10:02am UK, Friday March 28, 2008

Texting and emailing could be addictive.

Addictive? But fun

Compulsive texters and emailers might have something wrong with them, say psychiatrists.

They arewondering if "addiction" to the internet might now be classed as a mental illness and included in a new manual listing mental disorders.

Excessive gaming, too much preoccupation with sex and excessive text messages and emails were all covered by the illness, said Dr Jerald Block In an editorial in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Symptoms included feelings of withdrawal when a computer cannot be accessed, an increased need for better equipment, the need for more time to use it, and negative repercussions of addiction, such as arguments, lying, social isolation and fatigue, Dr Block said.

"Unfortunately, internet addiction is resistant to treatment, entails significant risks, and has high relapse rates," he wrote.

His article pointed to research in South Korea and China, where internet cafes are often used instead of computers in the home.

"Using data from 2006, the South Korean government estimates that approximately 210,000 South Korean children (2.1%; ages 6-19) are afflicted and require treatment," he said.

"Perhaps 20% to 24% require hospitalisation."

Preventive measures are now being introduced into schools in South Korea, he wrote.