Internet Addiction?

Internet addiction is a term thrown around quite a bit by some people. Does it really exist? And, does it really matter?  To a large extent, not really.  Let's face it.  If behavior is really causing problems, then it do you really care if it is an "addiction" or not?  Will treatment be any different? 

This article at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/10/INGQMMQ3C01.DTL discusses this issue. I think the whole article is well worth reading.

The following paragraph is quite though provoking:

So, some Internet users exhibited some symptoms similar to those seen in recognized addictions. Many questions remain, including whether Internet abusers have another undiagnosed condition, such as chronic depression or social phobia, that is manifesting itself in unhealthy screen time. The Stanford researchers are designing as their next experiment face-to-face follow-up interviews -- an attempt to tease out the causes and effects of Internet use.

The issue of possible underlying causes is crucial. If any of these underlying issues exist, then you need to deal with that.  If you don't, you are not going to get very far in dealing with the internet problem.

As scary as the thought that such conditions may make a person more vulnerable to internet abuse, it should be a wake-up call. It's yet another reason to make sure that conditions like these are treated appropriately.  It's important to remember, that these underlying conditions also make people more vulnerable to other additions, so they shouldn't be ignored anyway.

The article goes on to point out that whether or not internet abuse is addiction, it is certainly possible that someone can develop an unhealthy obsession with the internet. And, they post a list of possible indicators:

Indicators that your Internet use may spin out of control, according to Stanford researchers:

• Do you find it hard to stay away from the Internet for several days at a time?

• Do you often stay online longer than you intended?

• Have you felt a need to cut back on Internet use?

• Do you try to conceal your Internet time from family, friends, employers?

• Do you go online as a way of escaping problems or soothing a bad mood?

• Have your relationships suffered because of excessive Internet use?

Just remember that this is not a diagnostic list. It is intended to highlight the possibility of problems.