Nick Yee wrote an entry earlier in the week over at Terra Nova entitled, The Trouble with “Addiction” that nails a few points on the head about people’s tendencies to simplify the debate about intense online or gaming usage.

It all brings me back to 1999, and the advent of Communications Addiction Disorder (CAD):

There is a widespread problem that threatens to interfere with people’s everyday normal functioning in personal relations and social activities. Research makes clear that a significant portion of the student population exhibits this disorder, and anecdotal and statistical evidence points to a similar proportion in the general population. As is true with many other addictive-type disorders, it is often noticed first and found to be upsetting by one’s interactional partners. Moreover, for the growing numbers of people who are able to find social support, meaningful relationships, and entertainment through various Internet-related activities, this other behavior may at some point interfere with those online activities to an extent that it becomes a source of conflict and guilt. This syndrome, of course, is the incessant and seemingly uncontrollable tendency for some people to talk to one another, either one-on-one or in groups. It is suggested that we examine and classify a new syndrome, Communication Addiction Disorder. In the following, a case is presented outlining the evidence to suggest that such a disorder exists. Second, an overview follows of the negative uses to which talk is put and the deleterious effects that talk—even at moderate levels—may have on its users. Third, a general critique of some problems in diagnosing addictive or dependent behavior in the mediated and unmediated realms is outlined, arguing that five major problems must be addressed when considering addictive communication: a focus on media usage per se rather than the specific communication activities for which it is used; questionably appropriate diagnostics imported from non-comparable etiologies of addiction; the need to improve scaling and measurement strategies; and the presumption of superiority for one kind of communication over another. Finally, recommendations for future research are offered.

Lots of things in life are “addicting,” if you start throwing around terms that don’t mean much of anything any longer. Keep a journal of the amount of time you do the following activities in a given week:

• Watch TV
• Talk to friends
• Talk to your significant other
• Talk to family
• Conduct work
• Conduct a favorite hobby

You may be surprised to learn that, if you’re like the average American, you spend about the same amount of time online as you do watching television (14 hours/week). The TV’s been in our lives for nearly 5 decades. Where’s the TV Addiction Disorder?

Video games have been with us for over 3 decades now. Where’s the Video Game Addiction Disorder?

Some people — teens, for instance — spend nearly every waking moment communicating with friends (whether it be via IM, telephone, or face-to-face). Who are we to judge that one of these communication methods results in negative behaviors, when there’s no research out there actually comparing the three?

We have a long ways to go before understanding these issues. So in the meantime, let’s just leave Internet addiction at the door for the time being.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 8 Dec 2006
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.