Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is it really possible for someone to become addicted to a behavior like playing video games or viewing pornography?

A: Yes. All addictions, whether bahavioral or chemical, have a critical thing in common. Research is beginning to reveal that they all produce elevated levels of dopamine in the brain. This neurochemical, in concert with some others, causes a "high". When people discover ways to artificially sustain elevated levels of dopamine, they are in danger of becoming addicted because, over time, the body develops tolerance to a given level of dopamine. The person then must increase the behavior or substance to avoid withdrawal symptoms and achieve a "high" once again.

Q: What is it about computers and the internet that gets some of us addicted?

A: Video games and the internet reward our efforts in what appears to us to be an unpredictable way. This is called intermittant reinforcement and is the behavioral principle known to be at work in gambling addiction. Each click of the mouse brings a new surprise. Sometimes we are frustrated, sometimes we are rewarded. If we are rewarded enough, we keep on clicking. Video game developers know this and are explicit about creating games with a lot of "stickiness" (i.e. addictiveness).

Q: How would a person know if they are addicted or not?

A: You can go to our page with signs and symptoms of internet/computer addiction and see how many apply to you or the person you have in mind. In brief, all addictions have certain things in common: the addict feels "out of control" (obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior); the addict gets a feeling of euphoria or relief when engaging in the behavior or ingesting the substance; withdrawal symptoms develop when the addict is unable to satisfy his or her craving; and the addict pursues the addiction in spite of negative consequences.

Q: In your experience, what kind of cyberaddiction occurs the most?

A: The calls we get mostly have to do with sex and video game addiction. However, we know from anecdotes and research that chat rooms, virtual communities, and gambling sites can be highly addictive, also.