continued

DISCUSSION

Given the recent surge in access to information technologies (Graphics, Visualization, and Usability Center, 1995), we have a new generation of diverse computer users. As this case suggests, contrary to the stereotype of a young, male, computer-savvy on-line user as the prototypic Internet "addict," new consumers of the Internet who do not match this general stereotype are just as susceptible. Given the severity of the family impairment in this case, future research should focus on the prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of this type of addictive behavior.

This case suggests that certain risk factors may be associated with the development of addictive use of the Internet. First, the type of application utilized by the on-line user may be associated with the development of Internet abuse. The subject in this case became addicted to chat rooms which is consistent with prior research that has found highly interactive applications available on the Internet (e.g., virtual social chat rooms, virtual games called Multi-user Dungeons played in real time simultaneously with multiple on-line users) to be most utilized by its consumers (Turkle, 1984, 1995). Research may document that, in general, the Internet itself is not addictive, but perhaps specific applications play a significant role in the development of Internet abuse. Secondly, this subject reported a sense of excitement when using the Internet which can be paralleled to the "high" experienced when people become addicted to video games (Keepers, 1990) or gambling (Griffiths, 1990). This implies that the level of excitement experienced by the on-line user while engaged in the Internet may be associated with addictive use of the Internet.

Based upon the issues raised here, it would be beneficial to adapt the brief questionnaire (Young, 1996) for use in classifying cases of such Internet abuse. By monitoring such cases, prevalence rates, further demographic information, and implications for treatment can be obtained. More significantly, one may show whether this type of behavior is implicated in or acts as a substitute for other established addictions, e.g., chemical dependencies, pathological gambling, sexual addictions, or if it is a co-morbid factor with other psychiatric disorders, e.g., depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders.

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