The symptoms and behaviors associated with Internet Addiction may be enough for it to merit inclusion in the fifth edition of the DSM- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. People in our society utilize the Internet productively as a tool to do banking, business, and academic research just to name a few. Alternatively, the Internet is often used non-productively and when this behavior is taken to extremes it is similar to other addictions such as Pathological Gambling. Research through means of diagnostic questionnaires and case studies find that people spend hours upon hours on the Internet and lose sight of their priorities. This compulsive behavior negatively affects people’s lives. The addictive behavior is detrimental to relationships with family, friends, and colleagues. Job and school performance may also be affected. Members of academia as well as medical researchers continue to take more interest in Internet addiction as evidence mounts that Internet addiction is a real problem. Worldwide treatment centers are popping up all over the world, indicating the problem is being treated like a real addiction.
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