Should video games be considered a collegiate sport? I say No…

Last week, I was flying home from Germany where I met with my research colleagues at the University of Duisburg-Essen. We held an entire symposium on Internet addiction including cybersex addiction, social media addiction, and Internet gaming addiction – an especially potent addiction in countries such as Korea, China, and Taiwan. Imagine my surprise when, while waiting at the airport to catch my plane, I saw a story on CNN about Robert Morris University in Aurora, Illinois becoming the first school to categorize playing video games as a varsity sport, even offering scholarship funds for the "athletes." The team meets every weekday for practice between 4 and 9 p.m., with an hour break for dinner, and competitions are every Saturday, according to Kurt Melcher, the school's associate athletic director.

That day, I was being interviewed by ABC News for a story on Candy Crush Saga, when I told the reporter about my deep concerns over video games being considered an athletic sport, she followed up with a story, What It's Like to Be a Video Game Athlete on College Scholarship.

Given the research on Internet gaming, in 2013, the American Psychiatric Association included Internet Gaming Addiction in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a new condition for further study. Other studies have repeatedly documented that what begins as a recreational activity can easily turn into an addictive problem. For instance, in an effort to curb video game addiction among youth, South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has implemented a sort of gaming "curfew" that will block underage users from accessing online computer games after midnight.

Studies have shown video games feed the brain’s reward centers in a similar way that drugs or alcohol produce an appealing “high.” Further studies have shown that gamers quickly lose themselves in these virtual worlds and their behavior has serious consequences. This summer I met Valerie Veatch, the producer and director of the HBO documentary “Love Child,” a film about a South Korean couple who had let their 3-month-old daughter starve to death while they spent up to 12 hours a day playing “Prius Online” at a local internet cafe. At a special preview of the documentary that we both attended, she said, “They were unable to distinguish the virtual world from the real world.”

These problems are not only seen in Korea, China was one of the first countries in the world to label overuse of the Internet a clinical condition and in response the Chinese government has created treatment facilities to detox and cure teenagers of their addictions to online life.

So, should American colleges view video games as an eSport? The problem of video game addiction isn’t as simple as playing too much or really enjoying video games. At the Center for Internet Addiction, a U.S. firm, we see addicted gamers who are more than twice as likely to have ADD/ADHD, get into more physical fights, and have health problems caused by long hours of game play (e.g., hand and wrist pain, poor hygiene, irregular eating habits). Many need treatment to improve their academic performance and return to normal functioning.

We find treatment for video game addicts to be very difficult because addicted gamers need to spend more time and money on video games to feel the same “high,” skipping out on responsibilities like household chores or homework to play games, excessive thinking about game play, trying to play less and failing, and stealing games or money to play. In their eyes, they don’t see this behavior as an addiction.

Although the U.S. is lagging behind countries like South Korea, which boasts more than 100 clinics to treat video game addiction, there should great concern about American colleges deeming video games as sport. It is important that we first understand the impact of these games on our youth. While video games can be fun and entertaining, I continue to hear from families who are struggling because of a child's gaming habits. What may seem like a competitive sport could be masking a deeper problem. 

Reflections on the first International Congress on Internet Addiction Disorders - Cultural and Clinical Perspectives

Internet addiction is a global and rapidly evolving disorder. I just returned from the first International Congress on Internet Addiction Disorders held in Milan, Italy. While the ideas are still fresh, I wanted to write about the new and exciting programs being started to address this rapidly evolving problem.

Cultural Approaches

The panel of speakers and attendees were amazing. They showed the deeply global nature of Internet addiction with each country developing its own methods representative of what worked best for their own circumstances. For instance, in Korea, they are a leader in this field as they are the first to have established a comprehensive Master Plan to prevent and treat Internet addiction. Developed by multiple Ministries of the Korean Government, they provide testing for risk of Internet addiction among adolescents, specialized re-education programs for those at risk, and hundreds of specialized inpatient treatment programs across the country. In Japan and Germany, they utilize Internet fasting camps for children identified at risk, also backed by government support. In China, they utilize military-style boot camps for re-education as depicted in the new documentary, Web Junkies. In Italy, Milan and Rome developed the first inpatient programs with alternative treatments in theater therapy to tap into the emotions of an Internet addict and they explore avatar therapy (in vivo) with peer group training and support. In France, they do not talk as much about pathological Internet addiction but in general focus on early education on technology use for all families. This way, they focus on what parents should do at home when introducing technology for a child. In the U.S., unfortunately, we are lagging behind with respect to prevention and treatment. We do no formally recognize the disorder in the DSM, we only have a handful of specialized treatment programs, we have some digital detox camps but nothing to the scale of Korea, and we do not implement policies for early childhood prevention as they do in France.

This was very enlightening to me, as the only American at the Congress to see how other cultures were addressing what is seen as a significant mental health issue.  There was considerable discussion on how to define Internet addiction. Is it its own disorder? Is it always co-morbidly related to clinical syndromes such as depression and anxiety? How do social problems influence the development of this condition as Internet addicts are highly isolated? What is the relationship with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome, as these disorders were seen across cultures as a significant risk factor with Internet addiction disorders?

Age of Onset

There was also significant debate on the age of onset for the disorder. How young is too young for children to be introduced to technology? While all the countries represented recognized the benefits of technology use and adaptation among children and adolescents for careers and future job performance, it was asked if technology should also come with warning signs for parents. For instance, in Japan, middle school children were identified to be the most at risk and this launched a greater discussion on what parents need to know at home to address potential Internet addiction disorders.

This is not a new discussion. When I was in Australia this past summer for a Media Addiction conference at Macquarie University in Sydney, this debate of how young is too young also was discussed (and again, to no clear answer). In my own consulting work, throughout the U.S., I have toured several adolescent clinics seeing a growing number of young people with an addiction to technology and visited school systems struggling with how to address the growing problem of students becoming addicted to the very technology that they are required to use. The problem hits home domestically too.

Types of Internet Addicts

The Congress also debated if there were different types of Internet addicts. Were there differences in terms of addicts related to how much time they spent online or what applications they were involved with? For instance, a child who was addicted to video games may be experiencing a developmental phase the he will grow out of into adulthood, whereas an older adult male who suffers from sex addiction is now hooked on online pornography and has long-standing problems with relationships, depression, and substance abuse. Would these two patients be classified the same or are these different types of addicts, one being more phased developmentally and the other more chronic and pervasive?

