Internet addiction as a mental illness
While unlikely that this will end up in the DSM-IV anytime soon, the idea of internet addiction as a mental illness is nothing new. The question is, is this really a mental illness or the standard compulsive issue that people deal with. Or is it more of a necessity in today’s way of working than an actual mental illness. It all depends on your take on this one.
Like other addicts, users experience cravings, urges, withdrawal and tolerance, requiring more and better equipment and software, or more and more hours online, according to Dr. Jerald Block, a psychiatrist at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. Dr. Block says people can lose all track of time or neglect “basic drives,” like eating or sleeping. Relapse rates are high, he writes, and some people may need psychoactive medications or hospitalization. Source: Canada.com
What is funny is that Techcrunch states “Block’s definition is rather broad, but taken on face value would probably mean that most working in the Valley have a mental disorder.” Odds are highly likely that anyone working in the Seattle Tech Startup community can pretty much so claim the same thing. People who make their living off the internet, live on the internet, communicate on the internet and have the internet as a life style are all probably classifiable as having a mental illness.
There is some seriousness amongst the humor, because for some people it really is a life style. For some it is job security, in all though, there are people who will abuse anything, regardless of what it is. From alcohol to sex to food, we always find a way to abuse anything, regardless. It is no surprise that we are looking at the internet in the same way, just one more route to remove ourselves from society, or one more way of interacting with society.
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment