What are the treatment options available to those who suffer from Internet addiction?
At present, the most common or popular forms of treatment for Internet addiction include individual psychotherapy or counseling as well as support groups. Treatment plans generally employ cognitive-behavioral strategies supported by psychoeducation and bibliotherapy, and are aimed at reducing and controlling the compulsive behavior and achieving moderation. In addition, a comprehensive psychosocial approach is taken to address the fundamental underlying problems in a person’s life which created the need to use the Internet as a mean of coping or psychological escape in the first place. A “harm reduction” is approach is seen as preferable over total abstinence in the treatment of Internet addiction because of the ever-growing shift in the structure of society to perform perform personal and business functions online. Our reliance on computer applications to perform our “routine” daily functions (e.g. bill-paying) will continue to grow over time.
