There have, in fact, been several studies done that show significant psychological impact on our children. When children sit in front of the computer every day, they can leave behind their emotional and psychological needs including reasoning, behavior, socialization, and communication. An addictive teenager may not develop these effective social skills, which could hinder his ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships. This will not only affect him now, but the lack of these skills will follow him throughout his life. .
Monke states in his article that "The computer cannot simulate the physical and emotional nuances of resolving a dispute during kickball, or the creativity of inventing new rhymes to the rhythm of jumping rope." With these lacking, Monke also states that "We should not be surprised when they "solve" personal and social problems by turning to drugs, guns, hateful Web logs, or other powerful "tools," rather than digging deep within themselves or searching out others in the community for support." This social awkwardness and lack of much needed skills can be directly linked to the overuse of the Internet, which can lead to low self-esteem and depression. It is important to realize that the Internet offers only "virtual" and secluded interaction. Face to face interaction is eliminated as one primarily relies on technology to communicate. Instead of direct interaction, both children (and adults) communicate only through exchanges of email, chats, instant messages, etc., losing that personal connection that face to face interaction provides. Although it offers many conveniences, online interaction alone could lead to being emotionally distant from your friends and family. In an article written by Stephen Marche, he states how he believes that the internet and social websites have actually been linked to loneliness and disconnectedness among a large number of people.
