Internet obsession is a clinical disorder, psychiatrist says

With one psychiatrist calling for official recognition of Internet overuse as a mental disorder, the addiction may be more common than it sounds. "It takes you away from normal life," said Youngstown State University sophomore Tara Schiller.

She has friends who constantly text, even while they are talking to her. Schiller said she thinks obsession with the Internet is a real problem.

Overuse of online communication, computer games and even text messaging can have negative real-world consequences, like social isolation or losing sense of time.

That's why Dr. Jerald Block of the Oregon Health and Science University says that American psychiatrists need to learn how to treat the disorder, which he prefers to call Pathological Compulsive Disorder.

"Addiction is a loaded word," he said.

Block wrote in an editorial to the American Psychiatric Association that excessive computer use is often associated with a loss of sense of time. Withdrawal can occur when a computer is unavailable, with feelings of anger, tension and depression .

Sophomore Graham Parr said he recognized some of these symptoms in himself. Parr said he will often "buy time" on the Internet by giving himself a few more minutes before focusing on other obligations such as homework, but these "few more minutes" eventually become longer than he wants them to be.

"I get tired and run out of time to study," Parr said.

Parr also recalled when his computer was down for a few days. He said he felt anxious, bored and depressed.

"It was horrible. You feel out of touch on everything that's going on," Parr said.

Block said Internet obsession can also lead to arguments, lying, poor achievement and fatigue.

It is difficult to determine how many people are affected, Block said, because most Americans have computers at home and many won't admit they have a problem and seek help.

Obsessive Internet porn use is typically the only problem that typically the only problem that sends people to treatment, since society doesn't look down on excessive gaming and chatting, Block said.

"People get in trouble when it is porn," he said.

Obsessive gaming in South Korea

Block said some of the most interesting research on fixation with the Internet has been published in South Korea, where he says Internet obsession has led to 10 cardiopulmonary deaths in Internet cafes and one game-related murder.

The problem is more public there. Visiting one Internet cafe for research, he saw about 30 kids completely immersed in the virtual world of Internet games.

"Not one person looked up while I was taking photographs," Block said, adding that South Korea considers Internet obsession among its most serious public health issues.

In his editorial, Block said that the South Korean government has estimated that around 210,000 South Korean children are Internet obsessed and require treatment. About 80 pecent of those needing treatment may require psychotropic medications, and around 20 percent need hospitalization.

Block also stated that despite cultural differences, American and Korean case descriptions are very similar. He said that as of June 2007, South Korea has trained over a thousand counselors and enlisted over 190 hospitals and treatment centers in order to deal with this disorder.

Learning to see the problem

Block has called for the American Psychiatric Association to officially recognize the disorder so that psychiatrists can learn to treat the problem.

Listing Internet obsession in its official handbook of mental illness, "The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," would be a step toward that training.

Block says that people-oriented psychiatrists may be behind on technology, so its hard for them to understand the world of gaming, where a unique set of rules for interaction come into play.

"Game playing may be so foreign to psychiatrists, it is almost like dealing with cross-culture society," Block said.