I CAN QUIT ANYTIME I WANT, YOU KNOW

Blogging will be light today as I have a lot of work to catch up on and a number of meetings to go to. Besides, I can quit any time I want....

IS THIS A FUTURE DSM VI DIAGNOSTIC CLASSIFICATION ??

INTERNET ABUSE: The essential features of the abuse syndrome are:
A maladaptive pattern of internet use causing clinically significant distress or impairment of social or occupational functioning.

Maladaptive use will include high daily internet use, regular heavy weekend internet use, binge internte use(staying online for days, often after periods of abstinence).
One or more of the following must have occurred as a result of recurrent internet use within a 12 month period:
1. failure to fulfill major role obligations e.g. repeated absences or poor work performance related to being on the internet; suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of the children or household.
2. exposure to physical hazards e.g. driving an automobile or operating a machine while trying to respond to email.
3. legal problems e.g. arrests for internet-related disorderly conduct.
4. social or interpersonal problems e.g. arguments with partner about consequences of internet use, physical fights while online.
A diagnosis of an abuse syndrome is not made if the person is dependent on the internet or computer.

INTERNET DEPENDENCE: The key features of the internet dependence syndrome are:

A maladaptive pattern of computer and internet use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12 month period:
1. tolerance, as defined by either:
(a) a need for markedly increased amounts of time on the internet to achieve that "internet or world-wide-web high"
(b) continued use of the same amount of internet time with markedly diminished effect (i.e., not raising your TTLB rankings or traffic)
2. withdrawal, as manifested by two or more of the following occurring after cessation or reduction of heavy prolonged internet browsing:
(a) autonomic hyperactivity such as sweating or heart rate in excess of 100 beats per minute
(b) hand tremor and an intense desire to type rants
(c) nausea or vomiting when re-entering the real world from the virtual
(d) transient visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations
(e) psychomotor agitation
(f) anxiety that something will happen and YOU WON'T KNOW ABOUT IT!
(g) grand mal seizures or perhaps just tics as you longingly look toward the shut-off computer
3. time on the internet or computer often consumes a longer period than was intended
4. there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts made to cut down or control the amount of time online
5. a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to connect to the internet, such as finding ways to insure connection when your server is down; having backup computer systems in the event of power failure, etc.
6. important social, occupational or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of time spent on the internet
7. internet or computer use is continued despite a physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by being online.

NOTE: IF YOU MEET THESE CRITERIA -- GET HELP FAST! Immediately sign on to the internet and go to www.drsanity.blogspot.com for therapeutic support-- and good, old-fashioned enabling!