Digital Addictions: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Behavioral Addictions and Digital Media

This book critically examines digital media’s extensive impact on human behavior, psychology, and broader society. It delves into the intricacies of digital addictions, underscoring the imperative for a balanced digital existence today. Through an analysis of the psychological foundations and societal repercussions of internet and smartphone addiction, binge-watching, gaming disorders, and online gambling, the text emerges as a useful resource for navigating the challenges posed by digital technologies.

The significance of digital literacy and artificial intelligence’s influence on our digital media interactions is thoroughly examined, empowering readers with the tools needed for more adept digital navigation. The book also confronts pressing concerns such as cyberbullying and the necessity for parental guidance in digital media engagement, offering researched strategies to cultivate a safer online milieu.

Providing practical advice for individuals, families and educators, this volume aims at closing the gap between digital media engagement and mental health, promoting a more mindful technological usage. It sheds light on the perils of unrestrained digital media interaction while accentuating the opportunities for constructive involvement and the cultivation of essential digital competencies.

Digital Addictions: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Behavioral Addictions and Digital Media provides critical insights for a healthier, more enlightened approach to digital media engagement, and will be of interest to psychologists, educators, policymakers, and to a wide range of researchers and practitioners trying to help people find a better balance between digital media consumption and mental health.

André Luiz Monezi Andrade is a psychologist specializing in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and a professor in the Graduate Programs in Psychology and in Languages, Media and Art at Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Campinas (PUC-Campinas), Brazil. His academic path includes postdoctoral studies at PUC-Campinas and at Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil. His professional focus lies on psychological assessment, prevention and intervention, particularly in impulse disorders related to drug and digital media use, and he is dedicated to developing innovative psychometric tools for these areas. His international collaborations have included a significant role in the WHO’s eHealth Project on Alcohol and Health, working with researchers from Switzerland, India, Mexico, and Belarus. He is an active member of the Drugs and Society Working Group of the Brazilian National Association of Research and Graduate Studies in Psychology (ANPEPP) and a founding member of the Brazilian Network of Science and Education about Alcohol and other Drugs (REEDUCA-AD). In academic publishing, he contributes as an Associate Editor for the Brazilian journal ＂Estudos de Psicologia＂ (Campinas) and as a Handling Editor for journals like ＂International Journal of High-Risk Behaviors and Addiction＂ and ＂Frontiers＂ in Psychology, Public Health, and Education.