Dennis B. Kottler, MD
Westlake Village, CA
Appointments: 818-991-8376
Email: doc@psychiatrix.com
Is it Possible? Are people getting addicted to the I -N - T - E - R - N - E - T ?
What about the person who checks e-mail ten or more times a day?
What about the cubicle denizen who checks stock quotes, sports scores, and just plain surfs, continuously all day, fitting in work in bits and pieces?
What about the husband (invariably the husband) who stays up into the wee hours viewing porn, neglecting his wife in the next room?
Did the NET create these problems? Or is the Net just a very tempting place to escape the boredom of work and even home? Are some personality types more susceptible to this "addiction?"
Are we really beginning to substitute VIRTUAL REALITY for the REAL THING!
I am sure the answers are complex, like most things in life.
People who are "glued to the Net" would benefit from asking themselves these questions:
1. Am I using the Net to compensate (or escape from) a boring and unsatisfying job or home life? Perhaps I am clinically depressed or have dysthymic disorder.
2. Am I using the Net to have pseudo-relationships (including pseudo-sexual relationships) because it is easier and less threatening than the real thing? See Relationships and Sexual Disorders.
3. Do I have a more serious disorder, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, that is manifested by my Net behavior...especially repetitive checking of Net content?
If the answer to any of the above questions is "YES," further evaluation may be in order.
See: PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT and LIFE NAVIGATION vs. PSYCHOTHERAPY
Appointments: 818-991-8376
Email: doc@psychiatrix.com