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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1999)
Internet addiction addressed By Margaret Behm Staff writer The online games, shopping and chat rooms on the Web can be fun for most Web surfers, but sometimes the craving for the Internet is so strong, it becomes an addiction. Out of the 90 million people who use the Internet, between 5 to 10 percent are addicted, said Kimberly S. Young, founder of the Center for On-Line Addiction, who spoke at Nebraska Wesleyan on Thursday. Young, who "wrote the book “Caught in the Net,” said several studies show that college students who spend too much time on the Internet and become addicted often face negative consequences. They become isolated, depressed and their grades go down, she said. She said it was OK if students used the Internet for schoolwork or as a hobby, but some students may become addicted, which is when problems start. “It’s like craving a cigarette when you’re a smoker; you’re preoccupied with getting on the Internet,” Young said. “Every waking moment, the per son desires to be online.” College freshmen are at high risk for Internet addiction, she said. The addiction may stem from being home sick, not having many friends or making the stressful transition from a small high school to a laige college, she said. Young said many Internet-addicted people are dissatisfied with their life and try to escape to a fantasy world. “They can escape into an online life that is parallel to their real life. They can become more involved in their fantasy life and neglect their real life and daily roles,” Young said. To overcome this, addicts must real ize that their real lives can be just as good as their online lives, Young said. Young said men are more likely to become addicted to pornography, games and trading stocks. Women usually become addicted to chat rooms, online love affairs and shopping, Young said. Some signs of addiction are lying about usage, craving the Internet and withdrawing from other activities. Young said Internet addiction can result in divorce, job loss or getting kicked out of school. The worst case Young has seen hap pened in the St. Louis area in 1996. The mother of a 12-year-old boy thought he was spending too much time on the Internet and took it away. The boy then shot and killed his mother before killing himself. He left a suicide note proving that his actions were because of his Internet addiction, Young said. It is not necessary for addicts to cut all their ties to the Internet, Young said. Total loss of the Internet may be impossible because of school or work, she said. The important thing is to bal ance the time spent on the Internet with other daily activities, she said. Counseling is available and recom mended for addicts. When getting over an Internet addiction, tremors, panic attacks, chew ing on objects and smashing furniture have been reported, she said. “The issue with Internet addiction is that the Internet is a tool,” said Young. “When it is used properly it’s a wonder ful tool.” Groups celebrate holiday, the dead ByDaneStickney Staff writer The Mexican American Student Association is mixing the Mexican and American cultures-tonight to-celebrate Halloween and honor the dead. MASA is holding a dance at the Nebraska East Union from 8 p.m. to midnight in the Great Plains Room. The dance is called “Dia De Los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Cameya Ramirez, president of MASA, said the dance is a culmination of tiie Mexican and American cultures. “The day of the dead is a traditional Mexican holiday,” ~he said. “We honor the dead, but it’s not a sad time.” Ramirez, a senior criminal justice major, said Mexican families will spend the whole night in a cemetery where their loved ones are buried. “They’ll bring a radio and food and i--— have a picnic,” she said. “It’s just a cele bration to remember those who died.” Some families also have altars in their houses with pictures of family members who have died, Ramirez said. They often light candles and decorate the altars with flowers. Ramirez said this is the first time that the Day of the Dead has been cele brated on campus. She usually attended dances at an off-campus location. Mexicans typically do not celebrate Halloween, but MAS A is including some American traditions, such as cos tumes. “We would like everyone who comes to have costumes,” Ramirez said. “That’s not part of the Mexican tradi tion, but we’re trying to celebrate the Day of the Dead and Halloween togeth er.” The music will be all Latin, Ramirez said. Dance lessons will be given at 8 p.m. so everyone will be com fortable during the dance. The dance is co-sponsored by University Program Council. Nikki Fulkner, a sophomore execu tive member of UPC, said this was the first time the council co-sponsored an event with the student group. “They approached us and asked if we’d like to help them