Process Addictions

The Digital Dilemma: An In-Depth Look at Internet Addiction Statistics

The exploding popularity of internet use and social media in the past two decades has completely changed our world — from how we communicate with one another to how we work. We can get more done, research anything in an instant and have conversations with people across the globe in real time. With so many of its advantages, internet use also comes with many disadvantages, including being highly addictive. Learn who’s most at risk, how it affects adolescents and how the prevalence of being online too much can significantly affect mental health.

What is Considered an Internet Addiction?

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is defined as becoming overly reliant on the internet to the point where an individual loses impulse control. Those with IAD spend an excessive amount of time online in chat rooms, gambling, shopping online, watching YouTube videos or scrolling through social media and have little to no control over limiting their screen time. Also called Problematic Internet Use (PIU), people become dependent on the internet and experience withdrawal symptoms if they cannot connect to the internet for some reason.

There are several different types of internet addiction based on the types of online activities, including:

Cybersex: This involves an obsessive use of adult chat rooms, pornography or adult role-playing sites.
Cyber-relationship addiction: This addiction involves an excessive use of social networking, chat rooms, dating sites, and messaging strangers online.
Net compulsions: This involves becoming addicted to online gambling, gaming, stock trading or developing an obsession with auction sites, which can lead to financial problems.
Information overload: This addiction involves an excessive amount of scrolling and browsing online that affects your daily activities and relationships.
Computer addiction: Not necessarily linked to the internet, computer addiction involves becoming addicted to offline computer games or obsessive computer programming.
Online shopping addiction: This involves excess online shopping, making the user feel as if they’re not really spending a lot of money (when they are), leading to financial strain.

How Common is it to be Addicted to the Internet?

According to a study published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, six percent of the world’s population is now addicted to the internet. And according to the Pew Research Center, about 31% of U.S. adults report to be online “almost constantly,” up from 21% in 2015. This doesn’t take into account adolescents who make up a big group of internet addicts. As smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices have become more widely available and more social media sites continue to pop up, the rate of addiction among internet users has also increased.

An Internet Addiction Breakdown

Now, let’s break down the demographics most likely to be addicted to the internet.

By Age

Internet addiction seems to be most prevalent among adolescents and young people. Below is a breakdown by age group of what percentage of people are constantly online, based on info from Pew Research Center:

Age 18-29 (48%)
Age 30-49 (42%)
Age 50-64 (22%)
Age 65+ (8%)

By Type of Internet Addiction

Cybersex: According to a survey of 40,000 respondents, nearly 10% said they were addicted to cybersex and the internet, and 25% said it has gotten out of control, affecting their life.
Cyber-relationship addiction: Research discovered that 90% of singles online feel addicted to dating sites, while 70% believe it’s affecting their mental health.
Net compulsions: While there isn’t an exact number for all net compulsions researched, 4% of gamers are addicted to playing video games and 81% of gambling addicts play online.
Information overload: According to research from the University of Michigan, 210 million people suffer from addiction to social media and the internet, with a big majority being “mindless scrollers,” and are addicted to an overabundance of screen stimuli.
Online shopping addiction: Data from the University of Iowa shows that 5-8% of the worldwide population suffers from compulsive buying disorder, and 33% of the world’s population shop online.

By Gender

Internet addiction trends vary by gender. According to this study, more male college students (8.3%) than female students (5.4%) had moderate to severe internet addiction. In this Computers in Human Behavior Report, a study found that men tend to be more addicted to online gaming than women, while women tend to be more addicted to social media than men.

By Race

According to the Pew Research Center, these percentages by race reported to be online “almost constantly” in the United States:

28% White
37% Black
36% Hispanic

According to this study, internet addiction has become more prevalent in certain Asian countries, such as China, than in the United States.

Internet Addiction Trends

Internet addiction has been on the rise, especially since the pandemic, specifically adolescents (24.4%).
Social media seems to be a leading internet addiction offender, with 18 to 22-year- olds accounting for 40% of Americans addicted to social media. The constant scrolling and instant gratification creates dopamine hits, making addiction much more prevalent, especially for developing brains.
At the very least, having a healthy work-life balance is being tested as a result of having access to screens at all teams — leading to burnout. There’s a link betweeninternet addiction and depression, found in a study done with college students in China. With the rising prevalence of internet addiction, there’s a strong likelihood that those who spend more time online are more vulnerable to cyber bullying, another striking issue among young adults and adolescents.

How to Treat Digital & Internet Addictions

Although the internet is not going away any time soon and the concern for too much screen time continues to rise, there are several ways to treat internet addiction so that your daily life is enhanced and you can get back to the things you love.

Time-limiting apps & software: There are several content-controlled software options and time-limiting apps that either restrict or notify you of excessive internet use or screen time.
Behavioral therapy: This helps individuals identify and change unhealthy online habits by teaching healthy coping mechanisms and promoting a balanced relationship with technology.
Support groups: Groups such as Sex Addicts Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous and Gaming Addicts Anonymous are great options to let those who are struggling know they’re not alone.

How Caron Can Help

Caron is proud to treat process addictions like internet addiction disorders. Our expert team of compassionate professionals completes a thorough assessment to determine whether there are addiction interaction disorders or co-occurring mental health disorders present. An addiction treatment plan may involve cognitive behavioral therapy, family therapy, support groups and/or some other combination of therapies and support.

If you or someone you love has an internet addiction disorder, Caron’s team is here for you. We believe everyone can recover with the right treatment plan. View our locations and learn how to become a Caron patient today.