Hyperconnectivity
According to the Institut national de santé publique (2024), hyperconnectivity refers to “near-permanent internet access, whenever and wherever. This access is facilitated by the existence of connected mobile devices.”
Hyperconnectivity is a situation characterized by great accessibility to the internet and interconnected screens, which can lead to overuse of screens and associated harms.
Cyberaddiction
This type of addiction is characterized by an inordinate preoccupation with internet use, and by use that is excessive (2).It is associated with loss of behavioral control, obsessive use (video games, social networks, streaming) and severe consequences caused or exacerbated by this use (e.g. significant psychological distress, significantly impaired functioning, etc.) (3).
It can take many forms, including relationship-based cyberaddiction (dating sites, chat rooms, social media, etc.) and cyberaddiction to video games (4).
At present, there is no official diagnosis of cyberaddiction (2). Only video game disorder is recognized in the World Health Organization’s ICD-11 (5). Several terms are therefore used to qualify the behaviour: pathological internet use, internet use disorder, internet addiction, problematic use of internet games, etc.
In Quebec, the term “problematic Internet use” is used to describe all these phenomena. (2, 6).
Did you know that 1.3% of high school students seem to have an internet use disorder? (7) It’s normal that certain situations at times encourage more intensive use (e.g. a strike or a rainy day). Negative repercussions in all spheres of life (family, school, work, leisure, social life, lifestyle habits, etc.), as well as persistence over time, should therefore be monitored (8).
More specifically, the associated symptoms are (9) :
- The inability to do without the internet (a need to remain connected at all times).
- Negative impact on the individual’s personal life.
- Regarding physical health: pain in the eyes, the head or the back, extra weight, etc.).
- Regarding mental health: anxiety, distress, etc.).
- Regarding social life: withdrawal, frequent lying to those around the person, etc.).
- Difficulty limiting the time spent on the internet (spending more than the planned time).
- Reduced interest in participating in other kinds of activities.
- Insomnia or feelings of extreme fatigue.
- Constantly thinking about the internet when not connected.
You can find a list of resources here:
https://tuaslederniermot.com/en/teenager/
References:
- (1) Institut national de santé publique du Québec. (2024). Mieux vivre avec les écrans – réflexions pour une régulation favorable à la santé publique (Living better with screens – ideas for regulation that promotes public health). https://www.inspq.qc.ca/sites/default/files/publications/3560-mieux-vivre-ecrans-regulation-fravorable-sante.pdf (in French only)
- (2) Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. (2021). L’utilisation des écrans et la santé des jeunes : Réflexions issues du forum d’experts. https://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/msss/document-003221/ (in French only)
- (3) Dufour, M. (2024). L’utilisation problématique d’Internet: portrait des méfaits les plus sévères (Problematic internet use: a portrait of the most severe harms). Brief presented to the special commission on the impacts of screens and social media on the health and development of young people. https://www.assnat.qc.ca/Media/Process.aspx?MediaId=ANQ.Vigie.Bll.DocumentGenerique_203021&process=Default&token=ZyMoxNwUn8ikQ+TRKYwPCjWrKwg+vIv9rjij7p3xLGTZDmLVSmJLoqe/vG7/YWzz (in French only)
- (4) Office québécois de la langue française. (2017). Cyberdépendance. https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/2074984/cyberdependance?utm_campaign=Redirection%20des%20anciens%20outils&utm_content=id_fiche%3D2074984&utm_source=GDT
- (5) World Health Organization. (2020). Gaming disorder https://www.who.int/fr/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/gaming-disorder
- (6) Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. (2022). Stratégie québécoise sur l’utilisation des écrans et la santé des jeunes 2022-2025 (Quebec strategy on the use of screens and the health of young people 2022-2025).
https://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/msss/document-003382/ - (7) St-Arnaud, G., Dufour, M., Légaré, A.-A., Tremblay, J., Bertrand, K., Khazaal, Y., Brunelle, N. & Goyette, M. (2019). Preventing internet addiction: Exploring young people’s point of view. Revue québécoise de psychologie, 40(2), 115–134. https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/rqpsy/2019-v40-n2-rqpsy04976/1065906ar/ (only abstract in English)
- (8) PAUSE. 2021. Quand s’inquiéter de l’utilisation des écrans de son ado? (When to worry about your teen’s screen use) https://pausetonecran.com/quand-sinquieter-de-lutilisation-des-ecrans-de-son-ado/ (in French only)
- (9) L’arc-en-ciel. (n.d.). Cyberdépendance. https://preventionarcenciel.org/cyberdependance/ (in French only)
Tool produced in collaboration with the Public Health Department of the CISSS des Laurentides