sponsor the dance,” she said. “We thought it sound ed like a neat event.” Fulkner said the proceeds of the dance will help pay for prizes that will be given to people with the best cos tumes. Anyone is welcome to attend the dance this evening, Ramirez said. People wearing costumes that have a UNL student ID will get into the dance for $2. Those with an ED but no costume must pay $3. People with a costume but no ID must pay $4. Those with no ID or cos tume will pay $5. Friday marks the end oF the world wide web as you know it. On Friday, October 29, pixelon.com introduces the world’s First Full-screen, Full-motion, tv-quality internet broadcast network. Unveiling three years oF revolutionary research, pixelon.com will provide on-demand entertain ment, sports and news programming unlike any in Internet history. iBash’99 - the single largest entertainment event ever held in Las Vegas - is our way oF introducing pixelon.com to the world. FRIDAY! iBash ’99! Live concert Webcast From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas... A Reunion of Rock Legends - The Who KISS • The OFFspring • The Brian Setzer Orchestra • Tony Bennett The Hottest Divas of Country - The Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes and Chely Wright View iBash ’99 For Free at pixelon.com beginning Friday, October 29 at 2 p.m. PST. You can even direct the cameras yourselF! Log on now For more inFormation and a concert schedule. - -s—--— Problems of youths examined at summit ■ Participants say education important to solving problems of teen pregnancy, diseases. By Jessica Fargen Senior editor Nebraska doctors, students, school superintendents and commu nity leaders gained insight Thursday into how to address social problems such as teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. About 200 people attended the daylong Governor’s Summit on Youth At Risk held at the Nebraska Center for Continuing Education, 33rd and Holdrege streets. Throughout the day, national speakers, as well as NU’s former football coach, Tom Osborne, dis cussed how communities can pro tect youth against emotional dam age, sexually transmitted diseases and teen pregnancy through absti nence education and character development. Linda Henningsen, adolescent health coordinator for the Nebraska Health and Human Services divi sion of family health, said educating youths on the risk of having sex and getting pregnant at a young age was only part of the solution. “Education as a method in itself is great,” Henningsen said. “But the underlying issue is developing char acter and a set of values. You can say ‘Don’t drink and don’t smoke,’ but it won’t work if they don’t have a set of values.” Josh Abler, a junior at Stanton High School, said his values and faith led him to believe that sex before marriage was wrong. Attending the conference just rein forced that belief, he said. “Every time I hear this, it’s just so reassuring to know my decision is the right one,” Abler said. Abler said he will take what he learned at the conference to educate his friends. “I have some friends who are extremely sexually active,” the 16 year-old said. “It’s always bugged me, but I’ve never had the informa tion to confront them.” According to a 1997 Nebraska Health and Human Services study, 47 percent of high school males and 44 percent of females have had sex ual intercourse at least once. Those numbers are too high, said David Jameson, a family physi cian in Stromsburg. Jameson, 42, said the message several speakers conveyed - that abstinence education was more effective than promoting contracep tive use - was one he hoped more schools would incorporate. Jameson said premarital sex has gotten more dangerous in the last 30 years. He said 20 or 30 years ago, only two STDs - gonorrhea and syphilis -were common. He said that number has jumped to 29. Stan Weed, president and co founder of the Institute for Research and Evaluation in Salt Lake City, laid out a step-by-step process com munities could use to implement programs to deal with teen pregnan cy and infection of sexually trans mitted diseases among teens. Although Jameson said the step by-step plan was helpful, he benefit ed more from the information about STDs and dealing with teen preg nancy. “If you are starting from the ground up, there’s some good ideas there,” Jameson said. Jameson’s daughter, Tabitha, a junior at Stromsbuig High School, attended the conference with her dad. Jameson said he would take the conference information back to the Polk County Health Department and also share it with the school sys tem. Conference organizers encour aged all attendees to take the infor mation back to their communities and come back for another confer ence in Norfolk in March. The conference was co-spon sored by the state’s Abstinence Education Committee, which is funded by a five-year federal grant, and groups such as the Nebraska Medical Association. www.dailyneb.com