ARE YOU BECOMING AN INTERNET ADDICT?

• Position: Brief Article

Make way for another 12-step program. Call it Internet Addicts Anonymous. Does that sound ridiculous? Maybe not. According to the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource, a recent study has shown a strong connection between compulsive computer use and mood, personality, and substance abuse disorders.

Other studies have shown that hard-core Internet users can spend as much as 30 hours a week or more surfing the Web, sometimes endangering personal relationships, jobs, and financial security to get a fix. Research in this area is sparse, but some data show that lonely middle-aged women are among those most affected.

There is no standard definition of Internet addiction, but it is generally described as excessive computer use that takes up too much time and causes the user distress. One psychologist who studies the subject created the following list of symptoms. You could be a dependent Internet user if you meet four or more of these criteria over a 12-month period:

* Feel preoccupied with the Internet

* Need to use the Net for increasing amounts of time to achieve satisfaction

* Are unable to control Internet use

* Feel restless or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use

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