By his own admission, James Pacenza was spending too much work time in Internet chatrooms, discussing sex in most of them. Business Week reported that Pacenza “goes so far as to call his interest in inappropriate Web sites a form of internet addiction that stems from the post traumatic stress disorder he’s suffered since returning from Vietnam.” Whatever it’s called, his surreptitious activity cost him his job.
There’s intense debate today over whether compulsive Internet use should be recognized as internet addiction. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) does not include Internet addiction in their diagnostic manual, while substance abuse warrants a special category all its own.
Whatever the APA stance, many experts say compulsive internet use can be considered a legitimate addiction. In his book, Virtual Addiction, Dr. David Greenfield compares all kinds of internet overuse to alcoholism, drug addiction, or compulsive gambling. Like alcoholics or those who abuse drugs, people who are addicted to the Internet use it to change their mood and feel better –a pathological attachment to a mood altering experience.
Many, like Pacenza, are unable to stop logging on, despite reprimands from work and disputes with friends and family. Addicts become increasingly secretive, reporting that they become restless when they go more than a few hours without checking their email.A huge red flag is the mounting anxiety that these people feel when they try to cut back.
In October, 2005 Stanford University released a study showing that a significant numberof Americans show addiction symptoms with regard to the Internet. Some 14% reported that it was hard to stay away from the Internet for more than one day. More than 12% said they stayed online longer than intended and nearly 9% said they hid their Internet use from employers and loved ones at home. Roughly 16% said relationships hadsuffered due to excessive online activity. Internet addiction truly is an escape from genuine intimacy, and it can literally destroy marriages.
Dr. Elias Aboujaude, director of Stanford’s Impulse Control Disorders Clinic, concedes the clear similarities between excessive Internet use and other addictions. But he claims,“you are not going to find a serious researcher calling this an addiction.” As a therapist,I’m not surprised that research on diagnostic categories moves at a glacial pace. But I’m dealing with people’s lives every day in my clinical practice, so I’m not waiting forstatistics, because I know people are literally losing their lives.
In March 2006 six young Japanese were found deal from asphyxiation in a car – the latest victims of a worldwide surge in suicide pacts arranged over the Internet. Authorities said they suspected the five men and a woman, all in their 20’s, met online before dying together in a remote area. In October, 2006, a 24-year-old Korean died after playing anonline game nonstop for 86 hours. Everquest, Lineage2, World of Warcraft, GuildWars…over twelve million people worldwide are active in such MMOG’s (MassiveMultiplayer Online Games), with current research indicating that up to 40% are showing signs of addiction.
When sex and romance enter the mix, Internet abuse becomes even more deadly. Experts call online porn and chat room romance “the crack cocaine (or lately) methamphetamine of sexual addiction,” fueled by the Three A’s: Anonymity, Affordability and Accessibility. Ah, you might say, at least people can be physically separated from theircomputers so detox can begin. Don’t be too sure…
Just months ago, in December 2006, Apple Computer unveiled the newest version of thetremendously popular iPod music player. Its latest feature is video, with the SuicideGirls.com website reaching one million free iPod downloads in about seven days.Although users got the nude downloads for free, this represents the power of porn on the small screen.
The Yankee Group of Boston estimates the “portable porn” market will reach $200million by 2009, in part through sales to cell phone users. Company spokesman at SprintNextel refused to speak to reporters, but the Washington Post reports rumblings that thephone companies are trying to set up rating system so cell phone providers can sell“adult” content to users over the age of 18.
When it comes to porn, bigger is usually better. To increase profits now, it appears that cyberporn will become smaller and portable.
Jill Denton is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Sex AddictionTherapist, and Certified Clinical Sexologist in private practice in Los Osos, California.www.JillSexTherapist.com