INTERNET ADDICTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: CHALLENGES, PROBLEMS AND WAYS TO SOLVE THEM

Abstract

The article analyzes to the problem of the Internet and computer addiction among modern youth, which may become a new social disease of the XXI century. After exploring this issue, the authors cite the benefits of using online resources in children's learning and development as well as emphasize the risks to their health and lives that young people can face due to excessive and unrestrained Internet pastime.
On the one hand, an Internet-addicted young person is often unable to overcome difficult and stressful situations. They find it hard to control their emotions, constructively solve problems, interact with adults and find a compromise. On the other hand, they can withstand any effort and overcome any stress for long periods of time if they believe this behavior is necessary for the implementation of dependent behavior. A young person constantly balances between a desire to defend their interests and be recognized by others, which leads to a significant number of conflicts. Becoming absent while using the Internet – or leaving to “Other Worlds" – is used by a young person as a delusive way to resolve conflicts that they face in real life. The addicted person prefers to avoid problems as the main way to overcome them. A young person cannot live without their passion, it replaces everything for him - friends, real emotions and it becomes the center of their life.
The article describes the different types of Internet and computer addiction: computer addiction, compulsive network navigation, information congestion, cybersexual and cybercommunicative addiction. The article studies possible risks of over-indulgence in each of them: the risk of maladaptation due to excessive fascination with computer games, reducing the value of interpersonal contacts in real life, reduced concentration, and so on. Statistics on the harmful effects of network resources on different age groups are provided. The article emphasizes the symptoms of the Internet and computer addiction, which can lead to society degradation and the replacement of real-life universal norms with virtual ones. The article presents ways to overcome it, which involve implementing complex changes into public life.