Cyberpsychiatry is a new approach to understanding the impact of digital information space on the mental health of individuals and society. Report № 1
https://doi.org/10.31363/2313-7053-2025-1-984
Abstract
The article analyzes the influence of the factor of total network digitalization on the psyche of an individual and on the mental health of society as a whole. Today, two main concepts have been proposed: the concept of dependence on digital technologies and the concept of their excessive use. However, none of them provides a clear interpretation of the etiopathogenesis of disorders observed when using digital devices. The lack of a consensus approach among world psychiatry to the problem of the impact of the Internet on human mental health entails a number of negative socio-medical consequences. The article, based on a detailed analysis, shows that the Internet has a number of institutional properties that increase the anxiety and neuroticism of people immersed in the virtual reality of the Network. Among others, the phenomenon of depersonalization effect generated by the Network is considered. The problem of information business as a factor of increased social neuroticism is also touched upon. The complex of stress factors created by the Internet and negatively affecting public mental health is assessed as constant anomie, which is a consequence of information chaos generated by the post-information era and which has become especially socio-psychologically virulent in the «network era».
About the Authors
N. G. Neznanov
V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Nikolay G. Neznanov
Saint-Petersburg
A. P. Kotsyubinsky
V.M. Bekhterev National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Aleksandr P. Kotsyubinsky
Saint-Petersburg
D. A. Kotsyubinsky
Independent not-for-profit educational organization of higher education “European University at St. Petersburg”
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Daniil A. Kotsyubinsky
Saint-Petersburg
References
1. Alekseeva M.I., Bolotova L.D., Vartanova E.L. Sredstva massovoj informacii Rossii: ucheb. posobie dlya studentov vuzov. Pod red. Zasurskogo Ya.N. M.: Aspekt-Press, 2014. (In Russ.).
2. Asmolov AG, Tsvetkova NA, Tsvetkov AV. Psychological model of personality Internet addiction. Mir psikhologii. 2004;1:179–193. (In Russ.).
3. Baranov NA. Online political mobilization in modern megacities in the context of «digital totalitarianism». Bol’shaya Evraziya: razvitie, bezopasnost’, sotrudnichestvo. 2021;(4–1):687–689. (In Russ.).
4. Bauman Z. Tekuchaya sovremennost’. SPb: Piter, 2008. (In Russ.).
5. Berezkina O., Obozov N., Harris R. Psihologiya massovyh kommunikacij. M.: Prajm-Evroznak. 2016. (In Russ.).
6. Bodrijyar Zh. Simulyakry i simulyacii; per. O.A. Pechenkinoj. Tula: OOO «Tul’skij poligrafist». 2013. (In Russ.).
7. Verbenko VA, Dvirsky AA, Soldatenko AA. Ethnocultural features of diagnosis and therapy of mental and behavioral disorders (review). Tavricheskii zhurnal psikhiatrii. 2016;20(4-77):19–29. (In Russ.).
8. Vid VD. Psikhoterapiya shizofrenii. 3-e izd. SPb: Piter, 2008. (In Russ.).
9. Dzyaloshinskij I.M. Rossijskie media: problemy vrazhdy, agressii, nasiliya: uchebnoe posobie. Saratov: Aj Pi Er Media, 2019. (In Russ.).
10. Dmitrieva T.B., Polozhij B.S. Etnokul’tural’naya psihiatriya. M.: Medicina, 2003. (In Russ.).
11. Dyurkgejm E. O razdelenii obshchestvennogo truda. Metod sociologii; per. s fr. A.B. Gofman. M.: Nauka, 1991. (In Russ.).
12. Zaslavskaya A.A. Sredstva massovoj informacii i ih vliyanie na psihiku cheloveka—isteriya vokrug koronavirusa. Issledovaniya molodyh uchenyh: ma- terialy HIII Mezhdunar. nauch. konf. (g. Kazan’, oktyabr’ 2020 g.). Pod red. I.G. Ahmetova i dr. Kazan’: Molodoj uchenyj, 2020. (In Russ.).
