SUBS Research Discussion replies

Please see attached files. Read instructions thoroughly. 

Urgent assignment due 11/3 by noon. 

Reply:

 

Respond to at least 2 classmates’ posts, adding substantive content to the research subtopic and using 

constructive feedback

. Include the following in your reply:

· At least 2 peer-reviewed 

scholarly

 articles from the JLF Library. Weekly course materials may not be used in this assignment (i.e., textbooks, articles, videos, etc.).

· At least 2 

multimedia

 sources from the internet from reputable sources (properly credited and referenced)

· Use of at least 2 

Bloom’s Taxonomy

 skills included, and at least 1 use

 HOTS

.

· Graduate level writing style (i.e., formal tone, proper grammar, sentence structure, paragraph style and length, and current APA writing format)

· Current APA format (i.e., citations, references, headings, person tense, writing style, etc.) 

Reference Book: Inaba, D. S., & Cohen, W. E. (2014). Uppers, downers, all arounders: Physical and mental effects of psychoactive drugs (8th ed.). Medford, OR: CNS Productions, Inc. ISBN: 9780926544390.

Sherri: Internet Addiction, Neurobiology and Treatment

            It is no surprise that physical distancing and more time at home has caused a rise in internet use. More people use the internet now than prior to the pandemic to communicate, attend online classes, and keep up with the latest news. Internet users report feeling a sense of connection and others report feelings of loneliness. Two overarching questions that will be addressed are: Why is there a disparity in user feelings and how does internet usage/addiction impact the human brain? The discussion will also include treatment methods.

Little is known about internet addiction; however, researchers have drawn theories about internet use and impacts of use on the brain. Li et al., (2020), hypothesize that internet addiction activates the sympathetic and parasympathetic arms of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). When a user is engaged in internet usage, pulse and respiration accelerate (Li et al., 2020). Reward systems are activated when using the internet, the user experiences a high while engaged. Displeasure is experience in the form of withdrawal symptoms when not engaged in internet use. (Li et al., 2020).

The central nervous system is also impacted. Gray and white matter abnormalities are present in imaging scans (Li et al., 2020).  Excessive internet use suppresses sensory, memory and cognitive functioning. The figure below shows details of a normal brain and a sensory suppressed brain. Children who experience increased screen time, show increase in lack of focus, and impulsive behavior. Roh et al., (2018) concluded that children were more attracted to animation pictures than abstract pictures, increasing impulsive behavior to engage in online gaming. Below is an image of the figures presented to children in the study conducted by Roh et al., (2018).

Stimulated Brain vs. Non-Stimulated Brain How TV Affects the Brains of Young Children, D. Christakis (2012). Retrieved from 

https://mindd.org/screen-time/

 

 Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1). Retrieved from

https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.02

The above image explains why children are glued to smart phones. Animation is more appealing, impulsive behavior and increased activity in the reward system causes them to scroll all day.

            Addiction diagnoses require multiple approaches. Thorough examination and root cause analyses are key to accurate diagnosis and treatment. In a study conducted by Fayazi & Hasani (2017), internet usage was considered a secondary disorder. Anxiety and depression commonly lead to increased internet usage, participants showed an increase in the reward and punishment systems. Although the reward system is activated in the same way that a chemically dependent person’s reward system is activated, internet usage is a behavioral addiction versus chemical addiction. This explains why people feel more connected with increase use and loneliness with abstinence. The image below depicts the hypothesis that loneliness is a risk factor for internet addiction which turns into gaming disorder.

Traş, Z. (2019). Internet addiction and loneliness as predictors of internet gaming disorder in adolescents. Retrieved from 

https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2019.3768

            Treatment methods are vital to client’s recovery success. Treatment plans should be client focused. Therapist must consider the person’s environment, history of internet use and support systems. Internet addiction is a new area of study, recently explored for inclusion in the DSM-V. However, research conducted by Khazei et al., (2017) suggests that positive psychology (PI) interventions reduce internet addictions. In the study conducted by Khazei et al., (2017), 71% of the experiment group showed no internet addiction after maintaining abstinence (shown below). PI reinforces positive behaviors and thought patterns to improve quality of life. As a result, social skills are improved through reduction of internet use and increase in face-to-face interaction (Khazei et al., 2017).

 

Khazaei, F., Khazaei, O., & Ganbarhi-H, B. (2017). Retrieved from https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.065 

References

Fayazi, M. & Hasani, J., (2017). Structural relations between brain-behavioral systems, social anxiety, depression and internet addiction: With regard to revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (r-RST). Computers in Human Behavior. 72, 441-448. 

https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.068

Khazaei, F., Khazaei, O., & Ganbarhi-H, B. (2017). Positive psychology interventions for internet addiction treatment. Computers in Human Behavior. 72, 304-311. https://doi-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.065

Li, S., Wu, Q., Tang, C., Chen Z., & Liu, L. (2020). Exercise-Based Interventions for Internet Addiction: Neurobiological and Neuropsychological Evidence. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1296.  

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01296

Mindd Foundation (n.d.). 5 Reasons why screen time is bad for children. Retrieved from https://mindd.org/screen-time/

Roh, D., Bhang, S., Choi, J., Kweon, Y., Lee, S., & Potenza, M. (2018). The validation of Implicit Association Test measures for smartphone and Internet addiction in at-risk children and adolescents. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 7(1), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.7.2018.02

Traş, Z. (2019). Internet addiction and loneliness as predictors of internet gaming disorder in adolescents. Educational Research and Reviews, 14(13), 465-473. https://doi.org/10.5897/ERR2019.3768

Jenae,

Caffeine Withdrawal

Many people consume caffeine on a daily basis whether it be by drinking coffee, soda, energy drinks, and/or some foods. Caffeine in fact is one of the most widely used drugs in the world (Sajadi-Emazarova et al, 2020). Like other drugs if you are a heavy and/or frequent consumer of caffeine, going without it may cause you to have withdrawals. Some of the common signs and symptoms of caffeine withdrawal are nausea and vomiting, craving, headaches, lightheadedness, and/or a negative mood (Roberts, 2017). A study was conducted in which participants who had been deprived of caffeine and having symptoms of caffeine withdrawal were given a caffeine placebo to see if the symptoms will be reduced or become non-existent all together. The results of the study indicated that the belief of participants having caffeine had an effect on caffeine symptoms (Mills, 2018).

 

The image below is an illustration that shows all the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal and indicates that these symptoms generally last for 2 to 7 days.

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-to-expect-from-caffeine-withdrawal-21844

 

The video below is of Dr. Jose Lemos, a professor of microbiology and physiological systems and biochemistry and molecular pharmacology. In this video he talks about the inclusion of caffeine withdrawal in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), as well as the neurobiological aspects of caffeine withdrawal and various symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.

https://www.umassmed.edu/news/news-archives/2013/06/examining-the-neurobiology-of-caffeine-withdrawal/

The diagram below explains the effects of caffeine throughout the body. It indicates such effects like increased urination, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, fertility issues, jitters and many more. Each person is different and may not affect 2 people in the same why that it is why it is important to know your limit of how much caffeine you consume daily and to also know how it may affect you personally.

https://www.healthline.com/health/caffeine-effects-on-body