US News

Inter-nuts! Web addiction new psych illness

Addicted Internet surfers — gamblers in particular — could end up on a shrink’s couch, faster than the click of a mouse.

The American Psychiatric Association is expected to add “Internet Use Disorder” to its newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

The DSM, as it’s known, is considered the ultimate source on mental illness.

Doctors, lawmakers, courts and pharmaceutical companies all lean heavily on the DSM to define disorders and to craft treatments.

The disorder, as proposed for the DSM, would include a broad range of troubling behaviors, many tied to out-of-control gambling. The traits would include:

* Preoccupation with online gambling and a need to spend more time wagering via the Internet.

* Withdrawal symptoms when computer use is denied.

* Continued excessive Internet use by an individual, even if he or she knows how dangerous the problem has become.

* Lying to shrinks and loved ones about excessive Internet use and online gambling.

* Losing interest in other forms of entertainment and hobbies. , Wires