The addiction to cryptocurrencies, which has made a wide resonance in the world and made a name for itself in our country since the beginning of 2017, is gradually increasing. Crypto assets; It appears as a virtual currency that is tangible and invisible to the eye. Therefore, cryptocurrency is seen as a value that can be observed to rise easily and without any effort. Cryptocurrency arouses intense curiosity in people and addiction can develop in people who own this virtual currency.
Cryptocurrency addiction is an emerging concept. The main attraction of the cryptocurrency market is that it offers investors the opportunity to make serious profits with price fluctuations in a short period of time. Although it is known as an investment tool, the fact that people spend a lot of time on the phone and internet to follow cryptocurrency is defined as cryptocurrency addiction. In addition, the fact that cryptocurrency creates a hypnotic force on investors with the dream of earning easy profits and getting rich paves the way for addiction.
Symptoms of Cryptocurrency Addiction
This short period of time can sometimes be measured in minutes and even hours. A significant portion of cryptocurrency investors have the mindset that they will make significant gains in a short period of time through their investments. Especially the system known as the leverage system, which allows a person to take more risk, leads to addiction in a shorter time, so more caution should be exercised.
- Being heavily engaged in the price movements of cryptocurrencies
- Constantly sitting in front of a screen and studying the charts of cryptocurrencies
- Constantly looking at the latest status of investments at all times of the day or in short periods of time
- Insomnia
- Desire to experience more pleasure and excitement
- Isolation from social life
- Loss of interest in hobbies and social activities
- Intense anxiety and intolerance
- Indifferent behavior towards family and environment
- If large amounts of money started to be spent on trading money,
- Using money that is not one's own
- Wanting to quit virtual currency addiction but unable to do so
After a while, addicts realize the seriousness of the situation and reduce their cryptocurrency transactions, only to pick up where they left off after a while. If a person has many of the above symptoms, it is recommended to seek support from a specialist.
Who is more prone to virtual currency addiction?
Some research has been conducted on economic investments. In these studies, it has been observed that with the increase in investments, the dopamine hormone is triggered in the brains of people who invest. However, it has been determined that the dopamine hormone continues to increase even if the probability of the investment increasing is low or unpredictable. The dopamine hormone is the part directly related to reward, and with its secretion, the brain invites the person to seek pleasure. This is why dopamine is also involved in addictive substances or behaviors such as tobacco, drugs or gambling. Therefore, it should be taken into consideration that dopamine increases in people who use cryptocurrency and pushes the individual to become addicted. We can list the people who are prone to cryptocurrency addiction as follows;
- People who usually make quick decisions
- Those who act without fully considering the consequences of their decisions
- Impatient, excited and risk-takers
- More self-confident extroverted individuals with a high quest for innovation
- Individuals who frequently deal with the stock market, especially those who buy stocks daily or weekly
- Sports betting, people who make daily bets
It is observed that people who deal intensively with cryptocurrencies are young, educated men and most of them are at a certain income level. Therefore, this group is among the risk factors.
Treatment of Virtual Currency Addiction
Families of individuals who show interest in such investments should also pay attention. If the individual is unable to stop this addiction and financial losses are increasing, it is recommended to seek psychological help with the support of family members. Psychotherapy and medication support can also be provided if the specialist deems it necessary.
The addicted person should be kept away from virtual money applications. Apart from this, support can be given to develop other areas of endeavor, to acquire new hobbies and to engage in social activities. The contribution of the family and social environment contributes greatly to the treatment process.
