1. [Name] Koo Jian Xiang
[ID] 0322975
[Module] ELG 30505
[Session] January 2015
[Question] No.1
[Word Count] 649

2. Pre-writing
Thesis statement: The effects of computer addiction are back problems, having trouble
completing tasks at work or home and isolation from friends and families.
Effects of computer addiction:
1. Back problems-
• Sitting for a long period can take a toll on a person's muscles
• Result the person in poor posture & chronic back problems
• Cause a great stress to a person
2. Having trouble completing tasks at work or home-
• More likely to spend time in surfing social website rather than completing the
important tasks
• Hardly differentiate the priority of tasks that need to be done
• Having trouble on completing important tasks could jeopardize a job, a
relationship, and important opportunity.
3. Isolation from friends and families.
• Obsessively surfing the web take time from your friends, family members
• They are intended to use the internet as a way of escaping reality
• The inability to interact with social
• A loss of self-esteem and a burning desire to escape
• The person will think that they only live in their virtual world and it will isolate them
from their real lives
• Struggle to control their behaviors

3. COMPUTER & INTERNET ADDICTION
Internet has made our lifestyle a lot easier by making information more
accessible to all on a wide basis and creating connections with different people around the
world. However, it has also led a lot of people to spend too much time in front of the
computer, including large number of children playing computer games for long hours on a
regular basis, so much that it becomes the center of their lives. This condition is known as
computer addiction and it can bring devastating effects to them. The effects of computer
addiction are back problems, having trouble completing tasks at work or home and
isolation from friends and families.
According to Direct Essays (2015), the first and common physical effect of
computer addiction can have on a person are back problems. For example, sitting in front
of a computer for a long period of time without knowing how to manage their time usage
on computer can take a toll on a person's muscles and it will result the person in poor
posture. Moreover, poor posture can result in chronic back problems that require the
services of a chiropractor. Besides, back problems also cause a great stress to a person.
When stress strikes, the person will hardly be able to stay on track and focus on the on-
going workloads. In brief, back problems that caused by computer addiction could harm a
person’s health.
Secondly, Joanna Saisan, M.S.W. stated that computer addiction would cause a
person to face trouble on completing important tasks at work or home. For example, the
person will more likely to spend more time in surfing social website such as Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram, or spend hours on playing online games rather than completing the
important tasks that are assigned to the person. He or she will hardly differentiate the
priority of tasks that need to be done by them. On behalf of that, having trouble on

4. completing important tasks could jeopardize a job, a relationship, and important
opportunity. In short, failing to complete important tasks could degrade a person’s
capability.
Lastly, serious computer addiction will cause the person to isolate from friends,
families and social (Addictions.com n.d.). Obsessively surfing the web or a database to a
point in which you take time from your friends, family members or regular daytime tasks at
work or home. Sometimes, they are intended to use the Internet as a way of escaping
reality, escaping problems like family issues or relieving a negative mood. Some of them
have the inability to interact social, except when on the computer such as online in chat
groups or social networking sites. A loss of self-esteem and a burning desire to escape
can lead the addict further into their addiction sending them into a whirlwind of social
anguish, relationship failure and emotional pain. On the other hand, overuse of computer
will cause the person to think that they only live in their virtual world and it will isolate them
from their real lives. Next, computer addicts struggle to control their behaviors and often
experience great despair over their consistent failure to escape their addictive behaviors.
In the end, computer addiction will cause a sense of powerlessness for the addict
(Addictions.com n.d). In summary, isolating from the society and families will result a
person in minor mental illness.
In conclusion, computer addiction will ruin someone’s live and bring devastating
effect to them if they cannot control their usage on computer and Internet. To solve this
issue, there are many steps that they can take to reduce impulsive behaviors and get their
Internet usage under control. Many of the ways that they can get help for internet addiction
can actually be taken individually without the need for treatment. Last but not least,
computer and Internet are somehow essential to lives but we shouldn’t abuse the usage of
it and we should learn the appropriate way of using it.

5. References:
• Addictions.com (n.d.) Computer Addiction: Signs, Symptoms & Treatment for
Compulsive Computer use. Retrieved on 27th
April 2015. Available at:
http://www.addictions.com/computer/
• Addictions.com (n.d.) Computer Addiction: Internet addiction can lead to
consequences in your life. It is important to understand the signs; symptoms and
what treatment options you have available to you. Retrieved on 27th
April 2015.
Available at: http://www.addictions.com/internet/
• Direct Essays (2015) The Physical Effect of Computer Addiction. Retrieved on 27th
April 2015. Available at: http://www.directessays.com/viewpaper/43134.html
• Helpguide.org (2015) Internet and Computer Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and
Help for Balancing Your Time Online and Off. Retrieved on 27th
April 2015.
Available at: http://www.helpguide.org/articles/addiction/internet-and-computer-
addiction.htm