Internet Addiction May Become Official "Disorder"
Internet addiction may actually be listed in the psychiatry "bible."
Are we all just a crazy bunch of wackos because we can't get enough of the Internet? Because all we want to do is sit behind the LCD screen and search for this or download that? Apparently a way of life, a means to acquire information and purchase goods across the globe, could be considered as an addiction if the American Psychiatric Association has its way.
According to Techdirt, the APA is actually considering to make internet addiction a permanent diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The condition is one of many changes proposed for the fifth installment (DSM-5)-- this will be the first update since 1994.
However many professionals are disturbed by the "label," fearing that it won't address the true nature of the addiction.
"Making 'Internet addiction' an official diagnostic category is just wrong on so many levels, including, I believe, making it more difficult to get the right kind of help to those who have actually become painfully stuck online," said Todd Essig, PH.D. of Psychology Today. "Many people are turning from life lived to life online and they need help, but real help for real problems, not newly-minted addictions. "
Large amounts of Internet time, ranging from surfing long hours to maddening stretches of MMOPRPG gaming, have been noted as signs of depression. The Internet is a distraction, taking the mind away from both mundane and underlying problems. As Techdirt points out, the technological addictions aren't addictions to these mediums, but rather serves as a pacifier to cope with deeper issues.
So what constitutes Internet addiction? That's a good question. As Captain Obvious would say, it's presumably when you've lost your family, your job, your home, and you're living on the street because you lived and breathed Internet.
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i go on the internet to find news and to play games but i read books and watch tv/video's more (although im usually online for about 8hours aday but i play my flute while logged in heck i just put it doen to read this article and am about to play again)
what a joke that is... im on the internet at work and i play mmo's usually around 30+ hours a week im gaming, but guess what i go out have drinks go to football games during the season go to conventions and lan parties. its a new way of life not an problem. i have dyslexia and without my computer i couldnt read very well. so these guys can just think what they want the overpriced psyc docs
Well, since it has been going on globally for 15 years or more on a massive scale, I'd say that qualifies as a "pre-existing condition", sorry you're not covered.
Labeling something a disorder so we can distribute medication instead of actually addressing the problem - that's how we Americans roll, baby!
MY router went nuts the other day and I was like "OK... I guess I'll do something else for a while." My wife was like "Fix this. I want to get on my forums."
Whoo now I need to figure out how to get on disability for my internet addiction. Make the goverment buy me a new high end computer to stop my suffering.
MY router went nuts the other day and I was like "OK... I guess I'll do something else for a while." My wife was like "Fix this. I want to get on my forums."
^That's a good one. Sounds like someone I know.
Heck, I don't know what else to do while being unemployed. Cheapest entertainment ever, that works 24/7! Just about every you can get WIFI now.
"many professionals are disturbed by the "label," fearing that it won't address the true nature of the addiction."
I have to agree. No telling what the real problem might be.
they`ve put the title wrong it should be MMORPG Addiction , since our current modern society is Internet and PC addicted, economy and most of the shit in our life wouldn`t function without internet connections, we get news on net, chat etc etc , total different than MMORPG addiction.
If they label this a disorder, my employer no longer has grounds to fire me for browsing the internet all day instead of working. I'm addicted, and its an officially recognized disorder, so there.
MY router went nuts the other day and I was like "OK... I guess I'll do something else for a while." My wife was like "Fix this. I want to get on my forums."
Apparently I unplugged my router from my modem (just ever so slightly), took me a couple days to figure out the problem. If my fiancee didn't have her Blackberry, I'm sure I would have gotten the third degree from her too.
The best comment above is the one about a "preexisting condition".
So since we are all commenting here does that mean we all have a "condition" and/or "disorder" now?
""the APA is actually considering to make internet addiction a permanent diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. ""
The Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders will be posted next month ONLINE!
If they do consider it a disorder... what is the prescribed medication? marijuana?
Anything is a disorder these days... All to benefit those who treat such "disorders". Anyone hear of restless leg syndrome, another crock.
I read tomshardware on the internet.
If that's an addiction, then reading newspapers, and watching the news is also an addiction!
And if they are, then perhaps we should get rid of our computers, newspapers, and televisions, and live back in a cave...
But then we might get addicted to watching the sunshine, or eating grains and corn...
I suppose one could say I am addicted to using the net... I play most of my games on a computer (wow being online) I read all my news online. Most of my social interactions for a given day are email related. sometimes I even order pizza online lol (Its nice to click on what you want then you know some kid didn't misunderstand you when you said extra cheese. My wife could care less if the net blew up but would die if you took away TV, I am the reverse lol
It's also when a friend blows of not one, but two other friends because wrath of the lich king came out. I refuse to play any kind of MMO, and the other guy even plays it but it wasn't that important to him.
Oh, one other thing. When who they're helping has some kind of insurance paying for the visits or whatever they have to pick something from the list in that book usually to list it with the insurance company. So sometimes they pick something in the book that just is closest...
I do believe it's actually a symptom, not the problem itself. Something else goes wrong, and the internet is your back up plan, it gets you away from "real life" and takes away worries like self image and such. This isn't the problem, it's a perfectly safe tool for people to use, its only a problem when it becomes your way out of everything else.
isn't "real life" anything you are currently doing in your life? i don;t get why people say being on the internet all the time means you have "no real life". that just means your "real life" is the internet. last time i checked there was no "fake life" one can choose to live. your either alive or dead, what you do while alive is your "real life"
Give me a F*$%ing break!
Seriously!
Oooo, Tom's hardware, you are an enabler here... tsk tsk. You are paying for my prescription!
isn't "real life" anything you are currently doing in your life? i don;t get why people say being on the internet all the time means you have "no real life". that just means your "real life" is the internet. last time i checked there was no "fake life" one can choose to live. your either alive or dead, what you do while alive is your "real life"
It's figuratively saying that your "life" consists of participating in a virtual world, you don't socially interact with people face to face or your lack the social skills to communicate in that way. Sadly too many people live virtually now, when real, TRUE interactions with people are what they need the most.
I think that people need other people, simply put. After all there are 6.7 Billion of us, there must be some reason for that eh? Now when your life consists of reading tech articles, or playing games all day, something needs to change. Real interactions with people, not flaming forum posts or l33t speak in a game, might do you a lot of good.
*sighs* I guess it should be in the book. =(
They might as well consider being a couch potato a disorder while their at it.
is there TV addiction and book addiction
Oooo, Tom's hardware, you are an enabler here... tsk tsk. You are paying for my prescription!
Yes, mine too.
A case of pizza pops and red bull, stat!
This is legit though.
MMORPG's are bad, mkay. Just like cocaine, some people can control it, some can't. Sadly, I couldn't. 16 hours a day 7 days a week anyone?
Thought I believe I am addicted, I believe it brings no harm to me. (Well, since I decided to never play a MMORPG again that is)
It's not legit anamaniac. Cocaine and thus type of drugs have a real physical addiction. And it's good to see some therapists don't agree with this, and actually want to get to the real issue that's causing you to make the internet your life.
Who's going to be the first to be sued?
Labeling something a disorder so we can distribute medication instead of actually addressing the problem - that's how we Americans roll, baby!
Meds FTW!!!