March 20, 2008

• Do you check e-mail a lot? Do you constantly use your cellphone's text messaging? Do you spend hours upon hours of time on an online game? If you answer yes to all that, you might have a mental disorder. There is currently some news on trying to get internet addiction to be classified as a mental disorder. According to an "American Journal Of Psychiatry" article written by Dr. Jerald J Block, internet addiction is a common compulsive-impulsive disorder. It's the constant need to be connected with somebody that seems to be the problem. Does it sound a little much, classifying extensive internet use as a mental disorder? But then there have been people who have actually died because of such a problem.

  Kids and teens nowadays probably don't even remember a time when the internet wasn't as prevalent as it is today. It's just another part of life for them. Talking to friends through myspace or message boards. Text messaging somebody at a concert. Sending and receiving e-mail, more so than actually using mail through the post office. It's simply a luxury that can be so addicting. The gratification of being a little more important by socially connecting with people anonymously through the internet, probably feeds to the addiction.

  Even if internet addiction isn't classified as a mental disorder anytime soon, I have to admit that it is a concern that we all need to keep at the back of our thoughts. The next time you find yourself "needing" to check e-mail, just think about the possibility of that being a step to you having a mental disorder.

  - Kevin & Bean show discussion on Internet Addiction (audio)

  • 11:05 am
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