Nowy pacjent, stare problemy? Kontekst diagnozowania uzaleznienia od internetu

Abstract

Patients, their families, society increasingly often "agree" to conceptualize diagnosis of a variety of problemfunctioning adolescents as Internet addiction. Article places this phenomenon in cultural context of growing influence of electronic media on developmental processes of adolescents from generation often referred as "digital natives." Using of Internet by this group co-defines their ways of participation in family relationships, constructing relationships and attachments, daily rituals and customs, also participation in psychotherapy. It leads to new challenges for practitioners in fields of creating therapeutic reality and defining "normality" of Internet use. Paper ask questions about usefulness of "simple" diagnosis of Internet addiction based on language and criteria of addiction therapy, that used to be addressed to substance and behavioural addictions. What "diagnosis" constructed like that brings to thinking about the problems of adolescent patients with relational difficulties, diverse psychopathology, non-optimal functioning in the family? Does it carry the risk of oversimplification to reductionist perspective on the phenomenon of complex, multi-faceted, ambiguous? Maybe the contrary, expands the understanding of this difficult group of patients and equips practitioners with new tools? Authors are signalizing possibilities of deeper understandings of Internet addiction involving systemic thinking, function of symptom of Internet overuse in family, role that it plays in family narrations and social-economic aspirations.