by: Idris Mootee
A growing body of research in the area of addiction suggests that Internet Addiction Disorder is becoming a real problem, it is a psycho-physiological disorder involving tolerance; withdrawal symptoms; affective disturbances; and interruption of social relationships. The most common one is Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD).
To be diagnosed as having Facebook Addiction Disorder, a person must meet certain criteria. At least 2 or 3 of the following 6 criteria must be present at any time during a 6-8 months period: 1/. The first thing is tolerance. This refers to the need for increasing amounts of time on Facebook to achieve satisfaction and/or significantly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of time. They often have multiple Facebook windows opened at any one time. 3 is usually a sign and over 5 you're helpless. 2/. After reduction of Facebook use or cessation, it causes distress or impairs social, personal or occupational functioning such as wondering why your Vista is so fast and improved etc. These include anxiety; obsessive thinking about what is written on your wall on Facebook etc. 3/. Important social or recreational activities are greatly reduced and or migrated to Facebook. Instead of sending an email you post a message on your friend’s page about canceling a lunch appointment. You now stop answering your phone call from your Mom and insist she should contact you through Facebook chat. 4/ This is getting serious if you start kissing your girlfriend's home page or a VRML virtual walk through a park is your idea of a date.5/ Your bookmark takes 20 minutes just to scroll from top to bottom or 8 of 10 people in your friend's list you have no idea of who they are. 6/ When you meet people you start introducing yourself by following "see you in Facebook" or your dog has its own Facebook profile. You invite anyone you've met and any notifications, messages and invites reward you with an unpredictable high, much like gambling. As we spend more and more time online no questions it can be addictive. Some say that there is no such thing as Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). I am not sure we have any answer for that yet. I am sure the pharma companies will be quick to say that there is medication solution out there with psychoactive drugs. So how many kinds of disorders are out there? Are they really disorders of just the pharma companies want us to believe there are. Here is my list and don't count that they will make it to the medical dictionary. Maybe a start-up can come up with an idea to help solving this problem.
I did not include the Mac Addiction Disorder (MAD) as there is no cure for this. I have many friends who are suffering from this and there's no sign that they are getting out. When we walk into an Apple store we realize that there’s nothing else for us to buy. That’s the first sign of MAD and I know many people suffer from this one without knowing it. The only cure is keep buying the next Mac products, whatever it is. Is addiction a problem or information overload is the bigger problem? Between blogs, RSS feeds, Twitter, Facebook, MSN, LinkedIn, Digg, and whatever next new social networking apps, we can keep ourselves busy 24 by 7. There is still much hand-wringing and second-guessing among those who spend a lot of their lives online both at work and at home as to whether their online activities is any addiction problem. When telephone was available for the mass for the first time, a lot of people started spending a lot of time on the phone, was that an addiction problem? Is iPod an addiction? There are people in my office listening to their iPods while at work and my teenager sons pretty much using their iPods 24 hrs, they listen to it even when they go to bed. Is that also addiction? Or it is just a fetish? Call it Facebook addiction or fetish, I see this as progress of enlightenment for the modern life. Our modern culture is unconsciously penetrated by the information (useful and useless) and we are all struggling with it. Social networks collapse the difference between culture and practical life and our culture is codified and distributed through the Internet. As a result the ‘culture’ industry is now being expanded beyond fashion, music and magazines. Much of this information that we’re exposed to on the Internet does not at all ‘signify’ true information or freedom from deception but it has reduced significantly the impact of any mass deception. The people's need to connect, along with the growth of social connectivity, would raise the quality of the social whole to a new and higher level.The organic composition of our social networks is growing. That determines networks as means of finding self-identities and not only as resources. Addiction may not be such a bad thing after all. Have a great weekend.
Original Post: http://mootee.typepad.com/innovation_playground/2008/05/are-you-suffering-from-facebook-addiction-disrder-fad.html
This blog reflects the personal opinions of individual contributors and does not represent the views of Futurelab, Futurelab's clients, or the contributors' respective employers or clients.
