WASHINGTON – The Internet is where we spend more and more of our time. But for a growing number of people, it’s an out-of-control habit instead of a necessary part of life.

Internet addiction -- an online-related compulsive behavior that interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones and work -- is a psychological and behavioral problem that is spreading around the world, experts say.

Kimberly Young, clinical director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and author of the book “Caught in the Net,” said that about 5 percent to 10 percent of Americans --15 to 30 million people -- may suffer from Internet addiction. And the problem may be even greater elsewhere. Young said 18 to 30 percent of the populations of China, Korea and Taiwan, where the Internet is even more popular than in the U.S., may be addicted.

"I’ve seen a lot of growth in the field of Internet addiction,” said Young. “More research and studies (are) trying to understand it better. … It’s a global problem.”

The main types of Internet addiction are cybersex, online affairs, online gambling, online gaming, compulsive surfing and even eBay addiction, Young added.

An article by Dr. Jerald J. Block in the March issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry stated that “Internet addiction appears to be a common disorder.”

Centers specializing in Internet addiction have been created to offer treatment.

Coleen Moore, coordinator of resource development at the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, said she has clients from college age to early adulthood who spend 14 to 18 hours a day online.

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/washington/news.aspx?id=95681

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Kinda scary imo, I notice I am spending more time on the net.

It gets more scary if people say ' I have many friends and a gf...on the internet'....

Even worse when it's on an MMORPG!!!

This article could be copied and pasted 60 years later with the word "internet" replaced with "virtual reality," and it would still be about just as relevant. If people are really addicted to the internet, good for them. The internet is the best thing to ever happen to the world. Unlimited information that's as easy to get to as a few clicks.

I don't think I have an addiction... I don't know for sure...

Yeah, I think I may be getting addicted. Well, it's something I spend most of my free time on, and I often have to just check up on stuff when out and about, like VGC, to see what threads are there.

It's not too bad, I'll always come off if there's something going down, and I'll always accept an invitation out somewhere (though I'd rather be on the internet than organise something myself).

If I had a choice between gaming and the internet, the internet would win. A girl and the internet, depends on the girl. Simpsons or the internet? Well, the internet would have to fuck itself.

The problem is: Is it always reliable? Dun-dun-dun! But yeah, I agree with you. I feel like I'm always learning something new every day. I'm not to the point of ditching my friends for any online event too. I even skipped a lot of E3 stuff just to be together with them.

To me, the Internet is mostly a good support, especially for homework.

Thank god for that.

there's just more to do here haha. But I'm only on in my free time which changes with the seasons.