A NEW phenomenon of Internet addiction among adults and children is destroying homes, says a leading clinical psychologist.
The Internet is like "a devil in the home", says Batelco Care Centre for Family Violence Cases president Dr Banna Buzaboon.
Internet and computer games addiction in children can lead to isolation and a loss of social skills. While in adults it can result in relationship breakdowns and even divorce.
Dr Buzaboon is calling on the community to take simple measures that will help to prevent Internet addiction among families.
"The Internet has a bad affect on children and makes them violent, especially if they play video games," she told the GDN.
"Parents like to control their children, so they like their children to stay in the house and play on the Internet, but this can lead to addiction.
"When the child gets addicted to the computer, it's like they are physically there but not mentally."
Dr Buzaboon explained that at first, parents might be happy to see their child on the computer because it keeps them inside the house and quiet.
However, if the child gets addicted to the Internet they can end up losing their social skills and become isolated to the point they even choose to have their meals while on the computer instead of with the family.
She said the other danger of the Internet was it could lead young people into 'sex sites' and chatrooms.
"I had one parent who came to me about their child. He is from the GCC and aged 14 or 15. He had lost all his social skills because he is totally addicted and he hardly speaks," she said.
"I have another who said her son, who is 11, had made a copy of a sex site and named the file 'Aib', meaning 'shame' and she was so shocked by this.
"Many people call me about their children going to websites and there are so many problems.
"The Internet stops children from communicating and it will lead to violence because they aren't using it for positive things."
Dr Buzaboon said one of the dangers of Internet addiction among adolescents was the constant communication they had in chatrooms and social websites with people they didn't know.
She said they often gave out personal information including photographs of themselves and this could lead to dangers.
"Victims have come to me and said their pictures have been spread or the person they sent the picture to is blackmailing them by telling them if they don't do certain things they will forward it to others," said Dr Buzaboon.
"Girls are doing this with lesbian websites. They are brainwashed into thinking it is normal to be a lesbian."
Dr Buzaboon said in a marriage relationship Internet addiction could lead to family breakdowns and divorce.
She said she knew of many cases where husbands were having sexual affairs on the Internet.
"There was one wife who told me that her husband took his computer in the bedroom and locked her out and when she did a check on his computer later on she found that he had been on these (sex) sites," said Dr Buzaboon.
"There are hundreds of cases like this and also some females do this through the Internet -- this addiction is destroying homes."
Dr Buzaboon said Internet addition among families could be avoided through simple measures.
Firstly, she calls on the community to throw out all laptops and just have one personal computer in the family room.
Secondly, the computer must have a password and each person should be allocated just two hours a day.
"Now summer is coming and many parents are buying their children laptops. And its wireless so they can use it anywhere," she said.
"Some adolescents are using their computer from 10pm to 7am, going to sleep all day and then waking up to start again.
"It affects them mentally and socially because they don't have social contact. Also, you don't know what information they are getting.
"I know it is difficult to take back laptops once they have been given, but it can be done."
Dr Buzaboon suggests that parents learn more about the Internet and information technology to protect their children.
"Parents need to be educated more on how to protect their children from the Internet. They need to learn technical skills to be able to activate filters.
"Parents must also be a model for their children."
Dr Buzaboon has conducted workshops on the dangers of the Internet for more than 100 adolescents and plans to hold more.
She was recently honoured by Parliament secretary-general Nawar Mahmood for delivering a lecture on this subject to MPs and Shura Council members.
becky@gdn.com.bh To see more of the Gulf Daily News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.gulf-daily-news.com. Copyright (c) 2009, Gulf Daily News, Manama, Bahrain Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2009, Gulf Daily News, Manama, Bahrain