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allen says:
30 Oct 2008, 07:07
Important social or recreational activities are greatly reduced and or migrated to Facebook. Instead of sending an email you post a message on your friendâs page about canceling a lunch appointment.
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allen
Drug Rehabilitation Programs
The Doctor says:
21 Jan 2009, 10:10
This is an interesting article, I donât have an addiction with facebook (I am no longer a member of FB ), but my wife does! I have noticed that she is always on facebook during her "free time" I come home from work and the laptop is in the kitchen and she is logged on to FB while she is cooking or she is chatting until 2am, it feels like every waking moment is spent on FB.
an example, Sunday we return home from a morning out with the children, the first thing she did when she came in was to logon to FB, as you can imagine this made me really angry (that is an under statement) , I am to the point of not knowing what to do, I can be nasty and block access to the site via the firewall, which is what I intend to do.
I have always believed that social networking can cause more harm than good, especially when a loved one is affected by the other persons actions. I am unable to talk to my friends as they are all members of face book and they tell me to stop being an idiot. Am I being and idiot about this? Or am I a normal person who feels that something is being taken away from him? I am sick and tired of seeing my wife on her FB page, sick and tired of hearing the tapping of the keyboard while she is chatting till 2amâ¦.and yes, I do feel neglectedâ¦.
S
peter says:
07 Jan 2009, 01:52
My friend,
Good job on attracting my attention to your subversion of my attention. And great insight (or "exceptional insight" according to the left upper text-box) on the "health" industry. The people's "need to connect" is what bothers me. How do you know you have such need? Or is it part of the art of attracting attention (marketing) that create such need. Is it YOUR need for the salary you get but justified so as the need of "everyone" through the therapy of that it is OK to want and to need __and fill in the blank, that which you subverted beautifully, the anxiety of self itself?
Did you just manipulate humor?
What is "finding self-identity?" It sounds good but what does it mean? I mean, what does it mean?
Marissa says:
07 Jan 2009, 19:06
Facebook addiction is taking over me, I spend hours looking at photos and friends updates and status's. It's like a stalker's paradise, not that I"m stalking anyone ;)
Maya says:
25 Apr 2009, 11:15
I know that many people can find facebook very addictive so I have made a group on facebook and guess what its called. Lol its called:
FACEBOOK REHAB (for genuine addicts only)
Sounds mad I know but its already attracted 1,633 members. I know there are more addicted out there but they may think a group is silly, but its not, yeah it may be silly being addicted to facebook but its a way for people all over the world to come together and dicuss different things not just about facebook but about life. Their are many topics and discussions going on that has made people all over the world make new friends and have fun. So if you are addicted to facebook then join me and follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/s.php?k=100000080&id=1611870412&sid=feaeaa9cb386...
Jon says:
22 May 2009, 17:54
how sad is this that people are addicted to facebook. I mean come on people..its sad no matter what it is people are addicted to it..the sad world we live in
Bradean says:
28 Aug 2009, 19:47
why would people be addicted to facebook. I myself have a facebook but I am definitely not addicted. I actually find it kind of boring. I think its cool that people can keep in touch but why would anyone be on till two in the morning?
Sergio says:
03 Sep 2009, 23:56
Technology in general can be addictive. Today is Facebook, yesterday was Myspace, future Twitter...
Get a life connect with family and friends in person! Balance your life.
