Educational Objective:

To explore the culture, assessment, and treatment of technological addictions including Internet gaming and cybersex.

Description:

Addiction to video games, cybersex, internet gambling, social media, texting and emailing, and online auctions can be as addictive as substances. These technological addictions have real-world ramifications and lead to the loss of jobs, money, and loved ones. As technology becomes integrated into many facets of modern life, the appreciation of such addictions has become increasingly challenging. This session will explore the addictive potential of technology and discuss the legitimacy of technological addictions as psychiatric conditions worthy of medical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. 

Learning Objectives:

1. List five forms of Technological Addictions as they appear in the scientific literature of 2023.
2. Describe the psychology and culture surrounding Internet Gaming addiction.
3. Distinguish between normal use and addiction.

Recommended Readings:

1. Levounis, Petros, and James C. Sherer, Eds. Technological Addictions. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 2022.
2. Levounis, Petros, Bachaar Arnaout, and Carla Marienfeld, Eds. Motivational Interviewing for Clinical Practice. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 2017.
3. Levounis, Petros. Special report: be prepared to address technological addictions in psychiatric practice. Psychiatric News, 57(2):1, 23-26, 2022.
4. Zerbo, Erin A., Alan Schlechter, Seema Desai, and Petros Levounis, Eds. Becoming Mindful: Integrating Mindfulness into Your Psychiatric Practice. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing, 2017.