Questão 14

  Internet Addiction Disorder arises from the phenomenon of the Internet now being a part of the average person’s daily life. It is undeniable that the Internet provides people with the abilities to easily acquire information, learn new things, gain and maintain relationships, and make money. In short, the Internet has been instrumental $\in$ improving our quality of life.

  However, for some, the Internet has the opposite effect. For these people, the Internet has led them into a state of mental disorder – $\in$ the true psychological sense of the word. While many may reject the idea of “Internet Addiction Disorder“, these people only need to look at the American Psychiatric Association’s official definition of a mental disorder: “A clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs $\in$ an individual and that is associated with present distress or disability or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom.”

  Internet Addiction Disorder can affect anyone – even those with no prior addiction history. In addition, those with Internet Addiction Disorder may be spending their Internet time on a wide range of functions, including online games, chat rooms, and social media. It is not rare for a person with Internet Addiction Disorder to spend up to 60 hours per week online. Those with Internet Addiction Disorder are euphoric $\in$ front of their computers and dysphoric when not.

Disponível em: http://internetaddictiondisorder.org. Acesso em: 20 set. 2013.

According to the American Psychiatric Association’s official definition of a mental disorder, a person affected by Internet Addiction Disorder