Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones says that internet addiction manifests itself as much as gambling addiction might. Many patients present with internet related depression.
“Mostly male, but many women too, who will sometimes come not having eaten for days, depressed and feeling ashamed. They can be quite defensive about their activities because their partners or husband or children are beginning to say they’re spending too much time online. There’s a lot of irritability and secrecy as a result.”
“Cyber relationships are interactive, you’re waiting for the relationship to come back to you and so you’ll prioritise it over work or your marriage. Whereas, a book is offline, it’s not interactive and there’s no neuronal circuitry reward at play because you already know roughly what’s coming your way. In other words, books don’t give us the same buzz.”
Dr Henrietta Bowden-Jones is a Consultant Psychiatrist in addictions and general psychiatry at Nightingale. CBT and addiction therapies are used in her treatment programmes, so if you would like to find out more please get in contact.
