Does Internet and Computer "Addiction" Exist? Some Case Study Evidence

TLDR

Social pathologies are emerging in cyberspace, yet empirical evidence for computer addiction is scarce and anecdotal reports suggest typical addicts are teenage males with limited social life and self‑confidence. The study examines five case studies of excessive computer usage. Each case was assessed using established addiction component criteria. Only two of the five cases met addiction criteria, while the others displayed symptomatic overuse used to compensate for other deficiencies.

Abstract

It has been alleged that social pathologies are beginning to surface in cyberspace (i.e., technological addictions). To date, there is very little empirical evidence that computing activities (i.e., internet use, hacking, programming) are addictive. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the typical "addict" is a teenager, usually male, with little or no social life, and little or no self-confidence. This article concentrates on five case studies of excessive computer usage. It is argued that of the five cases, only two of them describe "addicted" subjects. Addiction components criteria were used in the assessment. The excessive usage in the majority of cases was purely symptomatic and was highlighted how the subjects used the Internet/computer to counteract other deficiencies.