13. Zlobin A. Deputaty predlozhili sozdat’ reestr infotsygan i vvesti ikh litsenzirovanie [forbes.ru]. Forbes; 2022 [published February 22 2022; cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://www.forbes.ru/biznes/456033-deputaty-predlozili-sozdat-reestr-infocygan-i-vvestiih-licenzirovanie. (In Russ.).
14. Ivanov VV, Malinetskii GG. The great challenges of the XXI century. Innovatsii. 2020;2(256):3–13. (In Russ.).
15. Ivanov M.S. Psikhologicheskie aspekty igrovoi komp’yuternoi zavisimosti na lichnost’ cheloveka, 1999 [flogiston.ru]. Flogiston; 2002. [published July 5 2002; cited June 11 2024]. Available: http://www.flogiston.ru/articles/netpsy/gameaddict2 (In Russ.).
16. Il’nitskii A.M. Mental’naya voina Rossii. Voennaya mysl’. V Minoborony zayavili, chto SSHA nachali protiv Rossii mental’nuyu voinu. RIA «NovostI». [ria.ru]. Ria; 2021; [Published March 25 2021; cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://ria.ru/20210325/ssha1602735487.html?ysclid=lupxi208dt886621667. (In Russ.).
17. Karpova K. Infotsygane—lyudi, kotorye prodayut informatsionnye produkty (gaidy, kursy, knigi), ne imeyushchie nikakoi prakticheskoi tsennosti. [secretmag.ru]. secretmag; 2021 [published November 10 2021, cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://secretmag.ru/enciklopediya/ktotakie-infocygane-obyasnyaem-prostymi-slovami.htm (In Russ.).
18. Кapralov VV, Chernyaykov MN. Interrelation of the concepts of «anti-state propaganda» and «information war». Voennaya mysl’. 2018;1:73. (In Russ.).
19. Kitai: tsifrovoi kontslager’ ili tsifrovoi sotsializm? Kitaeved Nikolai Vavilov o vozmozhnosti tsifrovizatsii s chelovecheskim litsom. Biznes Online. [business-gazeta.ru]. business-gazeta; 2021 [published February 19 2021, cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://www.business-gazeta.ru/article/499887 (In Russ.).
20. Kolin KK. Global threats to the development of civilization in the XXI century. Strategicheskie prioritety. 2014;1:6–30. (In Russ.).
21. Kolosova T. Infotsygane: kto ehto i kak raspoznat’ psevdotrenerov po krasivoi zhizni [trends.rbc.ru]. trends.rbc; 2023. [cited June 11, 2024]. Available: https://trends.rbc.ru/trends/social/64ae5d079a794759d8f28a60?from=copy.
22. Konovalov AA, Bozhkova ED. The impact of the modern digital environment on mental health (review). Meditsinskii al’manakh. 2021;1(66):6–15. (In Russ.).
23. Kotsyubinskii A.P. Mnogomernaya (kholisticheskaya) diagnostika v psikhiatrii (biologicheskii, psikhologicheskii, sotsial’nyi i funktsional’nyi diagnoza). SPb: SpeTSLit, 2017. (In Russ.).
24. Kotsyubinsky AP, Kotsyubinsky DA. Mental health of society (part 1). Nezavisimyi psikhiatricheskii zhurnal. 2018;4:10–17. (In Russ.).
25. Kotsyubinskii D.A. «Novyi totalitarizm» XXI veka. Uidet li moda na bezopasnost› i zaprety, vernetsya li moda na svobodu i pravo? SPb: OOO «StratA». 2022. (In Russ.).
26. Kotsyubinskii D.A. Miru nuzhna smena modeli gruppovoi pervosortnosti. Gorod 812. 15.12.2022. [gorod-812.ru]. Gorod-812, 2022 [published December 15 2022, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://gorod-812.ru/miru-nuzhna-smena-modeli-gruppovoj-pervosortnosti (In Russ.).
27. Kotsyubinskii D.A. Osnova mira—kompromiss, a ne pobeda. [fontanka.ru]. Fontanka, 2022 [published December 28 2022, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://www.fontanka.ru/2022/12/28/71937290 (In Russ.).
