Internet addiction is a condition that we are just starting to recognize and grapple with collectively as a culture. It’s also something that the therapy community is also starting to take seriously and address with clients. And I think if we are honest, most of us can likely identify some form of internet addiction in our own lives, be it mild or severe. Zulaikha Straight, MA, LPC, is a trauma therapist and certified addiction coach specializing in internet addiction. We talk about how this addiction can take on many different forms, including shopping, pornography, social media, and gaming addiction, to name a few. We also discuss how the underlying issues driving the addiction need to be addressed for there to be any long term healing or recovery and the ways that help are available.

0:00 Introduction

2:40 Why Zulaikha started treating internet addiction

5:15 What does internet addiction look like?

7:25 Pornography addiction - the most dangerous form of internet addiction

13:30 Shopping addiction - the dopamine rush from hitting the purchase button

18:20 The consequences of a culture addicted to the internet and the documentary “The Social Dilemma”

26:40 Social media addiction - the underlying need is to be validated and accepted; splitting our identities between public, private, and social personas;

32:50 Possibility of change; looking at the trauma underlying internet addiction; different trauma treatments

40:00 Gaming addiction - the only form of internet addiction confirmed at this point by the DSM and psychiatric world

48:13 What Zulaikha would pass on to people who are listening

Zulaikha's website: https://integrativeGA.com

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