Also, how does what someone becomes addicted to impact the course of treatment? For instance, in Italy, they use Theater Therapy for young people to act out their avatars for addicted gamers. This has been very effective. But, how does this translate to an older adult who may be addicted to online pornography? Also, how does culture impact treatment?  While Korea has a comprehensive Master Plan (and actually, it was just repurposed as the Master Plan II to address smartphone use), would this be possible in American to implement? My view at the Congress was “no” as our U.S. government does view Internet/technology addiction as a problem. Again, most people did not understand why this is as many other countries are rapidly addressing what they see as a significant mental health concern.

The Role of Government

This led to an important discussion on the role of government involvement and policy. If the government is not supportive of initiatives on Internet addiction prevention, education, or treatment, than it seems that little can be done to properly address the condition. In Korea, they had statistics that showed the effectiveness of their Master Plan in Prevention and Treatment but they also were one of the few countries with widespread government support for the development of their national programs.

Best Practices

In closing, the Congress struggled with the best practices in this emerging field. The issues involved with Internet Addiction Disorders were complex. The issues cited were developmental, clinical, social, cultural, and familial. Developmentally, what was the impact of technology overuse on children? Clinically, what were the best treatment approaches to resolve Internet addiction, especially with the reliance of mobile devices in our daily and work lives? Socially, what were the long-term effects of an over-reliance on technologies that seem to disconnect us more than connect us, especially among children who are using this at younger ages? Culturally, did Internet addiction disorders manifest themselves differently based on ethnic and cultural backgrounds requiring various forms of treatment and prevention? From the family perspective, how should parents learn to integrated technology for their children and what resources were available to help them manage this at home and at school?

Conclusions

Overall, the Congress was an important step in the field of Internet and technology addictions. It seems we are all doing something in our respective countries to address an emerging problem. No matter the terms we use, although, I agree that terminology is highly important, it is clear that this has become a global condition and that we are all experiencing problems with integrating technology into our lives.

Future initiatives based on the Congress are determining: 1] Defining Internet addiction (be it problematic Internet use, pathological Internet use, technology addiction, or other terms, we need to define a clear set of standardized criteria). 2] Consider how co-morbid psychiatric syndromes and personality traits play a role in the development of Internet addiction disorders. 3] Consider how age of onset (and age in general with the introduction of technology) influences childhood development and what parents and families need to know for prevention and what resources are available to them as well as to schools. 4] Conduct outcome studies to investigate the best practices in treating Internet addiction disorders among adolescents and adults. Finally, 5] Examine the role of culture in the development of Internet addiction disorders and how public health policies through government and healthcare systems can enable more effective responses for providing resources, prevention, education, and treatment. 

For more information, please visit the International Congress on Internet Addiction Disorders website.

  

#internetaddiction: Prescriptions for Maintaining a Healthy Digital Diet in 2014

Internet addiction had a big year in 2013. The U.S. saw its first hospital-based inpatient clinic to treat Internet addiction open. The American Psychiatric Association who publishes the bible of American psychiatric medicine, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders included Internet Gaming Addiction under section 3 as a condition for further study. Internet addiction had been registered as a condition by the World Health Organization and now new digital detox camps have sprung up in China, Korea, Australia, the UK, and Japan to treat what has become a recognized disorder.

The media covered news of my new inpatient clinic at the Bradford Regional Medical Center. It actually trended on national and international news. Time Magazine ran a cover story on Candy Crush Saga addiction and outlets such as CNBC, ABCNEWS.com, and several other magazines ran year-end reviews asking how people in general – not addicts – can achieve a digital diet in 2014.
The issue of Internet addiction hit a psychological nerve. People weren’t just talking about addicts but they were taking a deeper look at their own behavior – asking if we have all become way too dependent on our gadgets and digital devices. After each interview, it became clear to me that the lines between what is healthy technology use and what is addiction were now blurred.

Prescriptions for 2014
The debate is no longer if Internet addiction is a clinical disorder. It is. The debate is about how much technology is too much. We rely it on almost like breathing.
Yes, we can accomplish great things using technology. We have an app for anything and everything! What is there not to like? We have a convenient and portable tool that performs almost any functional and practical task. Again, when does it become too much?
How do we become good consumers of technology without becoming consumed by it? To help us all become a little more balanced, I developed three key prescriptions for maintaining a healthy digital diet.

Prescription #1: SLOWDOWN
New research shows that workaholics are twice as likely to develop Internet addiction. This is staggering. Think about it, we work constantly because we can. Technology allows us to work 24/7 during the evenings, weekends, and on vacations. We never have time to fully rest. Every meeting and every place I go there are people on their devices. That’s okay, but we need to slowdown and not work so hard. I know that sounds crazy, but we need to take breaks from work and when we do, we need to fully rest. Just because we can check our social media at any hour, doesn’t mean that we should. Unplug and stay committed to that for specific periods of times, especially when you are at home with your family or on vacation. Take weekends away from your smartphone and limit your overall use. Studies show that people going a few days of technology-free life enjoy their time more, feel happier, less stressed, and more focused on their primary relationships.

Prescription #2: MAINTAIN FACE-TO-FACE CONTACT
The cover story in the January 2014 issue of The Monitor, the major trade publication of the American Psychological Association was titled Friends Wanted: New research by psychologists uncovers the health risks of loneliness and the benefits of strong social connections. In short, the story shared new research on the impact of loneliness and how a lack of social support will cause physical and psychological problems. Sadly, loneliness is a problem I often hear about from Internet addicts. I have repeatedly found that lonely people are more likely to become addicted to the Internet only to become more socially isolated. It is a vicious cycle. Even if they spend all their time on social media, they are still physically alone. This behavior is compounded by those with social difficulties or phobias who turn to the Internet as a safe way to communicate without face-to-face contact – yet they never learn how to overcome their fears of dealing with people.
If all your needs are fulfilled online, there is little chance that you will explore beyond it. Some people fell disconnected or left out because they don’t know how to approach or contact others socially. Many fear being rejected so they don’t attempt to make friends or develop relationships. They would rather ‘talk’ with people online. This isn’t really talking as it is typing, minus Skype or webcams, we type.

This is a time to talk instead of type and make more face-to-face contact. In 2014, take time to develop personal interests that you may not have had time to before. Get involved in activities you enjoy and that will put you in a position to meet, work, and socialize with others. Get involved with campus activities, volunteering, or working for a cause that you believe in. This will help you to meet people with similar interests and values. Join a gym and exercise to increase your energy and help you to feel better about yourself. The bottom line is the less time you are tied to your gadgets, the more time you will have to develop face-to-face relationships with others.