28. Kotsyubinskii D.A. Pochemu Zapad ne govorit o mire? Gorod 812. [gorod-812.ru]. Gorod-812, 2023 [published June 3 2023, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://gorod-812.ru/pochemu-zapad-negovorit-o-mire (In Russ.).
29. Kochetkov NV. Socio-psychological aspects of addiction to online games and methods of its diagnosis. Sotsial’naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo. 2016:(7)3:148–163. (In Russ.).
30. Kochubei M.A., Makstenek M.I. Informatsionnye voiny i propaganda. Renessans tekhnologii? ANO «Tsentr mezhdistsiplinarnykh issledovanii im. S.P. Kurdyumova «Sretenskii klub». [spkurdyumov.ru]. spkurdyumov, 2018. [published August 30 2018, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://spkurdyumov.ru/economy/informacionnye-vojny-i-propaganda-renessanstexnologij (In Russ.).
31. Krainov A.L. Tsifrovoi totalitarizm kak sledstvie razvitiya informatsionnogo obshchestva. Filosofiya i kul’tura informatsionnogo obshchestva. Tezisy dokladov sed’moi mezhdunarodnoi nauchno-prakticheskoi konferentsii: v 2-kh chastyakh. SPb: SanktPeterburgskii gosudarstvennyi universitet aehrokosmicheskogo priborostroeniya. 2019. (In Russ.).
32. Kto takie infotsygane? AIF. [aif.ru]. aif, 2021 [published December 21 2021, cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://aif.ru/society/web/kto_takie_infocygane (In Russ.).
33. Luchkin D.A. Politicheskaya propaganda v informatsionnoi politike rossiiskogo gosudarstva: dis.—Moskovskii gosudarstvennyi universitet im. M.V. Lomonosova (MGU). 2005. (In Russ.).
34. Maksimov A.A. Lichnostnye osobennosti lyudei s komp’yuterno-igrovoi zavisimost’yu: dis. … kand. psikhol. nauk. M., 2009. (In Russ.).
35. Maslov A.A. Kak Kitai postroil tsifrovoi totalitarizm i pochemu ego ne budet v Rossii. Vysshaya shkola ehkonomiki. Natsional’nyi issledovatel’skii universitet. [hse.ru]. Hse, 2020 [published April 14 2020, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://www.hse.ru/news/expertise/357514874.html (In Russ.).
36. Napso MD. E. Durkheim’s theory of anomie and modernity. Sotsiodinamika. 2017;2:22–30. (In Russ.).
37. Neznanov NG, Kotsyubinsky AP, Kotsyubinsky DA. The crisis of natural science and humanitarian approaches in psychiatry. Obozrenie psikhiatrii i meditsinskoi psikhologii im. V.M. Bekhtereva. 2019;1:8–15. (In Russ.).
38. Neznanov NG, Kotsyubinsky AP, Kotsyubinsky DA. The Internet factor in the context of prevention and treatment of Covid-19. To the problem statement. Obozrenie psikhiatrii i meditsinskoi psikhologii im. V.M. Bekhtereva. 2023;57(1):23–37. http://doi/org/10.31363/2313-7053-2023-661. (In Russ.).
39. Oblaukhova AV. The impact of social networks on human mental health. Molodoi uchenyi. 2019;23:192–194. (In Russ.).
40. Panchenko AA. A computer named the Beast: eschatology and conspiracy theory in modern religious cultures. Antropologicheskii forum. 2015;27:122–141. (In Russ.).
41. Polittekhnolog Krasulin pozhalovalsya na «Rossiiskuyu gazetu» iz-za termina «infotsygane». Novye Izvestiya. [newizv.ru]. Newizv; 2023 [published April 10 2023, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://newizv.ru/news/2023-04-30/polittehnolog-krasulin-pozhalovalsya-na-rossiyskuyu-gazetu-iz-za-termina-infotsygane-405887 (In Russ.).
42. Popov VS. Superstitions in the modern social environment (on the example of the Internet). Analitika kul’turologii. 2011;2 (20):217–219. (In Russ.).
43. Popova NN. The realization of human rights in the focus of threats to the ideas of «digital totalitarianism»: discourse analysis in the context of the transformation of legal consciousness. Vestnik Moskovskogo gosudarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta. Seriya: Yurisprudentsiya. 2021;1:25–37. (In Russ.).
