Caught In The "NET"

The clinical definition of "Internet Addiction" is:

"an online-related compulsive behavior that interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones and work".

According to Kimberly Young, director of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery and author of “Caught in the Net” it's a global problem affecting 15-30 million Americans.

The main types of Internet addictions are cybersex, online affairs, online gambling, online gaming, compulsive surfing and even eBay addiction. Where is blogging? I was sure blogging would be in there somewhere, maybe even before online affairs?

At the Center addicted clients from college age to early adulthood who spend 14 to 18 hours a day online, are in therapy to deal with the complexity of the problem.

Young notes: “A lot of people can use the Internet, like alcohol, and not be addicted, but when they lose the control, [then] it becomes an issue."

As far as treatment goes there are no "real drugs for this yet,” she said.

The estimated recovery time varies (depending on speed of your connection, and available software).