Prescription #3: LESS SELFIES, MORE MEMORIES
Normally, I don’t get too fussy over selfies. I wish I took more at times because selfies always look like the person is having fun. But, I am writing about technology addiction so I am limiting my focus to the growing narcissism among Internet users who constantly post selfies. Interestingly, Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year for 2013 was “selfie”—a recently invented word for self-photography from smartphones. Sharing too much of oneself, and getting constant feedback for it, is likely to give a person a heightened focus on themselves, leading to negative introspection, low self-esteem, and a host of other issues.

Studies show that those seeking reassurance and approval through selfies consistently take themselves out of social interaction. The concern lies when people are using selfies to create a persona that will be approved of, i.e., how many Facebook or social media clicks, ‘likes,’ and approvals they get. Facebook and other types of social media create a feedback loop, and some people take more pictures to feed their self-esteem, which can become more important than simply documenting the experience.

Taking selfies is fine but keep it in perspective. Don’t post away your entire life, keep some things private. Instead of taking selfies, enjoy the moment. One new study showed that selfies are making our memories worse. The study conducted by Fairfeld University in Connecticut showed that people are losing their memories due to all this digital picture taking and sharing. Researchers hypothesized that “we are less likely to remember information if we think we can retrieve it later.” It seems that we are counting on our technology to keep our memories and we collect photos almost as if they’re trophies, or evidence, but that’s not the same thing as trying to capture the experience.
As we grow more dependent on technology, it is important to keep a check on reality and remember that there is a world outside of ours gadgets. While instant communication is rewarding in many ways, we must not forget the downsides to this phenomenon, and strive to keep a balanced outlook on life. Read more at http://netaddiction.com

How to assess Internet Addiction in the New Inpatient Treatment Center

We opened the first inpatient treatment center for Internet Addiction in September, 2013 at the Bradford Regional Medical Center in Bradford, Pa (http://www.brmc.com/internetaddiction). Diagnosis of Internet addiction is often complex.  Unlike chemical dependency, the Internet offers several direct benefits as a technological advancement in our society and not a device to be criticized as addictive.  Individuals can conduct research, perform business transactions, access libraries, communicate, and make vacation plans. Books have been written outlining the psychological as well as functional benefits of the Internet in our lives.  By comparison, alcohol or drugs are not an integral or necessary part of our personal and professional lives nor do they offer any direct benefit.  With so many practical uses of the Internet signs of addiction can easily be masked or justified.  Further, clinical assessments are often very comprehensive and cover relevant disorders for psychiatric conditions and addictive disorders. However, given its newness, symptoms of Internet addiction may not always be revealed in an initial clinical interview. While self-referrals for Internet addiction are becoming more common, often the client does not present with complaints of Internet or mobile addiction.  People may initially present with signs of clinical depression, bi-polar disorder, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and hide signs of Internet addiction on clinical interview. 

When we assess clients for admissions to the inpatient unit, we follow a clear assessment tool as , diagnosing Internet addiction can be challenging.  Given the dependence we have on technology, detecting and diagnosing Internet addiction is difficult as its legitimate business and personal use often mask addictive behavior.  The best method to clinically detect compulsive use of the Internet is to compare it against criteria for other established addictions.  Early studies likened Internet addiction to addictive syndromes similar to impulse-control disorders on the Axis I Scale in the DSM (APA, 1994) and utilized various forms of DSM-IV based criteria to define the disorder. Of the all the references in the DSM, Pathological Gambling was viewed as most akin to this phenomenon. In my work trying to classify the problem, I develop the Internet Addiction Diagnostic Questionnaire (IADQ) as a screen tool (Young, 1998a). The questionnaire quickly gained significant popularity. It is now widely cited in the academic literature and used in a multitude of studies and clinics as a screening tool. The IADQ assesses clients with the following questions:

1.      Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous online activity or anticipate next online session)?

2.      Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?

3.      Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?

4.      Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?

5.      Do you stay online longer than originally intended?

6.      Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?

7.      Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?

8.      Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?  

Answers should evaluate non-essential Internet usage such as for non-business or academically related use.  Endorsing five or more of the questions over a six-month period is considered addictive or dependent Internet use, although more recent studies that empirically tested the IADQ found that using 3 or 4 criteria where just as robust in diagnosing Internet addiction as using 5 or more and suggested that the cutoff score of 5 criteria might be overly stringent (Dowling & Quirk, 2009). I err on the side of caution and stick to the 5 criteria that I had originally developed. Associated features of the disorder may be present such as ordinarily excessive Internet use, neglect of routine duties or life responsibilities, social isolation, and being secretive about online activities or a sudden demand for privacy when online. While the IADQ provides a means to screen for Internet addiction, these warning signs can often be masked by cultural norms that encourage and reinforce technology use.  Even if a client meets all of the criteria, signs of abuse can be rationalized as, “I need this for my job” “I need this for school”. 
Using the IADQ (see http://www.netaddiction.com for details on the development of the test), we screen patients for Internet addiction. We are able to properly assess the presence of the disorder, and combined with a thorough psychiatric exam and medical history, we determine the basis for admissions criteria. If you are looking for more information on the inpatient unit or further details on how to apply to the program, please visit http://www.brmc.com/internetaddiction or http://netaddiction.com.  

Inpatient Care for Internet Addiction: Is it Necessary?

Is Internet Addiction real? That is the question I am often asked. Of course it is, I reply, but I can see how many people still question if we can truly become addicted to technology.

It is not technology itself that causes the problem but it is in how we have come to use technology in our lives. Look around any airport, school yard, or mall - everyone is staring at their screens.  We have become socially removed. What is the impact of this technology when it does become excessive or compulsive?

In my 20 years of researching Internet Addiction, I have become the world’s leading expert. I say this because it is humbling and not in any arrogant way. I see how my research and academic studies have been applied by researchers all over the globe. I have consulted with hundreds of clinics about Internet addiction recovery and given many workshops to therapists. I say with that authority, Internet addiction is a real problem.

We debate this in America while other countries such as China and Korea have established treatment centers to deal with the problem for years. We lag behind other countries who have established clinics and university-wide studies in an effort to combat a distressing new problem in our culture.

Internet Addiction is real. Treatment is often necessary. It does not stand alone, most often those who suffer from Internet addiction also suffer from other clinical problems such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, or social anxiety or phobia.