44. Rybaltovich D.G. Psikhologicheskie osobennosti pol’zovatelei onlain-igr s razlichnoi stepen’yu igrovoi addiktsii: dis.—Vserossiiskii tsentr ehkstrennoi i radiatsionnoi meditsiny im. AM Nikiforova MChS Rossii, 2012. (In Russ.).
45. Rybaltovich DG, Zaitsev VV. Internet addiction: a real pathology or a norm for the development of information humanity? Vestnik psikhoterapii. 2011;40:23–34. (In Russ.).
46. Sayapin VO. Network society as a matrix of the modern structure of social virtuality. Historical, philosophical, political and legal sciences, cultural studies and art criticism. Voprosy teorii i praktiki. 2016;1(63):141. (In Russ.).
47. Strigin A. Blogerov i infotsygan vyvedut v pravovoe pole. Rossiiskaya gazeta. [rg.ru]. Rg; 2024 [published March 5, 2024, cited June 11, 2024]. Available: https://rg.ru/2024/03/05/reg-szfo/blogerov-i-infocygan-vyvedut-v-pravovoe-pole.html (In Russ.).
48. «Takogo razgula moshennichestva v Rossii ne bylo nikogdA»: nachalsya razgrom biznesa blogerovinfotsygan [ntv.ru]. Ntv; 2023 [published April 1 2023, cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://www.ntv.ru/novosti/2755658/ (In Russ.).
49. Toneva DS. Challenges of the 21st century and the information age. Trud i sotsial’nye otnosheniya. 2020;(31)5:53–63. (In Russ.).
50. Freid A. Psikhologiya «Yа» i zashchitnye mekhanizmy: per. s angl. M: Pedagogika-Press, 1993. (In Russ.).
51. Khantington S.F. Stolknovenie tsivilizatsii. Per. s angl. Yu. Novikova. SPb.: AST, 2003. (In Russ.).
52. Khokhlov AA. Conspiracy theories as a phenomenon of media influence on public consciousness. Vestnik RGGU. Seriya «Filosofiya. Sotsiologiya. Iskussstvovedenie. 2020;1:96–104. (In Russ.).
53. Yang KS. Diagnosis—Internet addiction. Mir Internet. 2016;2:24–29. (In Russ.).
54. Addictive behaviours: gaming disorder. World Health Organization. [who.int]. who, 2018 [cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-adetail/gaming-disorder
55. Andreassen CS. Online social network site addiction: a comprehensive review. Current Addiction Reports. 2015;2(2):175–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40429–015–0056–9.
56. Baudrillard J. Simulacres et simulation. Paris: Editions Galilee, 1981.
57. Bauman Z. Liquid Modernity. Cambridge, UK; Malden, MA, USA: Polity Press, 2000.
58. Beneduce R. Etnopsichiatria. Sofferenza mentale e alterità fra Storia, dominio e cultura.—Rome: Carocci. 2007.
59. Billari F, Giuntella O, Stella L. Broadband internet, digital temptations, and sleep. Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. 2018;153:58–76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.07.001.
60. Caracci G, Mezzich JE. Culture and urban mental health. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2001;24(3):581–93.
61. Challenges of the 21st century: Can we conquer them? We Are Restless. [wearerestless.org]. Wearerestless, 2021 [published 11 May 2021, cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://wearerestless.org/2021/05/11/challenges-of-the-21st-century
62. Christakis DA. Internet addiction: a 21st century epidemic? BMC Medicine. 2011;8:61. https://doi.org/10.1186/1741–7015–8–61.
63. Durkheim E. De !а division du travail social: etude sur l’organisation des societes superieures. Paris: Alcan. 1893.
64. Ellis DA. Are smartphones really that bad? Improving the psychological measurement of technology-related behaviors. Computers in Human Behavior. 2019;97:60–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.03.006.
