2018年6月英语四级阅读200篇第137篇：Caught in the Web
Caught in the WebA few months ago, it wasn't unusual for 47-year-old Carla Toebe to spend 15
hours per day online. She'd wake up early, turn on her laptop and chat on
Internet dating sites and instant-messaging programs-leaving her bed for only
brief intervals. Her household bills piled up, along with the dishes and dirty
laundry, but it took near-constant complaints from her four daughters before she
realized she had a problem.
"I was starting to feel like my whole world was falling apart-kind of
slipping into a depression," said Carla. "I knew that if I didn't get off the
dating sites, I'd just keep going," detaching (使脱离) herself further from the
outside world.
Toebe's conclusion: She felt like she was "addicted" to the Internet. She's
not alone.
Concern about excessive Internet use isn't new. As far back as 1995,
articles in medical journals and the establishment of a Pennsylvania treatment
center for overusers generated interest in the subject. There's still no
consensus on how much time online constitutes too much or whether addiction is
possible.
But as reliance on the Web grows, there are signs that the question is
getting more serious attention. Last month, a study published in CNS Spectrums
claims to be the first large-scale look at excessive Internet use. The American
Psychiatric Association may consider listing Internet addiction in the next
edition of its diagnostic manual. And scores of online discussion boards have
popped up on which people discuss negative experiences tied to too much time on
the Web.
"There's no question that there're people who're seriously in trouble
because they're overdoing their Internet involvement. " said psychiatrist
(精神科医生) Ivan Goldberg. Goldberg calls the problem a disorder rather than a true
addition.
Jonathan Bishop, a researcher in Wales specializing in online communities,
is more skeptical. "The Internet is an environment," he said. "You can't be
addicted to the environment." Bishop describes the problem as simply a matter of
priorities, which can be solved by encouraging people to prioritize other life
goals and plans in place of time spent online.
The new CNS Spectrums study was based on results of a nationwide telephone
survey of more than 2,500 adults. Like the 2005 survey, this one was conducted
by Stanford University researchers. About 6% of respondents reported that "their
relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use." About 9% attempted to
conceal "nonessential Internet use," and nearly 4% reported feeling "preoccupied
by the Internet when offline."
About 8% said they used the Internet as a way to escape problems, and
almost 14% reported they "found it hard to stay away from the Internet for
several days at a time."
"The Internet problem is still in its infancy," said Elias Aboutjaoude, a
Stanford professor. No single online activity is to blame for excessive use, he
said. "They're online in chat rooms, checking e-mail, or writing blogs. [The
problem is] not limited to porn (色情) or gambling" websites.
Excessive Internet use should be defined not by the number of hours spent
online but "in terms of losses," said Maressa Orzack, a Harvard University
professor. "If it's a loss you're not getting to work, and family
relationships are breaking down as a result, then it's too much."
Since the early 1990s, several clinics have been established in the U. S.
to treat heavy Internet users. They include the Center for Internet Addiction
Recovery and the Center for Internet Behavior.
The websites for Orzack's center lists the following among the
psychological symptoms of computer addictions:
● Having a sense of well-being (幸福) or excitement while at the
computer.
● Longing for more and more time at the computer.
● Neglect of family and friends.
● Feeling empty, depressed or irritable when not at the computer.
● Lying to employers and family about activities.
● Inability to stop the activity.
● Problems with school or job.
Physical symptoms listed include dry eyes, backaches, skipping meals, poor
personal hygiene (卫生) and sleep disturbances.
People who struggle with excessive Internet use maybe depressed or have
other mood disorders, Orzack said. When she discusses Internet habits with her
patients, they often report that being online offers a "sense of belonging, and
escape, excitement fun," she said. "Some people say relief…because they
find themselves so relaxed."
Some parts of the Internet seem to draw people in more than others.
Internet gamers spend countless hours competing in games against people from all
over the world. One such game, called World of Warcraft, is cited on many sites
by posters complaining of a "gaming addiction."
Andrew Heidrich, an education network administrator from Sacramento, plays
World of Warcraft for about two to four hours every other night, but that's
nothing compared with the 40 to 60 hours a week he spent playing online games
when he was in college. He cut back only after a full-scale family intervention
(干预), in which relatives told him he'd gained weight.
"There's this whole culture of competition that sucks people in" with
online gaming, said Heidrich, now a father of two. "People do it at the expense
of everything that was a constant in their lives." Heidrich now visits websites
that discuss gaming addiction regularly "to remind myself to keep my love for
online games in check."
Toebe also regularly visits a site where posters discuss Internet overuse.
In August, when she first realized she had a problem, she posted a message on a
Yahoo Internet addiction group with the subject line: "I have an Internet
Addiction."
"I'm self-employed and need the Internet for my work, but I'm failing to
accomplish my work,to take care of my home, to give attention to my children,"
she wrote in a message sent to the group."I have no money or insurance to get
professional help; I can't even pay my mortgage (抵押贷款) and face losing
everything."
Since then, Toebe said, she has kept her promise to herself to cut back on
her Internet use. "I have a boyfriend now, and I'm not interested in online
dating," she said by phone last week. "It's a lot better now."
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