In September of 2013, I opened the nation’s first inpatient treatment center at the Bradford Regional Medical Center in Bradford, Pa. It is part of Behavioral Health Services Dual Diagnosis Program and we have received calls from all over the world. It says to me how widespread the problem is and how many people are hiding their addiction to technology.

Based on the calls alone, it seems people have such a serious problem with their online use that they have struggled for years in outpatient counseling being seen by therapists who either dismissed the behavior as normal or weren’t sure how to address.

Inpatient counseling is intended for the serious cases of Internet addiction. Treatment focuses on daily individual therapy and 72-hour medically-supervised digital detox is required.

“Do I believe that inpatient care is necessary for Internet addiction?” “Yes,” I exclaim. “Inpatient care is necessary!”

Addiction is addiction. Americans have lagged behind other countries in treating people who may suffer from this problem. We are BRMC are proud to be the first inpatient program in the U.S. to offer such help. While the DSM-5 has only just included Internet Gaming Addiction in Section 3 for conditions that need further research in this last revision, my prediction is that in the years to come, more research will happen, and future DSM revisions will then include Internet Addiction as real condition.   

FAQs Answered on the New Inpatient Internet Addiction Recovery Program at BRMC

I have received several calls from people looking for referrals to the new inpatient program on Internet Addictioin recovery at the Bradford Regional Medical Center. Here are some answers:

What are your recovery principles?
At BRMC, we offer unique and specialized treatment methods for Internet addiction recovery. We view the Internet as a productive tool and unlike other addiction rehab that use traditional abstinence models, we focus on healthy choices that you can make about your own Internet use. We teach you how to go on a digital diet so that you can learn to use technology in responsible ways that add to your life. Family support and involvement is also strongly encouraged.

How can someone get help?
The first step is to determine if there is a problem. A licensed psychologist or social worker trained in identification and treatment of Internet addiction can effectively perform an assessment to determine what level of care is most appropriate. Please call 1-800-446-2583 to speak to a professional.

Who can refer someone to the program?
We welcome referrals from psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, case managers, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), insurance companies, managed care organizations, MH/MRs, children & youth, probation, friends, family members, self-referrals, and clergy. Referrals are confidential and can be made by anyone. BRMC does not discriminate in accepting patients based on ethnic or national origin, race, religion, disability, age or gender. If you would like further information, please call 1-800-446-2583.

Will my insurance company pay for services?
Unfortunately, Internet addiction is not a recognized disorder covered by insurance. We do provide additional Payment Information on our program and details on methods of payment.

Who has to know about my hospitalization?Only the people you authorize will know about your hospitalization and these people will receive only the information that is necessary for them to continue your care or to give you support once you are discharged.

How long will I stay?
Your time in the hospital depends on what your individual needs are. This is a 10-day program but additional time can be accommodated depending on your therapeutic need. Your individualized treatment plan focuses on what can be accomplished in the shortest periods of time. With this as a foundation for progress, you can continue treatment in an outpatient setting.

Call 24 Hours a Day – 1-800-446-2583

New Internet Addiction Inpatient Treatment and Recovery Program at BRMC

By now the news has been released that we have opened the new Internet Addiction Treatment and Recovery Program at the Bradford Regional Medical Center in Bradford, PA. We are excited to be part of this historic event, as the first program of its kind in the U.S. It is heart-felt for me to see my life's work become a reality and to hopefully build a program that will help many in need.

Internet Addiction

Contact us 1-800-446-2583 116 Interstate Parkway Bradford, PA 16701 Get Directions

The Internet Addiction Program is a part of the Behavioral Health Services Dual Diagnosis Unit at Bradford Regional Medical Center in Bradford, PA. The Internet Addiction Treatment and Recovery Program offers counseling and treatment for adults 18 years of age and older, the program is for those who have been unsuccessful overcoming the excessive use of the internet and electronic gaming on their own. The program involves a voluntary ten-day stay within a secure and dedicated patient unit. Internet addiction is any online-related, compulsive behavior which interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones, and one’s work environment. Internet Addiction has been called internet dependency and internet compulsiveness. By any name, it is a compulsive behavior that completely dominates the addicts’ life. Internet addicts make the internet a priority more important than family, friends, and work. The internet becomes the organizing principle of addicts’ lives. They are willing to sacrifice what they cherish most in order to preserve and continue their behavior.

We are committed to helping patients develop a healthier lifestyle free from addiction and abuse of electronic media.

The service is the first hospital based recovery program in the United States, and offers the first ever Digital Device Treatment Program in the nation.Our expert clinicians understand technology related behavioral addictions. They work with individuals, couples, and families to help them better understand and recover from an internet, video gaming or technology related behavioral addiction.

This inpatient program provides individual, group and family therapy through a unique, individualized treatment plan, of which aftercare planning, family and referral involvement are key components. Patients will be treated by a multidisciplinary team including psychiatrists, licensed psychologists, certified addiction counselors, psychiatric nurses, social workers, mental health therapists, case managers and support staff.

For seeking admissions to the program, please call the number above to receive our application.

History of my research on Internet Addiction since 1994

Here is an article from the Globe and Mail in Canada on how the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery started. It was a wild time for me. Personally, I was a young graduate fresh from graduate school and I had no idea what I was getting myself into and wow, did the publicity on my work really set a tone. I couldn't believe by age 30 I was doing so many interviews and I can't really say I knew what I was doing.

Professionally, I launched an entire field. I still look back in disbelief. I remember after my friend called me to tell me her and her husband had separated over his addiction to the Internet, I posted a small survey online. At the time (again, think 1994), I received maybe two email per month. The next morning, I awoke to over 40 emails responding to my survey. Most told me woes of how much they had lost because of the amount of time they spent on the Internet. People told me how they lost their jobs because they were online instead of working. People told me how they got separated or divorced because of their addiction to the Internet. Students across the country told me how they were addicted to the very tool that their universities were encouraging them to use. I quickly realized that I had hit a psychological nerve. This was a bigger issue than anyone had thought. I expanded my survey with more detailed questions. I wanted to know what it was like to be inside the mind of an Internet Addict.

I was drawn by the constant stories that followed. Some were amazing, simply amazing! I mean, I couldn't believe that people had lost a spouse or a loved one over the computer but it was true. At first, people told me how much they were addicted to chat rooms and pornography. Again, keep in mind this was 1994 before Facebook, Twitter, or eBay. The Internet was being touted as a revolutionary tool. And that it is. I don't take away any of the vast benefits of this technology. I did become the single voice that showed that there was also a dark side.

