Summary:
This 559 word article takes a look at attempts by health experts to officially label Internet abuse as an addiction. Research from South Korea and China is discussed, as well as the responsibility of the individual to make good choices regarding their use of the web. This article is protected by Copyscape.

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Internet use has increased at an astronomical rate over the past decade. More and more of us are paying bills, shopping, booking flights and doing research online on a daily basis -- not to mention checking e-mail, playing games, chatting with friends on IM (instant messaging) or placing phone calls online via Skype or other services. But does all this online activity mean that we can actually become "addicted" to the Internet? Some mental health experts seem to think so.

The prestigious American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP) has published an article proposing that "Web Abuse" should be added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the mental health professions "bible" for the diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions and disorders. Psychiatrist Jerald J. Block wrote an editorial in the March issue of the AJP, outlining the case for including Internet addiction as a recognized psychological disorder.

Dr. Block quotes research published in South Korea, naming Internet addiction as one of that country´s fastest-growing public health concerns. South Korean health officials estimate that more than 200,000 Korean children are affected by Internet addiction, and an estimated 20% of those (40,000 children) may require hospitalization to be treated.

Chinese officials are also concerned about Internet addiction, particularly among teenagers, who may spend up to 12 hours straight in Internet cafés, playing online games, e-mailing and generally surfing the web. Chinese Ministry of Public Health statistics indicate that over 13% of Chinese teenagers are addicted to the Internet.

American children and adults tend to access the Internet from the privacy of their own homes, so it is much more difficult to gauge the extent of the problem in the U. S. Still, American health researchers are seeing an alarming trend toward obsessive Internet use, including cases of "virtual violence" and bullying, and teenagers experiencing what appear to be withdrawal symptoms when they are unable to access the Internet.

Technically, Dr. Block and his followers are suggesting that Internet addiction is a type of "compulsive-impulsive spectrum disorder," consisting of three subtype variations: online sexual preoccupation, obsessive e-mailing/text messaging, and excessive online gaming. Block is arguing that all three of these subtypes should be classified under a general diagnosis of "Internet Addiction" in the new version of the DSM-V.

Not all experts agree that internet addiction should be classified as a psychological "disorder," however. Catherine Gammon of Wired magazine took a skeptical look at the issue in a recent article and determined that the psychiatric community should "give a geek a break." Some doctors and psychiatrists seem to agree with her assessment. For example, it has been observed that virtually any activity can result in obsessive behavior and take on the qualities of an addiction. But do we really need to classify golfing, reading or mountain biking as addictions?

At some point, personal responsibility must be considered. A criticism many...(End of article sample -- Full article is 559 words)

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Written by: Jon Brighton
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Words: 559