Internet fuels other addictions

Editor - Young's editorial on internet addiction makes a lot of interesting points.¹ There are, however, several areas that I would like to take issue with. I agree with Young that the way of determining whether non-chemical (behavioural) addictions are addictive in a non-metaphorical sense is to compare them with clinical criteria for other established drug induced addictions.^2,3

Firstly, the problem with the criteria suggested by Young (criteria which I have used in my own studies too) is, however, that they;

1. have no measure of severity,
2. have no temporal dimension,
3. have a tendency to overestimate the prevalence of problems, and
4. take no account of the context of internet use.

Secondly, Young attempts to make distinctions between cybersexual addictions, cyber-relationship addictions, net compulsion, information overload, and computer addiction. Many of these excessive users are not "internet addicts" but just use the internet excessively as a medium to fuel other addictions. A gambling addict or a computer game addict is not addicted to the internet. The internet is just the place where s/he engages in the behaviour.

In my own research, however, I have certainly identified a small number of cases who seem to be addicted to the internet itself. These are usually people who use internet chat rooms or play fantasy role playing games - activities that they would not engage in except on the internet. These people are to some extent engaged in text based virtual realities and take on other personas and social identities in order to feel good about themselves. In these cases, the internet provides an alternative reality to users and allows them feelings of immersion and anonymity that may be psychologically rewarding. Such immersion may actually lead to an altered state of consciousness which in itself may be highly psychologically and physiologically rewarding.^3,4

Excessive usage in a majority of cases seems to be purely symptomatic, but for an apparently exceedingly tiny minority the internet may be addictive. Internet usage among the general population will undoubtedly start to increase over the next few years, and, if social pathologies do exist, this is certainly an area for development that should be of interest and concern to all those involved in health issues.

Mark Griffiths, head of psychology, Psychology Division, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG1 4BU


studentBMJ 1999;07:394-436 November ISSN 0966-6494

1. Young KS. Internet addiction: evaluation and treatment. studentBMJ 1999;7:351-2. (October.)
2. Griffiths MD. Internet "addiction": An issue for clinical psychology? Clin Psychol Forum 1996;97:32-6.
3. Griffiths MD. Internet addiction: does it really exist? In: Gackenbach J, ed. Psychology and the internet: intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal applications. New York: Academic Press, 1998:61-75.
4. Griffiths MD. Technological addictions. Clin Psychol Forum 1995;76:14-9.