Internet addiction is a 'clinical disorder' .

Obsessive internet use is a public health problem which is so serious it
should be officially recognised as a clinical disorder, according to a
leading psychiatrist.








REUTERS

British psychiatrists have previously reported that between five and 10 per cent of online users are internet addicts



Sufferers spend unhealthy amounts of time playing online games, viewing
pornography or emailing.

They suffer four symptoms: They forget to eat and sleep; they need more
advanced technology or more hours online as they develop 'resistance' to the
pleasure given by their current system; if they are deprived of their
computer, they experience genuine withdrawal symptoms; And in common with
other addictions, the victims also begin to have more arguments, to suffer
fatigue, to get lower marks in tests and to feel isolated from society. Early research into the subject found highly educated, socially awkward men
were the most likely sufferers but more recent work suggests it is now more
of a problem for middle-aged women who are spending hours at home on their
computers.

Psychiatrist Dr Jerald Block said some sufferers were so addicted to the
internet that they required medication or even hospital treatment to curb
the time they spent on the web.

He said: "The relationship is with the computer. It becomes a significant
other to them. They exhaust emotions that they could experience in the real
world on the computer through any number of mechanisms: emailing, gaming,
porn."

He added: "It's much more acceptable for kids to talk about game use,
whereas adults keep it a secret. Rather than having sex, or arguing with
their wife or husband, or feeding their children, these adults are playing
games."

Dr Block, of the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, in the USA,
first made the claims in an editorial for the American Journal of
Psychiatry.

British psychiatrists have previously reported that between five and 10 per
cent of online users are internet addicts.


A bit worrying are you an addict ?

nah have cut down my excessive use of surfing the net.