. The essay also touches upon the emotional toll of virtual relationships, the risks of online deception, and the potential for addiction to pornographic content. The author emphasizes the importance of self-control, setting time limits, and engaging in offline activities to combat internet addiction, and suggests awareness programs and family support as crucial elements in addressing the problem. The essay concludes by underscoring the transformative power of self-awareness and responsible internet usage in fostering healthy relationships.

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Internet Addiction: Negative Impacts on Relationships
Internet Addiction can be termed as a state of mind which makes a person be continuously
surfing in the websites and being online in social networking sites for long.
A survey has revealed that 71% of people who are addictive towards internet are teenagers.
The person who is suffering from internet addiction lives in their world of fantasy. They use
internet as a means of communication to connect with the person they want because they are
unable to do it in reality (Stead and Bibby 2017).
The common good of a person depicts his dignity. Common good are the characteristics that
are beneficial for a human. Internet has been considered the main reason of disrupted
relationships. It has been resulted in consequent breakage of relationship. The regular habit of
internet surfing has made them less interactive in reality.
The human dignity is a god gifted traits that is possessed within every individual. Hence to
safeguard it, a person must acquire good habits. This implies that every person deserves
respect and honor and be recognized as a valuable citizen within the society. The addiction of
internet can lead to bad impression within the society
The internet addiction has the ability to alter a person’s personality and make him or her
isolated from the world. The person can become aggressive and anti-social due to internet
addiction. The person becomes solitaire and stops interacting with people in real world.
The person wants to have conversation over phone. This make them isolated from friends and
family. This situation can make a person depressed and stressed if they are unable to get
access to the internet. Spending the entire time over the internet can damage person’s social

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INTERNET ADDICTION: NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON RELATIONSHIPS
connections (Lim et al. 2015). They will have no time to interact and talk to their family
members.
People will never want to face any relationship challenges in real life because they get used
to the effortless online relationship. Virtual relationship can cost a person heavy because it
may happen that a person with whom you are interacting is not a genuine person. Developing
emotions over the internet can betray one’s emotions, as it is not necessary that the person
whom you are interaction online is showing his real side.
The cyber-sex is one the most common type of negative impact on relationship. This has led
to divorce, spoiled relationships and high chances of getting sexual transmitted diseases.
There are several people who searches for sexual partner online which eventually makes
them more addicted. Indulging in pornographic videos can make a person violent and
aggressive. They may start to objectify women, which can also instigate rapes (Weinstein et
al. 2015). Moreover, that person starts loosing the pleasure of real life intimacy. This will
also make their partners cheated and betrayed.
Self-control is one the best method to decrease the addiction. One must set time of how much
hour is good to spend on internet. Setting the data usage boundaries can help in limiting the
use of internet. It is also recommended to spend more time with family and friends online
rather than to socialize online. Getting involved in more manual activities like reading books,
playing outdoor games and cooking may also help in getting rid of internet addiction. The
family and friend can also help by changing the password of mobile or computers, if they feel
extensive use of internet by the person (Montag and Reuter 2017).
A proper awareness programs highlighting the impacts of internet addiction must be
executed. By self controlling and limiting the data will help in reducing victims of internet

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INTERNET ADDICTION: NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON RELATIONSHIPS
addiction. It is important to develop more outside interests like friends gathering, office
meetings and family outings.
With help of proper understanding of internet and its addiction will help in transforming the
world. The change comes within oneself. There are several ways which can be adapted by a
person to give justice to his or her existence.

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INTERNET ADDICTION: NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON RELATIONSHIPS
References
Lim, J.A., Gwak, A.R., Park, S.M., Kwon, J.G., Lee, J.Y., Jung, H.Y., Sohn, B.K., Kim,
J.W., Kim, D.J. and Choi, J.S., 2015. Are adolescents with internet addiction prone to
aggressive behavior? The mediating effect of clinical comorbidities on the predictability of
aggression in adolescents with internet addiction. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social
Networking, 18(5), pp.260-267.
Montag, C. and Reuter, M., 2017. Internet Addiction (pp. 143-150). Springer International
Publishing.
Stead, H. and Bibby, P.A., 2017. Personality, fear of missing out and problematic internet use
and their relationship to subjective well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, pp.534-
540.
Weinstein, A., Dorani, D., Elhadif, R., Bukovza, Y., Yarmulnik, A. and Dannon, P., 2015.
Internet addiction is associated with social anxiety in young adults. Annals of Clinical
Psychiatry, 27(1), pp.4-9.