Preventing problematic internet use during the COVID-19 pandemic: Consensus guidance
Author
Király, Orsolya
Potenza, Marc N
Stein, Dan J
King, Daniel L
Hodgins, David C
Saunders, John B
Griffiths, Mark D
Gjoneska, Biljana
Billieux, Joël
Brand, Matthias
Abbott, Max W
Chamberlain, Samuel R
Corazza, Ornella
Burkauskas, Julius
Sales, Célia M D
Montag, Christian
Lochner, Christine
Grünblatt, Edna
Wegmann, Elisa
Martinotti, Giovanni
Lee, Hae Kook
Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen
Castro-Calvo, Jesús
Rahimi-Movaghar, Afarin
Higuchi, Susumu
Menchon, Jose M
Zohar, Joseph
Pellegrini, Luca
Walitza, Susanne
Fineberg, Naomi A
Demetrovics, Zsolt
Attention
2299/22804
Abstract
As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many governments have introduced steps such as spatial distancing and "staying at home" to curb its spread and impact. The fear resulting from the disease, the 'lockdown' situation, high levels of uncertainty regarding the future, and financial insecurity raise the level of stress, anxiety, and depression experienced by people all around the world. Psychoactive substances and other reinforcing behaviors (e.g., gambling, video gaming, watching pornography) are often used to reduce stress and anxiety and/or to alleviate depressed mood. The tendency to use such substances and engage in such behaviors in an excessive manner as putative coping strategies in crises like the COVID-19 pandemic is considerable. Moreover, the importance of information and communications technology (ICT) is even higher in the present crisis than usual. ICT has been crucial in keeping parts of the economy going, allowing large groups of people to work and study from home, enhancing social connectedness, providing greatly needed entertainment, etc. Although for the vast majority ICT use is adaptive and should not be pathologized, a subgroup of vulnerable individuals are at risk of developing problematic usage patterns. The present consensus guidance discusses these risks and makes some practical recommendations that may help diminish them.