It's
official. After months of debate and study, the next edition of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) will include "internet use
disorder" as an area "recommended for further study." The fifth
edition of the DSM, the standard for classifying and diagnosing mental illness,
is due out in May 2013, and the consideration of including internet addiction
has raised many eyebrows. This doesn't mean you'll be sent to a psychologist's
couch if you spend a couple hours online every day. However, it does mean that
there will likely be more investigations into why and how people spend so much
time on the internet. It is possible that it will become classified as a
diagnosable mental illness in the future.
There is
research showing that the internet can indeed act like a drug, and use
of social networks has been linked with depression. Even
the leaders of many popular online games and networks have recognized the importance of unplugging on occasion. But the
idea of a professional organization attempting to codify and criticize
something that feels so personal as time spent surfing the web has
understandably given some folks the creeps. We'd recommend that you take honest
stock of your online time. If it's not interfering with your work or personal life, you're
probably not going to be diagnosed as an addict any time soon.
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