Hi My Name is Dana and I'm an Internet Addict
According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, Internet Addiction merits inclusion into the DSM-V diagnoses reference. The variants of this addiction include the following components:
- Excessive use - often associated with a loss of sense of time or neglect of basic drives (err ok, so if I get up at 5 am and spend 8 hours coding, reading blogs, updating facebook, twitter and myspace and following email lists and forget to eat lunch, does that count?)
- Withdrawal - includes feelings of anger, tension and/or depression when the computer is inaccessible (inaccessible? when does this happen? with wi-fi, aircards, and my blackberry, who experiences withdrawal? I did get rather weirded out those 4 days on Sanibel Island when I was limited to the Blackberry for web access..)
- Tolerence - this includes the need for better computer equipment, more software, more hours of use etc (ok - so I Like the best, newest and fastest equipment. Ok, so I spend more on technology and gadgets than some households spend on food. Ok, so I get up a the crack of dawn so I can get webstuff done before I spend the day working on webstuff..)
- Negative Repercussions - loved ones argue with you regarding your time online, lying, poor achievement, social isolation and fatigue (I do catch a bit of flack from loved ones about my time online and complete lack of awareness of life around me when in the "zone". I don't LIE about my use though. I've yet to get around to learning Spanish, but manage to achieve most other things I want to achieve. Social isolation might be a factor, but hey with all the social networking online, it's not so bad *grin* ... OK, they did nail me on fatigue. I don't sleep enough.)
The article to which I've linked also mentions that internet addiction is very resistent to treatment, entails significant risks and has high relapse rates.. It also makes other comorbid disorders less responsive to therapy. Basically, if you have a compulsive personality and are prone to excessive/obsessive behavior, you're proverbially screwed.
There are already many recovery resources (online of course haha) aimed at this phenomenon - here are a few:
Can you imagine a 12 Step program for Internet addiction?
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