The Internet is not a benign tool. It has a life of its own. I was glad that I stuck to this earlier research. I remember that I was finishing up a fellowship at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY. I had posted signs at all the colleges and libraries looking for people to participate in my research. I worked alone from my one bedroom apartment. I can't tell you why I kept going. The more I talked to others, the more I realized there was a problem with how much people consumed the Internet. It was the wild west of its day. I did not want to take away from any of the great potential that the Internet had to offer. Still, I knew there was this dark side, as people told me stories upon stories of how it damaged their lives.

I remember people crying on the phone with me or emailing me for help. I started the Center for Internet Addiction shortly thereafter. I knew I needed to a place to support my research and to offer counseling. It was often why people called. I started the center without a game plan. I had no idea what it would become.

I remember collecting all these case studies, still unsure what I was going to do with them. One day, walking through a K-mart in Rochester, I was struck by the idea of writing a book. I went to the local Borders (when they still existed) and bought several addiction recovery books. I am sure the clerk thought I had a problem. I studied each book looking at how it was set up, the ways the writer integrated theories with case studies, and I tried to teach myself how to write a book. The only thing I had ever written before that was my doctoral dissertation.

I completed my first draft in 1997 and went about trying to find an agent. Fifty rejections later -- an agent finally agreed to take me on. Another fifty editors rejected the book proposal until finally John Wiley and Sons agreed to take on the project. It was a thrilling time. My editor was a wonderful teacher. While my first draft needed considerable revision, she taught me and I learned. Eventually, my first book, Caught in the Net was published in 1998. It was met with criticism. I almost stopped studying Internet Addiction. It was hurtful and painful at the time. I was young and all I wanted to help others.

As I traveled across the country, I met people whose lives were changed because of my book. They would come up to me after my lectures thanking me for my work and for validating a problem that at that time no one else believed that they suffered from. I realized I was giving a voice to others who had nowhere else to turn.

I am glad that I stuck it out. Studying Internet Addiction changed my life forever. I am grateful that God gave me the courage and wisdom to do this -- and to hopefully help many who otherwise didn't have a voice.

New Internet Addiction Inpatient Treatment and Recovery Center Opening Soon!

It has been a while since I have had a chance to post on my blog. I apologize. Things have been hectic and crazy. I have been working with the Bradford Regional Medical Center to open the first inpatient hospital-based program on Internet Addiction Treatment and Recovery. I am very excited. The clinic is set to open September 1st, 2013. There is much to do to prepare. I will give you details as soon as I have them, for now, I can say it is the first inpatient treatment center for IA in the United States. We are excited to offer a program like this and I will serve as the Medical Director. I can hardly believe it.

As a refresher, I have been looking at several blog posts on Internet Addiction being included in the DSM-5. I think that there is much discussion still on what are the types of Internet addiction, what is healthy versus unhealthy signs of Internet use, what are the risk factors, and what are symptoms.

Since I have the new inpatient treatment center opening, I thought I would post a refresher that answers these frequent questions. Again, I will be sure to update you once the center is open!!

The first question, what are the type of Internet Addiction? 

Internet Addiction covers a variety of impulse-control problems, including: 

• Cybersex Addiction – compulsive use of Internet pornography, adult chat rooms, or adult fantasy role-play sites impacting negatively on real-life intimate relationships.
• Cyber-Relationship Addiction – addiction to social networking, chat rooms, and messaging to the point where virtual, online friends become more important than real-life relationships with family and friends.
• Net Compulsions – such as compulsive online gaming, gambling, stock trading, or compulsive use of online auction sites such as eBay, often resulting in financial and job-related problems. 
• Information Overload – compulsive web surfing or database searching, leading to lower work productivity and less social interaction with family and friends.
• Computer Addiction – obsessive playing of off-line computer games, such as Solitaire or Minesweeper, or obsessive computer programming.

The most common of these Internet addictions are Internet gaming and Internet sex addiction.

Healthy vs. unhealthy Internet use

The Internet provides a constant, ever-changing source of information and entertainment, and can be accessed from most smart phones as well as tablets, laptops, and computers. Email, blogs, social networks, and message boards allow for both public and anonymous communication about any topic. But how much is too much Internet usage?

Each person’s Internet use is different. You might need to use the Internet extensively for your work, for example, or you might rely heavily on social networking sites to keep in touch with faraway family and friends. Spending a lot of time online only becomes a problem when it absorbs too much of your time, causing you to neglect your relationships, your work, school, or other important things in your life. If you keep repeating compulsive Internet behavior despite the negative consequences in your offline life, then it’s time to strike a new balance.

To relieve unpleasant and overwhelming feelings

Many people turn to the Internet in order to manage unpleasant feelings such as stress, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. When you have a bad day and are looking for a way to escape your problems or to quickly relieve stress or self-soothe, the Internet can be an easily accessible outlet. Losing yourself online can temporarily make feelings such as loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom evaporate into thin air. As much comfort as the Internet can provide, though, it’s important to remember that there are healthier (and more effective) ways to keep difficult feelings in check. These may include exercising, meditating, using sensory relaxation strategies, and practicing simple breathing exercises.

For many people, an important aspect of overcoming Internet and computer addiction is to find alternate ways to handle these difficult feelings. Even when your Internet use is back to healthy levels, the painful and unpleasant feelings that may have prompted you to engage in unhealthy Internet use in the past will remain. So, it’s worth spending some time thinking about the different ways you intend to deal with stressful situations and the daily irritations that would normally have you logging on.

Risk factors for Internet addiction and computer addiction

You are at greater risk of Internet addiction if:

• You suffer from anxiety. You may use the Internet to distract yourself from your worries and fears. An anxiety disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder may also contribute to excessive email checking and compulsive Internet use.
• You are depressed. The Internet can be an escape from feelings of depression, but too much time online can make things worse. Internet addiction further contributes to stress, isolation and loneliness.
• You have any other addictions. Many Internet addicts suffer from other addictions, such as drugs, alcohol, gambling, and sex.
• You lack social support. Internet addicts often use social networking sites, instant messaging, or online gaming as a safe way of establishing new relationships and more confidently relating to others.
• You’re an unhappy teenager. You might be wondering where you fit in and the Internet could feel more comfortable than real-life friends.
• You are less mobile or socially active than you once were. For example, you may be coping with a new disability that limits your ability to drive. Or you may be parenting very young children, which can make it hard to leave the house or connect with old friends.
• You are stressed. While some people use the Internet to relieve stress, it can have a counterproductive effect. The longer you spend online, the higher your stress levels will be.