65. Fowler G. Meeting The Challenges Of The 21st Century With Technology. Forbes. 11.10.2021. [forbes. com]. Forbes; 2021 [published October 11 2021, cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinessdevelopmentcouncil/2021/10/11/meeting-the-challenges-of-the-21st-century-withtechnology/?sh=5b570348394e
66. Grant JE, Chamberlain SR. Expanding the definition of addiction: DSM-5 vs. ICD-11. CNS Spectrums. 2016;21(4):300–303. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1092852916000183.
67. Griffiths MD, Kuss DJ, Billieux J, Pontes HM. The evolution of Internet addiction: a global perspective. Addictive Behaviors. 2016;53:193–195.
68. Griffiths M.D. Adolescent gambling. L., N.Y.: Routledge. 1995.
69. Griffiths MD et al. Working towards an international consensus on criteria for assessing Internet gaming disorder: A critical commentary on Petry et al. (2014). Addiction (Abingdon, England). 2016;111(1):167–175. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.13057
70. Griffiths M, Meredith A. Videogame addiction and its treatment. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy. 2009;39(4):47–53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-009-9118-4
71. Halili N. Global challenges in the XXI century. Prishtinë: Lena, 2024.
72. Holland G, Tiggemann M. A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body Image. 2016;17:100–110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.008
73. Hsin CT, Li MC, Tsai CC. The influence of young children’s use of technology on their learning: a review. Educational Technology & Society. 2014;17(4):85–99.
74. Kleinman AM. Depression, somatization and the «new cross-cultural psychiatry». Social Science & Medicine. 1977;11(1):3–10.
75. Kuss DJ, Griffiths MD. Online social networking and addiction—a review of the psychological literature. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2011;8(9):3528–3552. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8093528
76. Lézé S. Anthropology of mental illness. Andrew Scull (ed.). Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness. A-to-Z Guide. SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014.
77. McCrae N, Gettings S, Purssell E. Social Media and Depressive Symptoms in Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review. Adolescent Research Review. 2017;2(4):315–330. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40894-017-0053-4
78. Montgomery D. Children & Young People’s Mental Health in the Digital Age Shaping the Future. [readkong.com]. Readkong; 2017 [cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://www.readkong.com/page/children-young-people-s-mental-health-in-the-digitalage-8880731
79. Musetti A, Corsano P. The Internet is not a tool: reappraising the model for internet-addiction disorder based on the constraints and opportunities of the digital environment. Frontiers in Psychology. 2018;9:558. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00558
80. OECD activities at the 2018 World Government Summit Children & Young People’s Mental Health in the Digital Age by the OECD in 2018. Istanbul Education Summit. [istanbuleducationsummit. com]. Istanbuleducationsummit; 2018 [cited June 12 2024]. Available: https://www.istanbuleducationsummit.com/post/children-young-people-s-mental-healthin-the-digital-age-by-the-oecd-in-2018?lang=en
81. Petry NM, Rehbein F, Gentile DA, Lemmens JS, Rumpf HJ, Mößle T. An international consensus for assessing Internet gaming disorder using the new DSM-5 approach. Addiction. 2014;109(9):1399–1406. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.12457.
82. Ryding FC, Kaye LK. “Internet addiction”: a conceptual minefield. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. 2018;16(1):225–232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469–017–9811–6.
83. Sharma MK, Palanichamy TS. Psychosocial inter- ventions for technological addictions. Indian Jour- nal of Psychiatry. 2018;60(4):541–545.
84. Transcultural Psychiatry. SAGE Journals. [Journals.sagepub.com]. Journals.sagepub [cited June 11 2024]. Available: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/tps/
85. Weber M. Geistige arbeit als beruf. München und Leipzig: Verlag von Duncker & Humblot, 1919.
86. Young KS. Caught in the net: How to recognize the signs of internet addiction-and a winning strategy for recovery. John Wiley & Sons, 1998.
Review
For citations:
Neznanov N.G., Kotsyubinsky A.P., Kotsyubinsky D.A. Cyberpsychiatry is a new approach to understanding the impact of digital information space on the mental health of individuals and society. Report № 1. V.M. BEKHTEREV REVIEW OF PSYCHIATRY AND MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGY. 2025;59(1):18-30. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31363/2313-7053-2025-1-984
Views:
1889
Email this article 