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Is Internet Addiction Real?

The term, Internet Addiction, started out it’s life as a bit of a joke created by one Ivan Goldberg, M.D to parody and compile all the other compulsions and addictions out there.  However, other scientists and researchers have picked up on it in recent years and are starting to take a closer look.  Some of them believe it’s possible to become an Netaholic. As of current there aren’t many Mental Health Services designed specifically for dealing with an addiction to the internet.  There are more researchers performing studies on the potential problem.

Ivan Goldberg, the originator of the disorder, said in 1996 Wired Article:

‘There’s no such thing as Internet addiction. The Internet is about as addictive as work: Sure, there are workaholics, but they’re simply working to avoid the other problems in their lives.’

It is possible that those who compulsively use the internet are really suffering from other conditions or under extreme stressers for which they should take advantage of their nearest Mental Health Services.  However, isn’t this about true for many other addictions too?  There is an addictive component, but plenty of addicts use their addictions as an escape from the problems they face in daily life. 

There may also be different kinds of internet addiction.  Two in particular that are getting noticed are MORPG Addictions and Compulsive use of Online Pornography.  MORPGs are multiple online player games that some people admit to playing for up to 10 to 12 hours a day.  So much so that it interferes with their daily lives.

An addiction usually hosts most if not all of these criteria, so if you think you meet several of the following you should probably seek out the help of your nearest Mental Health Services facility to reevaluate your daily activities. 

  • Salience: an activity or drug becomes the most important thing in your life.
  • Mood modification: you feel a high, or sense of tranquility while using.
  • Tolerance: you need to spend more and more time on your activity just to get the same effects. 
  • Relapse: when you fail in an attempt to stop using and end up going back to the activity.  Even if you try quitting multiple times.  
  • Withdrawal symptoms: feeling anxious, nervous and even sick when you stop using for an extended period of time.
  • Conflict: friends and family are having problems with your using and you may be having a moral conflict over your using as well.

    • (summarized from Griffiths, 1997)

    Here is a more tongue in cheek list of internet addiction qualities called, Is Webaholics Anonymous for You?  You can also find more on this at About Mental Health.

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    This entry was posted on Saturday, August 4th, 2007 at 2:24 am and is filed under Mental Health, Addictions, Mental Disorders. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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