Signs and symptoms of Internet addiction vary from person to person. For example, there are no set hours per day or number of messages sent that indicate Internet addiction. But here are some general warning signs that your Internet use may have become a problem:

• Losing track of time online. Do you frequently find yourself on the Internet longer than you intended? Does a few minutes turn in to a few hours? Do you get irritated or cranky if your online time is interrupted?
• Having trouble completing tasks at work or home. Do you find laundry piling up and little food in the house for dinner because you’ve been busy online? Perhaps you find yourself working late more often because you can’t complete your work on time — then staying even longer when everyone else has gone home so you can use the Internet freely.
• Isolation from family and friends. Is your social life suffering because of all the time you spend online? Are you neglecting your family and friends? Do you feel like no one in your “real” life — even your spouse — understands you like your online friends?
• Feeling guilty or defensive about your Internet use. Are you sick of your spouse nagging you to get off the computer and spend time together? Do you hide your Internet use or lie to your boss and family about the amount of time you spend on the computer and what you do while you're online?
• Feeling a sense of euphoria while involved in Internet activities. Do you use the Internet as an outlet when stressed, sad, or for sexual gratification or excitement? Have you tried to limit your Internet time but failed?

Physical symptoms of Internet addiction

Internet or computer addiction can also cause physical discomfort such as:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (pain and numbness in hands and wrists)
• Dry eyes or strained vision
• Back aches and neck aches; severe headaches
• Sleep disturbances
• Pronounced weight gain or weight loss

The Role of Asperger’s Syndrome and Violet Videogames in Sandy Hook School Shootings

I am writing as I watch the news coverage on the school shootings. It is terribly sad. It is hard to imagine anyone who could hurt innocent children and innocent teachers trying hard to be good educators.

As I learn more about Adam Lanza, I understand that the shooter suffered from Asperger's syndrome and also played violent video games. My research on Internet addiction shows these two variables can lead to aggressive and violent behavior. I have seen how Asperger's syndrome is a significant risk factor in developing online gaming addiction and work with parents on prevention.

Asperger’s syndrome does not cause violent behavior, although, much has been discussed in the media about its role in the tragic school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary.  It is common that Asperger’s children have a loss of impulse-control, making them unpredictable, and they have trouble processing and expressing feelings. This can make them volatile and angry, as Adam Lanza is described.

Asperger’s children tend to be highly intelligent children who suffer significant difficulties in social interaction. My research has found that these same children are attracted to the Internet because it equalizes their social difficulties in real life by communicating through the computer. Plus, they often become addicted to online games for the mental and intellectual stimulation that they offer.

If the game is a violent game, like the ones that Adam played, this may create violent behavior. Games play is active whereas watching TV is passive. People learn better when they are actively involved. Players of violent video games are more likely to identify with a violent character. Asperger's children as well as children in general are more likely to behave aggressively themselves when they identify with a violent character. Asperger's children lack a clear identity in the real world but online they gain a sense of identity through their gaming characters (earning status and power) which makes these games very addictive.

Violent games directly reward violent behavior, such as by awarding points or by allowing players to advance to the next game level. In some games, players are rewarded through verbal praise, such as hearing the words "Nice shot!" after killing an enemy. It is well known that rewarding behavior increases its frequency.

We should not underestimate the role of violent games in the events of the Sandy Hook school shootings. These games allow players to practice killing and to get into the mindset to shoot and to kill. Given that Asperger’s children have difficulties expressing emotion – these games can feed into feeling of underlying rage or aggression. These games dehumanize people. To Adam Lanza, he may have harbored so much rage and anger that he killed children without thinking of them as human beings. Unfortunately, none of these children had another game life. 

When a Psychologist Writes a Novel...

As a psychologist, I have counseled men and women struggling with extramarital attractions and understand the emotional conflicts those endure who deeply value fidelity but still feel the pull of falling in love with another, even when one party or the other appears to be happily married. These experiences led me to write my first novel, The Eighth Wonder. 

The writing of the book took place while I was recovering from retina detachment surgery. I was housebound for 4 to 5 months. During this time, I was able to use my computer in large print.  Like my main character, Nicole Benson, I had always wanted to write a novel. I finally had the time to do it. It started out semi-autobiographical about my own move to Bradford after getting my Ph.D., but then turned into a love story about two people struggling with grief and loss. While writing the novel, as I mentioned, I was housebound. I needed a place for the characters to meet. I was not familiar with the region. I looked up landmarks – and that is when I discovered The Kinzua Bridge. I had not heard of it nor had I seen it before (or during) writing the novel. The title for the book came to me in a flash that day I wrote the entire story of the bridge and its description based upon web sites I found on it. The first place that I went to after being released from medical rest was to see the bridge in person.

The novel begins as on how I first moved to Bradford to be near my father who lived in Buffalo, New York, and he was dying from pancreatic cancer. Nicole’s personality and the general story of her mother leaving her and being career-driven woman who does not have children is exactly my personal story. Also, like Nicole, I had been emotionally distant from my sister, who was married with children quite young (and also not college-educated like Nicole’s sister). Also, my father’s death is described exactly how it happened that night.

Like The Bridges of Madison County, the “bones” of a story portray the complexities of falling in love when one has been married for a long-period of time. It isn’t always easy to stay married and difficult choices must often be made to keep a marriage together. Sometimes, it means even leaving someone that you love in order to keep a family together. The novel also questions the role of commitment-phobic women who fear abandonment, a trend seen more visibly in women today. Like women portrayed in the Sex in the City series, how do they resolve their feelings of wanting to settle down and be taken care of by a man, yet place a protective emotional wall to keep men at a distance.

Instead of an Iowa farm wife (as in BRIDGES), The Eighth Wonder tells Nicole’s story, who graduates from NYU with her Ph.D. in Political Science. Nicole has sacrificed marriage and children for her career with ambitions of teaching at an Ivy-League school when her life is thrust into chaos. She learns her father has terminal cancer.  She leaves New York City to live in rural Bradford, Pa to take a temporary teaching job to be closer to him in nearby Buffalo.

Instead of a rambling photographer, we meet Tom Ryan, a very stable and settled community-minded Bradford native who manages a large nursing home and is very content with his life. The story deals with grief as Tom is an empty-nester with Rose, his wife of 23 years, but they suffered a terrible loss when their young daughter died from leukemia. After her death, they suffered the long process of bereavement. As parents, their emotions turned from despair into numbness. In Tom and Rose’s case, their feelings became overwhelming and pulled them apart.

