A United States health website describes online or internet addiction as being "characterized by excessive or poorly controlled preoccupations, urges or behaviours regarding computer use and internet access that lead to impairment or distress". The important reference here is to the discomfort or distress that is being experienced by the person who is addicted. The extent of addiction in the US was seen in  random telephone survey of the general US population that reported an estimated of 0.3-0.7% suffered from addictiom. It observed that the disorder occurs worldwide, but mainly in countries where computer access and technology are widespread. The addiction can involve obsessive involvement in computer games and excessive social media interaction.

Age can be a factor but often, we are more concerned with the affect such addiction occurs in children and younger people. How can we help someone, or a family, where this is a major difficulty? ...

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