Like B. Franklyn use to say:
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
Africanlegend says:
23 Sep 2009, 16:51
LMAO! I enjoyed you article!! Well it is getting quite absurd really. Sometimes you can communicate with people on Fbook walls and it will be as fast as a live chat. I feel like people are sitting there wasting away. What happened to going outside and playing some sport! haha.
http://www.stuff-about.com/2009/09/10-clues-that-you-are-addicted-to.html
Maria says:
29 Sep 2009, 15:47
Last night, I deactivated my account after a six month facebook obsession. Today, I looked up 'Facebook addiction.' There is something to it... enough to be taken seriously.
hanum says:
21 Oct 2009, 03:22
I think now I can leave facebook land softly because of many assignments both campus and office to do. Thank’s for sharing. Nice posting ^_^
Tiff says:
03 Nov 2009, 19:34
Facebook is addictive...I have witnessed my boyfriend, who is just now learning how to use social networks, become very addicted to FB. He doesn't have a job, yet he is on FB all day long. When I get home from work he hasn't cleaned up, cooked, or looked for a job. When I say anything to him he just says "I am just talking to my friends". And I'm thinking, "At 2 in the morning?" Its very sad.
Tomas says:
06 Nov 2009, 19:28
Damn...the second posting (from The Doctor) is a word-for-word description of what I see happening in my home with my wife, too.
While we certainly have other issues, and I may not be Mr. Perfect, the past year has seen my wife gravitate towards Facebook as her primary source of enjoyable interpersonal interaction. She desperately wanted a child, and her desire (not mine) came true 5 years ago. I’ve been a great dad, consistently finding time for our son while also managing to work out (cycling) and still basically run the household, pay the bills and do the vast majority of cleaning and general picking up. She does the laundry (putting my clean clothes in a pile in the bedroom for me to put way) and she cooks 2-3 meals each week.
But while she does a good job of keeping up with our sons school-related things, she makes quick work of this and most days puts much more priority on sitting on Facebook rather than spending time with me or our son. After our son comes home she either puts him in front of the TV or I play with him, while she logs into FB. She then usually microwaves some food, and we do try to sit down together most days, but she will often return to FB after eating. And then after our son’s bedtime, about 50% of evenings will find her on FB on our PC or on the laptop in the living room.
This all started with FB activity surrounding her 20 year high school reunion in early 2008, then accelerated through the year, including after her sister (100 miles away) got engaged and she became immersed in planning for showers and the wedding. When the wedding came and went a month ago, I wondered how this would continue, but it has.
Of course, someone doing this has no perception that it’s destructive because it doesn’t involve leaving the household to go to bars or other social events. But when your spouse spends FAR more time keeping up with her FB contacts than she spends talking with her spouse, something is extremely messed up.
Jack says:
09 Nov 2009, 21:11
Hi everyone,
Today I have come to terms with being a facebk addict myself (hence my visit to this site). I don't like what its done to me. I feel like the gambler these sites talk about... getting highs from notifications etc.
I read "The Doctor" and "Tomas" 's posts with great sadness! Is facebook really destroying families??? My fathers friend recently lost his wife to some guy oversea's she met through facebk. I couldn't believe it.... I really look up to this guy! He's a great role model!
I know how these guys feel because my girlfriend will also check facebk constantly. In the movies... or even when sitting next &we haven't seen in other in a while. It hurts. I hope you guys have the strength and courage to talk to your loved ones and to show them the pain they are causing! I do believe with enough love shown to them... they will snap out of it!!
Anyway, I have decided to go cold turkey for TWO days completely. I was extra brave and added my relationship status to read "In a Relationship" and requested my girl friends name next to it.... I'm waiting for her approval. Brave because she has previously point blank refused to ever put her status up there. I really hope she likes me enough for the facebk world to know about us, and has the courage to accept it! Wish me luck!
What happened to the good old days when you had to show up at a girls house to speak to her? I'm 25 and sometimes I wish I lived back in those days!
Anonymous says:
20 Nov 2009, 08:28
I came across facebook during recovery from surgery and cancer. I want to be out enjoying life and being active but the fact is some of us cant and all we have is tv to keep us entertained because we are too weak or tired to do anything else. Facebook helped me through this horrible year of surgery, radiation, isolation. Reconnecting with many close friends I had lost touch with over the past year has helped me mentally which in turn is helping me physically. I am not on it nearly as much when I am feeling good but my life long disease has caused me to be exhausted and couchbound at night so FB has been a good temporary solution to help me do mindless tasks and wind down and live through experiences of others when I am unable to myself. It is also a great resource for information and advise if you use it correctly. I have a problem with how some people abuse it but overall personally it has done more good then harm. Be responsible and it will not consume you.
caroline says:
01 Jan 2010, 22:03
When i read the doctors comment it absolutely coincided with my situation so i decided to read the rest and they are all almost exactly what is happening to me! except in my case the FB addict is my mother.(im 14)
Since her recent divorce(a year ago)FB is all she does in her free time,from when she wakes up till when she goes to bed which is usually 4 or 5 am since she is chatting till this time.