After months of being friends, Tom discovers in his heart that he is in love with Nicole and the consequences of those feelings in relation to Rose. He feels the confusion and the fear of being in love with someone else. Nicole’s realization that she is in love with Tom is just as dramatic, due to her fears of abandonment and intimacy, plus, he is married. What is she doing? She can’t possibly be in love with someone who isn’t hers to have. This weighs on them both, even once they talk, they are not clear about what direction to take but know that this relationship is doomed from the beginning.  

When they finally get together it is emotional – they know they should not be intimate, they know they don’t have a future, they haven’t thought about the consequences, yet they can’t seem to stop their feelings. As they try to stay apart, Nicole pines for Tom, then, when her father dies, his inevitable death due to cancer, the first person she calls is Tom.

Without giving away the entire ending, Tom and Nicole face the most painful decision of their lives. For Tom, it is to stay in a comfortable, yet emotionally scarred marriage, or to leave and be with Nicole to start a new life. For Nicole, the choice is to whether to pursue her career goals at a new college or to stay in Bradford to live with Tom (if he was hers to have).

I enjoyed writing The Eighth Wonder. As my first novel, it is so amazing to see my name in print. I have had many people tell me that they couldn’t put the book down. Not just friends, either, but people who have written to me after reading the novel and told me how moved they were by the story. I am so touched to have written such a story. I know I cried writing it. Even when I reread it, I think the characters draw readers in to make the reader laugh, think, and cry. I hope you enjoy reading The Eighth Wonder as I did writing it!  

Sincerely,
Kimberly Young

Studies find Internet Addiction Disorder exists!

It’s official, at least according to researchers at Norway’s University of Bergen: Facebook is addictive.
This may not come as a terrific surprise when you stop to think that the site claims some 500 million users on a daily basis.
But what is surprising is the researchers’ conclusion that Facebook addiction produces symptoms similar to those observed in substance and alcohol addiction. Some studies have found that heavy internet use has actually led to a “rewiring” of the brain with striking similarity to drug and alcohol addicts.
About a year and a half ago more than 400 students were handed a list of six questions relating to Facebook use, with the answers ranging from “very rarely” to “very often.” Responses of “often” or “very often” qualified the respondents as Facebook addicts.
In another study reported by Forbes magazine, 85 percent of 1,000 participants acknowledged using Facebook as part of their daily routine. A third of them said that Facebook let them stay on top of things; two-thirds admitted using it just to kill time. Twenty-five percent said they felt ill at ease if they couldn’t log in regularly. Think about that one.
In still another survey reported by Forbes, about half of 600 respondents said that looking at friends’ pictures on Facebook led them to comparisons and wishing for similar body styles or weights, affecting their self-esteem.
Dr. Harry Brandt, director of the latter study, was quoted in Forbes as saying, “In this age of modern technology and constant access to smartphones and the internet, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for people to remove themselves from images and other triggers that promote negative body image, low self-esteem and ultimately contribute to eating disorders” such as anorexia, bulimia and intense dieting.
Facebook isn’t alone in this phenomenon. Other elements include texting, tweeting, emailing and all the rest.
Internet Addiction Disorder is headed for further study in the official Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, making it a candidate for a “real” disorder.
Newsweek has pulled together a string of disturbing statistics.
The average teen processes 3,700 texts a month, double the 2007 volume.
The average person sends or receives about 400 texts a month, up from 100 in 2007.
One-third of smartphone users go online before getting out of bed.
In a survey of 750 people, most (excluding the 50-plus age bracket) said they check text messages, email or social network at least every 15 minutes.
An early addiction red flag? Spending more than 38 hours a week online.
(The irony of the Newsweek feature is that it offers – via an internet link – help in shielding your kids from tech overload).
The University of Bergen Facebook quiz (choose your answers from “very rarely,” “rarely,” “sometimes,” “often” or “very often”):
• You spend a lot of time thinking about Facebook or plan to use Facebook.
• You feel an urge to use Facebook more and more.
• You use Facebook in order to forget about personal problems.
• You have tried to cut down on the use of Facebook without success.
• You become restless or troubled if you are prohibited from using Facebook.
• You use Facebook so much that it has a negative impact on your job/studies.
More than four “often” or “very often” responses constitute addiction, the researchers decreed.
How did you do?

A moving story about addiction that was shared with me from a UK colleague

Someone You Know is an Addict

It’s estimated that approximately one in five people are born with an addictive personality - meaning they are vulnerable to becoming addicted to a substance or behavior.  This means that there is an excellent chance that someone you know - a friend or family member - is suffering, perhaps secretly, with an addiction problem.

The most serious cases end with the death or suicide or the victim.

This article is part of a campaign by Addictions UK to help addicts, all around the world. Read on to find out how you can offer your support. .

Understanding Addiction

The rapid growth of the Internet in recent years has seen the rise of new addiction problems, including Facebook addiction, online pornography addiction, online gambling addiction, and even Internet addiction. 

Although the word “addiction” is used to mean many different things, what we’re talking about here is more accurately described as “pathological dependence” - a flaw in the brain chemistry that creates an overwhelming and escalating urge to engage in a certain kind of behavior, even if the person knows that their actions are hurting them and they’re desperate to stop.

The condition of addiction can be easier to understand when compared to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  An OCD sufferer may be aware that, logically, there is no need to repeatedly wash their hands until they’re raw and bleeding, but the compulsion is so strong that they’re powerless to stop. 

Similarly, an online gambling addict may be racked with guilt because, once again, they’ve spent the grocery money on online poker, but no matter what they try, they cannot gain control of their behavior.

Worse still, when an addict’s compulsive behavior is of a type that is considered socially unacceptable, it’s common to hide the problem and try to tackle it privately.  This usually only results in the problem becoming more deeply entrenched.

Treatment is Available

The first step to successfully tacking addiction is education.  The addict may have come to the conclusion that they are a wicked person who is beyond redemption, but learning that their troubling actions are symptoms of an illness that afflicts millions of other people, many of whom have been successfully treated, can rekindle their hope and create a burning desire to obtain treatment.

Talking to a doctor can help; they may be able to recommend a local addiction treatment program.  Alternatively, private treatment can be obtained (see below).

The most important thing is for the addict to recognize that they have a dependency problem and that they cannot enter recovery without professional help.

How You Can Help

At the beginning of this article, we said that there is a strong chance that a friend of family member is suffering, maybe in silence, but that there is a way you can help.

