Learning to deal with problematic usage of the Internet

Author(s):
Professor Naomi Fineberg, Professor Marc Potenza, Professor Dan Stein, Dr Sophia Achab

Duration:
75 minutes

Credits:
1.25

Published:
June 2025

Type:
Congress webinar 2025

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There is global concern about problematic usage of the internet (PUI) and its public health and societal costs. One meta-analysis reported around 7% of the world’s population shows signs of Internet addiction, and prevalence seems to be increasing, especially among young people. Specific forms of PUI have been recognised as mental and behavioural disorders in the ICD-11. These include online forms of gambling disorder and gaming disorder and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder. Other internet-related behaviours that may be considered as potential disorders include compulsive buying-shopping behaviour and problematic social media use. Increased awareness of the association between PUI and mental disorders in general, and the negative effects of social media use in particular, has led to calls for more action to protect individuals, particularly children and youth, from online harm.

Important advances have been made in developing clinical measures for PUI-related conditions, and work on the overlapping and distinctive psychobiology, psychotherapy, and pharmacotherapy of specific types of PUI is growing. However, more work is needed, from a clinical and public health perspective.

A panel of international speakers with expertise in compulsive, impulsive and addictive behaviours, including authors of a forthcoming Lancet Psychiatry Commission proposing new policy initiatives for PUI (DOI:10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00323-7), will address some of the key questions for the field including the individual and public health consequences of PUI (Dr Potenza), psychobiological, social and commercial risk and resilience factors leading to PUI (Dr Stein), nature and outcomes of health systems and services for individuals with PUI, and relevance of regulatory frameworks such as those relating to drugs, gambling and harmful consumer-products to PUI (Dr Achab).

Recent investment in international networked research to detect risk and prevent PUI in teenagers, and ongoing legislative attempts to address online safety in the USA, Europe, and the East make this symposium timely.

Learning objectives

In this session you will:

  • Update your knowledge about the psychobiological, social and commercial risk and resilience factors leading to PUI, of relevance to translational researchers, clinicians, healthcare policy-makers including those working in public health and interested members of the public
  • Advance your understanding of individual and public health consequences of PUI, with a particular focus on young people, of relevance to clinicians including those working in child and adolescent mental health, healthcare policy-makers and interested members of the public
  • Learn about developments in the treatments and health systems and services for individuals with PUI, of relevance to clinicians including those working in child and adolescent mental health, healthcare policy-makers and interested members of the public
  • Consider the relevance of regulatory frameworks such as those relating to drugs, gambling and harmful consumer-products to PUI, of relevance to healthcare policy-makers and interested members of the public.
Speakers

Chair: Professor Naomi Fineberg, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

Professor Marc Potenza, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, USA

Professor Dan Stein, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Dr Sophia Achab, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

Availability

This webinar is part of the Congress webinar 2025 package.  If you attended all four days of Congress, you will have access to these as part of your Congress package.  Otherwise the Congress webinar 2025 package can be purchased below.

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