Internet Addiction Disorder, commonly abbreviated as IAD, is a disorder that is not officially classified by medical science at present. I want to make that clear right up front.
However it may, if you can believe it, exist in the next edition of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) which will be published in May 2012. It is being debated whether or not to be listed there.
One who would suffer from IAD would exhibit the following four symptoms (source):
- Excessive use usually accompanied by a loss of the sense of time.
- Feeling withdrawal when not online.
- Tolerance (as in increased tolerance), feeling the need for better more powerful computer equipment to spend more time online.
- Negative repercussions, such as being more argumentative, feeling overly fatigued and exhibiting social isolation.
I’ve made mention of the site I’m about to link before, but yet again it rears its ugly head, www.wowdetox.com really drives home the fact that some people are truly addicted and need real help. And like it or not, most people point to gamers as the people who suffer from IAD (which once again I’ll mention is not officially classified as a disorder) the most.
My personal feeling on IAD is that yes, it will be classified as a real disorder at some point in the future. Will it be classified as such by 2012? Probably not, but then again it all depends on how many well-defined instances of serious mental health related issues – or death – are directly caused by excessive internet usage. And yes, there are instances of that unfortunately. And because internet addiction is so widely believed to be a true disorder, there’s even a center dedicated to helping people just for that.
My question to you is this: Do you personally believe IAD exists?
If the answer is yes, have you ever encountered anyone you think has it? Did they have the four symptoms mentioned above?
If the answer is no, do you believe it’s something that’s a result of a disorder or combination of disorders that already exist (a common argument against IAD)?
Before closing this out, I’m not trying to spread FUD. Not in the slightest. IAD is something that could very well be classified as a real disorder in the future.
What I want to know is if you think IAD exists.
Lastly, if it did exist, what would be the treatment? I have no idea other than my own personal recommendation, which would be: "Subject suffering from IAD is hereby ordered to get out of the house and see the sun once in a while. If subject fails to leave the house, administer a cold bucket of ice water over subject’s head, then run. Hopefully he or she will follow so you can get him or her get out of the house that way." It’s tough love, but it works. Or at least I think it would.
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