She had promised shed stop doing this some time ago but she never did now she does it even more than before!!!!
She somehow thinks that one can meet more interesting people online...i dont agree at all...
Before she used to go out more with her friends instead of being on FB all the time...there was this one time when i caught her chatting on FB in the office while working!
I dont know what to do!does anybody have any suggestions??!
Anonymous says:
14 Jan 2010, 04:30
Facebook is addictive. Anyone who says otherwise may be fooling themselves. The reasons you should cancel a facebook account or atleast reconsider how many times you log in every day...
1)Anyone who I keep in touch with I keep in touch with the old fashion way- face to face, a phone call, or I see them on some regular basis in person. This is what I prefer and what I feel is right.
2) I'm sick of going out with friends and everyone being on their cell phones updating their facebook status instead of talking with the person in front of them! Suddenly they are too good for the actual person standing in front of them! When people brag about being out with friends on facebook they are really at some bar, texting like a fool, avoiding talking to the person next to them so that they seem too cool for words.
This is rude and no one realizes this.
3) I'm getting too many friend requests from the people I hate. People from elementary school that I never even talked to. Why should they know my business. !
4) It's all a big show off. The real reason you say what's on your mind and make friends with 500 people is usually to make yourself seem cooler and a platform to validate your image and identity. It's apparently easier to do this on the computer instead of face to face.
5) It's not healthy. Unless you use it strictly for networking and nothing personal. This is why businesses use facebook. I feel the pressure of these social networking sites and I'm convinced more and more people will jump on the bandwagon until you're "nobody" without a facebook page. Then the only way for us to feel close to people will be through the computer. Face to face interaction and conversation will no longer be valued. This is what I see from these web sites and from people being chained to them 24/7
6) it's just addicting. There is actual a clinical disorder called FAD facebook addiction disorder.
Maybe I overanalyze and take it too seriously but someone has to.
kcota says:
23 Jan 2010, 23:49
Of course FB is addictive! and it seems that it's taking over our social activities, I mean real physical activities. I have an account but I fear that if I close it I would be left out or even marginalized. I can say I don't care that much but let's be honest I mean, I didn't even had an account and people where already talking and making comments about me. Isn't that some way of not having privacy at all?? You have to look for and mantain your virtual identity and watch out for those who may publish a picture with you. Ok this seems obsesive and I could not care at all, but still it leaves me thinking a lot that this is something that can end very bad. What do you think?
Men vs. Women says:
28 Jan 2010, 06:32
How hilarious. I think we need another new diagnosis: MODWWFA
Male Obsessive Disorder With Wife's Facebook Activity
Sounds like plain old jealousy to me. And is there a reason she prefers FB to you? When you write novel length paragraphs complaining about every single thing she does, including the fact that you had a child with her?
Honestly, I'd run to FB too. What misery. And have to say that for as many men complaining about FB, there are as many women out there complaining about men's addiction to "fill in the blank" - golf, tennis, bars, drinking, sports, football, bad music, eating, sex, cheating. You are not immune to annoying habits. And learn to cook for yourself or family once in a while. It's 2010.
And to the wife of the guy who is thinking about configuring his firewall to block FB - the same guy who doesn't have the balls to sit down with his wife and give her his bottom line - take a look in the mirror. She is not your indentured servant or teen to "control" or "ground & punish."
Just get a divorce, because I would bet my life that your problems with your spouse were there LONG before FB came along.
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