Kyra Odoi Odoi 1

Ms.Wilson

English II Honors

December 5, 2019

Problem Solution Essay

In the movie theatres people see movies like Irobot and Wall-e. The world sees these

movies and laugh. Though studies are proving this notion is wrong. As we enter a new decade

we find ourselves more and more immersed in cyber. Every turn you take the world becomes

more and more computerized. This includes things from computer-controlled cars to

computerized watches on our wrist. Why wouldn't we include mental health? Cyber addiction is

a big issue today, that greatly affects teens. This is a big issue because it is harshly affecting

teens into adulthood. If we don't take steps today cyber addiction could follow teens into the

future.Cyber addiction has lead to mental illness, loss of relationships, and loss of a job. If

nothing is done nothing will get done. Living in a world where everyone is addicted to their

phones, no one can focus on anything else.

Cyber addiction is an addiction to any type of online substance. Including but not limited to

online relationships, gaming, shopping, etc. This addiction is growing in teens exponentially and

has shown to ruin lives. Evidence of this growth is the study of teens and electronics in Austria.

Said in the article “Compared with a matched school sample, addictive internet use was 7.8 times

higher and problematic internet use 3.3 times higher among our adolescent sample” (Fuchs).

This study shows that cyber addiction is on the rise. Another issue identified with cyber

addiction is mental illness. In one of the articles it tells the story of Charlie, and how cyber

addiction ruined his life. It also caused him to have depression. Cyber has been classified by the
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International Classification of Diseases: “ ''gaming disorder,'' which it defines as excessive and

irrepressible preoccupation with video games, resulting in significant personal, social, academic

or occupational impairment for at least 12 months” (Ferris). This is what Charlie has and it made

him do things he never imagined doing. Like dropping out of college,losing his girlfriend,

moving in with his parents, and losing his job. Cyber has shown to have detrimental effects “The

largest study of Internet addiction done to date surveyed 17,251 people and was conducted by

ABC News and psychologist David Greenfield. This study found that almost 6 percent (or more

than 11 million users) suffer from some form of Internet addiction” (Ferris). Explaining that

addiction is immense and affects mental health greatly. This makes me come to the ideal; why is

nothing being done about it?

If their cyber addiction is such a big issue there must be a solution. The answer to cyber

addiction is therapy. The two therapy groups in the articles are called COLA and reStart therapy

“ReStart opened in 2009, and it remains one of the few dedicated long-term rehabilitation

programs for internet and video-game addiction in the United States” (Ferris). Restart is where

Charlie found help and people just like him. The other therapy stated in the articles is “COLA

the first private, nonprofit behavioral health-care firm to specialize in Internet-related conditions

and has done extensive research”(Armstrong). Although therapy has been shown to help with

cyber addiction there are cons to therapy also. The pros of therapy is it helps many people

overcome addiction. Other pros are it helps people get back to normal life, and also helps others

in therapy. In Ferris’s article, the former addict states the community helped him “The solution

to addiction is connection. It's all about building friendship and community that is face to face, in
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person, rather than online” (Ferris). Explaining that therapy is not only helpful to one single

addict. Cons of therapy are for one price“It would cost about $22,000 for the minimum stay of

45 days, and their health insurance wouldn't cover it” (Ferris). The con of this is therapy is not

accessible to all that need it .Another con would be therapy could not work “Former clients think

it may be a lot less than that; they have seen many friends relapse or leave the program

early.”(Ferris).This is a con because it completely defeats the purpose of therapy. Though all of

these are great ideals there is a simple solution that easily can be made like talking to a trusted

adult or health care professional.

In conclusion, cyber addiction is an issue that affects teens immensely in the present and into

their futures. Though addiction rates are growing and it is very harmful to a teen's future.The

aims for therapy are making someone realize they are more than a slave to the screen but a useful

human being. The impact of therapy is changing people's lives for the better. Therapy can help

teens and young adults everywhere. In strides making being attached to the screen less than

facing real life.

Work cited

Armstrong, Leslie. "How to Beat Addiction to CYBERSPACE." ​Vibrant Life,​ July 2001, p. 14.

Gale OneFile: Psychology​,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A76725593/PPPC?u=ncowl&sid=PPPC&xid=813ab064.

Accessed 4 Dec. 2019.

Fuchs, Martin, et al. “Pathological Internet Use—An Important Comorbidity in Child and

Adolescent Psychiatry: Prevalence and Correlation Patterns in a Naturalistic Sample of

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Adolescent Inpatients.” ​BioMed Research International,​ vol. 2018, Mar. 2018, pp. 1–10.

EBSCOhost,​ doi:10.1155/2018/1629147.

Jabr, Ferris. "Can You Really Be Addicted To Video Games?" ​The New York Times Magazine,​

27 Oct. 2019, p. 37(L). ​Gale General OneFile​,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A603897224/ITOF?u=ncowl&sid=ITOF&xid=d0fbf37d. ]

Accessed 3 Dec. 2019.