There’s little point in trying to guess who may or not be affected. Addiction afflicts all different kinds of people, and often the person you least expect.

What you can do is help to put this article in front of as many different people as possible. The more people that see this message, the more likely it is that it will reach someone who really needs it.

To show your support for this campaign, please do one or more of the following:

1)      Share this article on Twitter and Facebook.

2)      Go to www.facebook.com/addictionsuk and “Like” this page.

3)      Place a link to www.addictionsuk.com or www.facebook.com/addictionsuk on your website.

4)      Post a comment below this blog post.

5)      Reproduce this article on your blog or website.

Don’t delay.  Spend 2-3 minutes now to do one or more of the above – you could save the life of someone you love.

Another view of Internet addiction

Internet Addiction impacts Brain Behavior - read full study!!

Background

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is currently becoming a serious mental health issue around the globe. Previous studies regarding IAD were mainly focused on associated psychological examinations. However, there are few studies on brain structure and function about IAD. In this study, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to investigate white matter integrity in adolescents with IAD.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Seventeen IAD subjects and sixteen healthy controls without IAD participated in this study. Whole brain voxel-wise analysis of fractional anisotropy (FA) was performed by tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to localize abnormal white matter regions between groups. TBSS demonstrated that IAD had significantly lower FA than controls throughout the brain, including the orbito-frontal white matter, corpus callosum, cingulum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, and corona radiation, internal and external capsules, while exhibiting no areas of higher FA. Volume-of-interest (VOI) analysis was used to detect changes of diffusivity indices in the regions showing FA abnormalities. In most VOIs, FA reductions were caused by an increase in radial diffusivity while no changes in axial diffusivity. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between FA and behavioral measures within the IAD group. Significantly negative correlations were found between FA values in the left genu of the corpus callosum and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, and between FA values in the left external capsule and the Young's Internet addiction scale.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that IAD demonstrated widespread reductions of FA in major white matter pathways and such abnormal white matter structure may be linked to some behavioral impairments. In addition, white matter integrity may serve as a potential new treatment target and FA may be as a qualified biomarker to understand the underlying neural mechanisms of injury or to assess the effectiveness of specific early interventions in IAD.

What is Internet Addiction - Podcast

Here is another recent podcast of a radio interview dealing with the warning signs and treatment involved with Internet addiction.

I Wonder Radio program

Hello Everyone,

Here is a recent radio story on Internet Addiction. I hope this is informative.

What if the Internet Went Down???

WASHINGTON (AP) — If a day without Wikipedia was a bother, think bigger. In this plugged-in world, we would barely be able to cope if the entire Internet went down in a city, state or country for a day or a week.

Sure, we'd survive. People have done it. Countries have, as Egyptdid last year during the anti-government protests. And most of civilization went along until the 1990s without the Internet. But now we're so intertwined socially, financially and industrially that suddenly going back to the 1980s would hit the world as hard as a natural disaster, experts say.

No email, Twitter or Facebook. No buying online. No stock trades. No just-in-time industrial shipping. No real-time tracking of diseases. It's gotten so that not just the entire Internet but individual websites such as Google are considered critical infrastructure, experts said.

"Nobody would die, but there would be a major hassle," said computer security expert Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure in Helsinki, Finland.

If an Internet outage lasted more than a day or two, the financial hit would be huge, with mass unemployment, said Ken Mayland, a former chief bank economist and president of ClearView Economics. Eugene Spafford, director of Purdue University's Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security, worries about bank runs and general panic.

Psychologically, too, it could be wrenching.

"I think it's easier to get off heroin," said Lisa Welter of New York City, who weaned herself for a month last year from just the social aspects of the Internet — she still paid bills online — and felt as if she was "living in a cave."

"There would be a sense of loss: What would I do with my time?" said Kimberly Young, a psychologist who directs the Center for Internet Addiction and Recovery.

On Wednesday, certain websites, most prominently Wikipedia, went dark to protest legislation in Congress that would crack down on pirated movies and TV shows. It was a one-day stunt. But it raises questions about our connectedness.

It is possible that hackers, terrorists, accidents or even sunspots could take down the Internet and cause areas to become cut off and unreachable, said Spafford, one of the foremost experts on computer security. The U.S. and other developed nations have multiple and robust routing systems that make it unlikely large areas would be affected, but smaller countries could be vulnerable to nationwide outages, Hypponen said.

The world only has to look back one year to Egypt to see what a sudden unplugging could spawn.

The government of Hosni Mubarak tried to stop protests in January 2011 by switching off the Internet. The shutdown halted businesses, banking operations and — at the height of the demonstrations — the ability of the protest leaders to organize and communicate with one another.

During the five days that the Internet was out, anti-Mubarak activists had to rely on help from abroad to spread their news and update Web pages. The outage harmed protesters' ability to organize or to counter government propaganda that portrayed them as agents of foreign powers, said Ahmed Saleh, who was in charge of managing the Facebook page that was credited with mobilizing thousands of Egyptians to take to the streets.

With the shutdown, the protests swelled as people unable to follow minute-by-minute what was going on took to the streets.

"No Internet meant that more people went down and realized that this was for real. The protests grew, and so did the anger against the government domestically and internationally," Saleh said.

He said the lack of Internet also allowed him to "live the moment" because he was not distracted with tweeting and posting on Facebook or analyzing the situation. This, he said, strengthened real face-to-face connections between people.

Nicholas Christin, associate director of the Information Networking Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, said that while a prolonged Internet outage would be uncomfortable, it might also bring out the best in people.

"I think you would find that people are very resilient," he said. "We would go back to the libraries."

Christin said he has gone a week without the Internet as part of a vacation. The first few days were rough, he said, but then "it was fantastic."

Christin did it by choice. Others had it imposed on them because of weather disasters or financial problems. They weren't nostalgic about it.

For three days, Jill Williams lost the Internet and power because of a California windstorm last month. Her small business requires her to use email to plan events.

"Those three days I felt deprived," she recalled in an email, responding to a Twitter request for anecdotes about going Internet-less. "The Internet has totally consumed my life, both business as well as pleasure."

Wyatt McMahon of the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech University was having a hard time Wednesday just dealing with the shutdown at Wikipedia, which he leans on as a first step in his searches in his field, which combines statistics and biology.

If the entire Internet were lost, "that would be beyond catastrophic. Every single day, every single hour, if not every 30 minutes, I am using the Internet for work," McMahon said. "So if anything like that were to happen, it would bring everything to a screeching halt."