Internet Addiction Disorder

Internet addiction is a relatively new clinical disorder that is inconsistently recognized as an official addiction. It can be considered similar to gambling, where a person is addicted to an act rather than a thing. People with Internet addiction disorder spend a lot of time online--enough that it interferes with their daily lives. They may spend their days obsessively checking email, playing online games or browsing social network sites. This addiction is increasingly gaining attention. And as a result of more addicts being discovered, more people are taking Internet addiction seriously even if it's not officially recognized as a disorder.

The Basics

Internet addiction disorder is a disorder that's considered to be a "process addiction." People with this disorder are addicted to an activity--in this case surfing the Internet--not a substance such as alcohol or drugs. They experience symptoms of tolerance and withdrawal as with any other addiction.

Identification

People with Internet addictions spend a lot of time online, to the point that it interferes with their daily life. The amount of time spent online is not necessarily indicative of a disorder. What's important is the extent to which spending time on the Internet negatively affects a person's normal life. People with Internet addiction disorder may give up their social lives, work lives and slack on personal hygiene. They may experience excessive fatigue, apathy and racing thoughts and may seem irritable and angry when not online. They may lie about how much time they spend online.

Significance

In 2008, China became the first country to recognize Internet addiction as a clinical disorder. As of 2009, Internet disorder is not recognized as a disorder in the U.S. However, some organizations consider it to be. The American Psychological Association (AMA) formally recognizes Internet addiction as a disorder.

Theories/Speculation

No one is sure what causes an Internet addiction. One theory is that people don't become addicted to the Internet itself--they use the Internet as a vehicle for their real addictions, such as gambling or sex. Another theory is that people become addicted because they feel a "rush" when going online. This rush is repeatedly reinforced, perhaps by meeting someone new in a chat room, and they keep logging on for more. People with addictive personalities or who are socially awkward and isolated may be more prone to Internet addiction.

Prevention/Solution

Just as with other disorders, the first step in recovery is realizing you have a problem. There are many Internet addiction support groups that offer peer-to-peer counseling for addicts. People with disorders must identify patterns of misuse, identify underlying problems and work to create ways to manage their dependence on the Internet.

References

• Center for Internet Addiction Recovery