The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction (CITA) serves as one of the world’s preeminent resources for neurobiological and psychological research into Internet and technology addiction, dependency, and abuse. Founded by renowned cyber psychologist Dr. David Greenfield, a pioneer concerning compulsive and addictive use who led the first large scale study of Internet use in 1999 with ABC News, CITA sets out to treat patients, train medical professionals on how to diagnosis and treat problematic tech use, and educate the public-at-large through talks, resource development, and appearing in a wide variety of major media outlets (CNN, NBC, CBS, Fox, Time, NPR).

The mission of the Center for Internet and Technology Addiction is to create a new normal concerning our relationship with technology. Instead of simply eschewing technology, CITA is dedicated to practical action-based solutions that recognize the value and potential with technology while also allowing people to plug back into life.

The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction has three major areas of focus: treatment, research, and education.

Treatment:

The Center for Internet and Technology Addiction receives patients from all across the United States. Dr. David Greenfield, known for a warm and approachable demeanor, has treated over a thousand patients struggling with issues regarding video games, pornography, and tech abuse/dependency. Outside of traditional treatment, CITA has established an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program where participants work on a one-to-one basis with Dr. David Greenfield to address their compulsive and addictive behaviors in an accelerated format.

Research:

CITA continues to be on the cutting edge with research since first entering the fray in the late 90s. Dr. Greenfield is widely credited with popularizing the variable ratio reinforcement schedule of Internet use and abuse and the dopamine/tech use connection. Research from CITA and Dr. Greenfield has been featured in U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, Newsweek, People, Time, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Economist, and numerous others.  Dr. Greenfield’s recent research and clinical work is focused on why digital technologies are abused, how we can achieve life-balance with digital technology, neurobiology of compulsive Internet use, and most recently on smartphone use and distracted driving. He is the author of numerous professional journal articles and book chapters on Internet, computer, and digital behavior.

Education:

Outside of private practice, Dr. Greenfield is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. His popular tech addiction class given to the psychiatric residents is the only one of its kind in the United States. Dr. David Greenfield and CITA are continuing to develop educational materials and curricula for primary and secondary students, and recently released the DVD:  “Raising Generation D: A Guide for Parents Raising Children in the Digital Age.”