tself is not addictive, but that specific areas such as the chat rooms, play a significant role in the (4) development of the addiction. Research is not, however, the only evidence that a problem exists.As the Internet continues to expand, the number of horror stories increases. In Cincinnati, a mother was arrested for neglecting her three young children because she was spending too much time on the Internet. 7 It was reported that she was spending 12 hours a day on line while her kids were locked in a room in a filthy apartment. In addition to this case, all one has to do is browse the Internet addiction sites to find many other people and their individual stories. Now you will probably ask, If there really is an addiction, what are the symptoms and is help available?The list of Internet Addiction symptoms is long. Most Researchers in this area stated that any combination of the symptoms could identify a person as an addict. The symptoms include:-- You neglect important family activities, social events, work responsibilities, academic projects or health concerns to spend hours on the Internet.-- A significant person, such as a boss, close friend or partner, has complained you’re spending too much time or money on the Internet.-- You are constantly anticipating your next on-line session.-- It becomes impossible to cut back on your Internet time.-- Losing track of time once on-line.-- You check your email compulsively.(5) -- You develop cravings and withdrawal symptoms when you are away from the computer.-- You skip meals, classes or appointments to get on the Internet.-- You would rather talk to people on-line than face-to-face.-- You sleep less than five hours a night so you can spend more time on-line.-- You are having increased difficulty discussing matters not related to the Net.The dilemma here is that most people will not admit they have a problem (as with most other addictions). Some researchers state tha...
