Internet Overuse and EDS in Adolescents

Summary

For my third source, I chose this article for one of the many symptoms Internet Addiction can cause to teenagers and young adults in college. This article is mostly a study based in South Korea and focuses on college students who not only go out and party but use the Internet too much. More than half the amount of students in the study stayed on the Internet longer than they should and less than half partied too much. The study resulted in poor school performance and loss of sleep at night, causing excessive daytime sleepiness or EDS.

Reaction

When I read this article, I could not believe so many students using the Internet. South Korea does have a smaller population so in the United States, the amount would be much larger in the study. As Choi said, this social phenomenon needs to be analyzed in psychiatric or psychological terms. Not only poor school performance, but the feelings of loneliness just from using the Internet too long is outrageous. I wish that would never happen to me. My roommate seems to think that being on Facebook all night and sleeping all day is a good thing to do at college. While I am trying to sleep she's on the computer and when I am up all day she sleeps. I now know she has an addiction to the Internet and mostly Facebook. I have also noticed that her health is becoming more sickly as she has bottles and boxes of medicine and tissues all over her desk. It is a sin that she cannot stay off the Internet. I know understand since reading the articles what it means to be "Internet Dependent."

Tie-in with Carr/Pope

Choi makes the point of saying that this "phenomenon" should be analyzed by psychiatrists. I believe to an extent that one could be addicted. Carr believes that this is getting out of hand as well and will never stop. Pope believes that it can be moderated and I'm sure that with help by doctors it could be. Choi's article says that Internet overuse is strongly associated with sleep problems and probably concentration as well, as in Carr's article he says that he loses concentration very easily and needs to move on to something else. Pope says that technology is clearly affecting students' lives and according to Choi, that is a fact. Students' lives are changing dramatically from the addiction and their health is becoming the problem.