Internet Addicts As Ill As Alcoholics?

suntac writes to mention an article on New Scientist, reporting on a Stanford study of internet addiction. The study finds that the U.S. is 'rife' with internet addicts, who may be as addicted as alcoholics to their sweet sweet net connection. From the article: "Nearly 14% of respondents said they found it difficult to stay away from the internet for several days and 12% admitted that they often remain online longer than expected. More than 8% of those surveyed said they hid internet use from family, friends and employers, and the same percentage confessed to going online to flee from real-world problems. Approximately 6% also said their personal relationships had suffered as a result of excessive internet usage. 'Potential markers of problematic internet use are present in a sizeable portion of the population,' the researchers note." While obviously allowing relationships to suffer so you can surf eBay is a problem, where is the line between relying on the internet for news and information and addiction?

Comments

addicted?

[Anonymous Coward]

i sure hope i'm first post!

Re:addicted?

[__aaclcg7560]

First post is nothing. I rather wait a few months to get the last word in. :P

Where's the line?

[Cyclometh]

Somewhere a few miles behind me, I'd wager.

Re:Where's the line?

[Tackhead]

> Somewhere a few miles behind me, I'd wager.

This is Slashdot. We're so far beyond the line we couldn't find the line even with very long baseline interferometry.

Re:Where's the line?

[Anonymous Coward]

Would everybody quit adding new material so I can get back to work?

Re:Where's the line?

[dangitman]

It's those tube networks, Marge: they won't let me. One quality slashdot post after another, each one fresher and more brilliant than the last. If they only stumbled once, just gave us thirty minutes to ourselves, but they won't! They won't let me live!

Never seen before, apparently

[also-rr]

While obviously allowing relationships to suffer so you can surf eBay is a problem, where is the line between relying on the internet for news and information and addiction?

My grandfather attributes his 60 year long marriage to spending all evening when he got home from work (and in his retirement, all day) hiding behind a newspaper smoking a pipe.

At least these days your wife can IM you to grab your attention when it's time for dinner.... oh, hang on, it's time for dinner. Catch you all later!

Re:Never seen before, apparently

[dr_dank]

My grandfather attributes his 60 year long marriage to spending all evening when he got home from work (and in his retirement, all day) hiding behind a newspaper smoking a pipe.

Gramps neglected to tell you that wasn't tobacco in that pipe...

III?

[Cheapy]

Internet Addicts As 3 As Alcoholics?

Methinks I need a new font.

Re:III?

[voice_of_all_reason]

I thought it was a new movie coming out

Oh teh Noes!

[Aqua_boy17]

So what if you're an alcoholic and internet addicted? Does that mean you have like 12% less freinds? I'm not asking for myself personally, but I have this friend...

Re:Oh teh Noes!

[morgan_greywolf]

So what if you're an alcoholic and internet addicted? Does that mean you have like 12% less freinds? I'm not asking for myself personally, but I have this friend...

That's what Slashdot is for.

Re:Except that

[Anonymous Coward]

but you might put your own life in danger...

Re:"Comparable" my ass

[Jaysyn]

I don't know about you, but this damn internet is just ruining my liver!

Jaysyn

Re:And what percentage....

[another_fanboy]

Maybe the researchers are addicted to researching addictions. Someone should research the researchers' addictions to researching addictions.....

worse problems

[Quadraginta]

In a recent survey 100% of respondents said they felt they couldn't enjoy life without breathing at least some oxygen every day. Cheap and widely available, but dangerously chemically reactive, oxygen is a substance known to produce a pleasant feeling of euphoria in the brain and a sense of 'energy' in the body when inhaled. However, users experience severely unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when use is terminated.

Over 80% of survey respondents also reported a psychological and almost physical need to 'do' more of the substance when under stress. Nearly all respondents expressed great anger at and rejected any suggestion that they consider quitting or cutting back on their use, and some threatened to become physically violent if any attempt was made to reduce their access.

Re:"Comparable" my ass

[R2.0]

And it made me crash my car last week!

(As I reconsider my practice of checking email on my Treo at highway speeds...)

Re:"Comparable" my ass

[FacePlant]

Can we have your liver then?

Re:Addictive personality

[danpsmith]

Sure, if your girlfriend breaks up with you because of your internet use, you could be considered an adict.

Or maybe she's just a beotch who doesn't understand being l33t, hax0ring and quality pr0n.

Re:internet addict, or workaholic?

[thefirelane]

So if internet-related tasks are part of your job, what's the difference between being an "internet addict" and a workaholic?

What if you work at a brewery? If you drink constantly and can't stop are you an alcoholic or a workaholic?

I think I know the answer.

Re:I dunno, but..

[Anonymous Coward]

That was a fantastic misunderstanding, Captain Autistic.

Just Imagine

[fwr]

What if you're an Internet addicted alcoholic?

Re:First Post!

[mohjlir]

Isn't it interesting how this is modded `Redundant' rather than `Off topic', like there is some sort of acceptance for the first `first post' comment.

Re:only 6% ? let me just ask my friends

[WillAffleckUW]

only 6% said their personal relationships had suffered as a result of excessive internet usage? I am surprised it is not much, MUCH higher. I know it certainly is in my circle of friends and people I know.

I tried to ask all my friends, but when I emailed them and posted it on my web journal, they all said I'm not addicted to it.

What gets me is that out of 20 friends, only one of them didn't reply within 30 seconds to my email ... he must be in the bathroom.

Re:Television Addicts

[Dun Malg]

Could it be that people are addicted to inactivity itself?

All my attempt to declare myself a "leisure addict" have so far failed. The best diagnosis I've been able to get so far is "lazy".