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Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center are saying that Internet-addiction is a more widespread problem than people may think. They say that 1 in 8 Americans shows at least one sign of problematic Internet use.

They also pointed out that it isn’t just pornography and gambling sites that people are addicted to but other sites as well. They cite computer users’ strong drive to check email, shop online, visit web sites and chat rooms and write on their blogs as other signs of possible compulsive behavior.

Strong drive to check email… Does this mean that if you stop and look inside your snail mailbox daily that you have a postal addiction?

According to Elias Aboujaoude, MD, lead author of the study, people use the Internet to escape a negative mood and compares it to alcoholism.

What? When was the last time you heard of anyone being injured by a web addict who was recklessly surfing too fast?

As a compulsive blog-writing Internet addict, I like to think that bloggers, such as myself, give visitors something interesting to read and focus on. If it improves their mood, why is this a bad thing?

The researchers admit that there are no criteria for establishing what is or is not an Internet addiction so they used questions associated with diagnosing other compulsive and addictive behaviors. In this way, simply using the Internet regularly, not wishing to go without the Internet for several days and finding it relieves stress or a negative mood is interpreted as dangerous addiction.

Now ask the people who aren’t on the net regularly, how often they watch TV, whether they like going without TV for several days at a time or if they ever watch TV to relax when they are stressed. Then ask women during football season if TV ever interferes in their relationships.

I think the basic problem is that those who don’t understand the exciting and satisfying interactive experience of the Internet assume that to enjoy being online for “non-essential” reasons, signifies some problem.

Oh yeah, the study focuses on “non-essential” computer use, like checking email and making blog entries.

Don’t tell me I am not essential…

Internet Addiction: Stanford Study seeks to define whether it’s a problem