节目资讯
刊物:生活知识家
日期:2010-06-18
难易度:High
关键字:addiction, fast, retail, stimulate, rehab, dopamin
(Music).
Welcome back, everyone.
We can define an addiction as a dependence or behavior that a person is
powerless to stop.
Some researchers divide addictions into two groups.
The first is called substance addiction.
Alcohol, drugs or cigarettes fall into this category.
The second group is called process addiction, which includes things like
gambling, eating and shopping.
Today we’re going to add one more to that process addiction list, logging on to
the Internet.
Now, let’s get back and find out how our Internet addicted friend, Alexander, is
doing on line 15.
(Music).
Internet Addiction.
During his 45-day fast from the Internet,
Alexander spent most of his time exercising and learning real-world skills such
as cooking and camping.
Online gamers, however, aren’t the only people who can develop an Internet
addiction.
People who spend time gambling online, visiting social websites or even using
online retail sites can all develop addictions.
The reason is because each of these online activities stimulates a part of the
brain that releases dopamine.
This chemical, which produces pleasant feelings, is linked not only to Internet
addiction but also to other types of non-Internet addictions.
Welcome back.
Today we are learning about people who have an addiction to the Internet.
And one such person is Ben Alexander,
who spent so much time on the computer playing computer games that he flunked
out of school and checked himself into a rehab center.
Now, during his 45-day fast from the Internet,
Alexander spent most of his time exercising and learning real-world skills like
cooking and camping.
Now, Chip, I see here that we’re talking about a ”45-day fast”.
I’m used to the word ”fast,” uh, meaning the opposite of slow, very quick.
Right. To do something quickly.
Yeah. Well, here ”fast” is actually a noun.
And it’s talking about a period of time when a person will give up or avoid
doing something that brings them pleasure.
So we might say that he was ”abstaining” from the Internet.
And this time period that he was abstaining from using the Internet or not uh,
not using it, avoiding using the Internet was his ”45-day fast”.
Now that would be very hard for a person who has an addiction.
And if you are addicted to something, you want to do that thing every single
day.
And so going 45 days without using the Internet, I’m certain it was a very
difficult time for Ben Alexander.
Now, online gamers, however, aren’t the only people who can develop an Internet
addiction.
In fact, people who spend time gambling online or even visiting social websites
or even using online retail sites can all develop addictions.
Now, Chip, those are a lot of different types of people who use the Internet.
Right. There’re... and obviously I think we already know that there’re so many
reasons and so many different ways to use the Internet.
I... I use the Internet to do shopping uh, often.
And so if I do try to shop online, then I might use a retail site.
A retail site or, uh, that word ”retail,” means that it’s having something to do
with the sale of products.
So a retail store, for example, might be a clothing store.
And I, too, use retail stores online to buy many things.
Uh, but people can become addicted to this.
Now, the reason that there are so many different ways to have an addiction to
the Internet,
is because each of these online activities stimulates a part of the brain that
releases dopamine.
Now that word ”stimulates,” it means to cause part of the body to operate.
And we’re talking about the brain operating here.
This, this usage of the computer, this being on the Internet stimulates or
causes your brain to kind of wake up.
And when it does that, it releases something called ”dopamine”.
OK. So it, it releases dopamine.
Your brain is stimulated and therefore it releases dopamine.
And ”dopamine” actually is explained in our next sentence.
It says this chemical produces pleasant feelings.
So dopamine is the chemical in your body released by your brain that produces
pleasant feelings.
So, Chelsea, if I’m in a good mood or if I’m feeling very good,
then perhaps that’s because of the chemical, dopamine.
Right. Your brain is producing that.
Now let me point out that you do not have to have an addiction in order to have
your brain release dopamine.
This is a very normal activity and as it says, dopamine does create pleasant
feelings in us.
And so it’s not just addictions that cause your brain to do this, but many
different situations in life.
But as we see here, addictions are one way for this chemical to be released in
your brain.
And that, of course, is why people continue to go back to their addictions
because it creates pleasant feelings that makes them feel good.
And that makes it all the harder to break an addiction.
So dopamine and the release of dopamine to make you feel better is linked or
it’s connected not only to Internet addiction,
but also to other types of non-Internet addictions.
So basically, any kind of addiction, I would imagine, has some kind of chemical
uh, connection with chemicals in your brain.
Again, and that’s why it’s so hard to break an addiction.
Now you can see a picture of Ben Alexander on page 36 of your magazine.
And he’s helping put up an exercise bar.
He’s taking his mind off of this addiction during his 45-day fast.
That’s all the time we have for today.
But before we leave, let’s watch today’s skit.
What are you going on the computer? You should be in school.
Oh, I don’t go to school anymore.
I’ve flunked out.
You’ve flunked out of college?! What happened?
Well, I got too busy.
Busy online?
Yes! I love my computer.
You are addicted.
No, I’m not.
It’s just... hard to log off, that’s all.
You are addicted.
You need to reSTART.
Restart? No...
Yes. ReSTART means rehab.
You need a 45-day fast from the Internet.
45 days?
That’s impossible. I can’t!
Yes, you can. Come on, let’s go outside and exercise.
Oh, can I take my computer?
No! You need real-world skills like cooking and camping.
Oh, I can learn those skills on the Internet.
It stimulates my brain.
It releases dopamine.
It’s such a pleasant feeling.
I know.
It’s the feeling of addiction!
Oh, but I’m not an online gamer and I don’t gamble online.
But you visit social websites.
Well, yes.
And you shop at online retail sites.
Oh, yeah. 16 hours a day.
You... are addicted!
Oh, shh... I have a message.
Hi, everyone. I’m Michelle.
(Chinese).
And that’s all for today’s Language Tips.
Make sure you come back tomorrow for more.
Thank you again, Michelle. We always appreciate those helpful tips.
So, today we’ve looked into why people become addicted to the Internet.
Tomorrow we hope to bring some more clarity to this topic by asking the
question:
How can you know if you or someone you know is an Internet addict?
Also, is addiction determined solely by the amount of time you surf the
Internet,
or are there other things that we need to consider?
We’ll look at some signs of addiction tomorrow.
Until then, friends, keep up the good work.
Speak a little English and have a great day.
Bye-bye.
(Music).