Treatment suggestions

               Treatment of any behavioral addiction is facilitated by a thorough assessment of the unique behavioral reinforcement patterns
               contained in any individual case. This process is complicated for IAD due to the newness of this phenomena. Anyone
               seeking help for themselves, or concerned about a loved one, faces several real obstacles. One is finding a psychologist or
               mental health professional that will acknowledge the existence of this problem, and not just attribute it to other pathology that
               may or may not be present. Secondly, there is a serious lack of psychologists that are familiar enough with the specific types
               of Internet social interactions to be qualified to formulate a treatment plan to address IAD (Young, 96).

               Following the general caveat that what causes a problem is a problem, it might seem that total abstinence is a reasonable
               "cure". Most cases will not be amenable to that solution, because so many of the reported cases are from student and
               worker populations where use of the Internet to accomplish research or business goals is a requirement, not an option. It is
               prudent then to offer the client with IAD a program of recovery resembles going on a diet (Orzack, 96). Overeaters
               Anonymous, a twelve step group that addresses eating disorders, is a valid model from which examples of dealing with the
               reduction of a behavior can be drawn.

               There may be ways to engage the very activity itself as a deterrent. Since someone suffering IAD is already computer literate,
               and oriented towards computers as a resource, it makes sense to incorporate a computer assisted recovery. Many people
               already have calendar schedules they keep current and check often, on their computer. Using such a program to log one's
               on-line time, and what that time was specifically spent on, would be a means of both establishing a base line for the behavior
               and tracking recovery progress. Also, a client could set such a program to flash a message at regular intervals, reminding the
               user to stop momentarily and evaluate if their current Internet interactivity is warranted or not.

               Dr. Maressa Orzack is currently treating IAD, and other pathological computer use, with cognitive behavioral therapy at the
               psychiatric outpatient clinic of McLean Hospital in Boston, MA. Presently, only individual treatment is offered, but plans exist
               for group treatment. Dr. Orzack states that this disorder should not be treated on-line, and a psychopharmacological
               consultation is recommended in some cases (Orzack, 96).

               Effective treatment programs can be developed for IAD, but they must incorporate an understanding of the specific aspects
               on on-line use that is at the core of any individuals problem. If someone is "hooked" on hanging out in a chat channel with
               their close net friends, the reinforcement pattern will be different from someone involved in maintaining an alternate persona in
               a role playing MOO. Assessing someone with IAD for the exact nature of their on-line social activity is crucial, because the
               available range is so large.  Each modality (email, real time chat, MOO's) has a different pattern of reinforcements it supplies.
               One approach that might work across such sub-types of IAD is an effort by the client to limit their Internet use to a regular
               set time each day. This would help counter the highly reinforcing variable ratio aspect, where one is never sure when
               something exciting is going to appear, but the total amount of excitation is dependent upon the amount of time on-line. For
               example, if someone knew that the were only going to check their email at 9 am, this would put the reinforcement back on a
               variable fixed schedule, where the reinforcement value is less. The desire to log on to see what might have transpired will be
               confronted, as a first step in a recovery program.

               Conclusion

               Technological advancements in communication tools have opened a new domain in social interactivity. It is now possible,
               from the privacy and sanctity of one's own home, to publish one's ideas to hundreds or thousands of other people, and
               receive instant and delayed feedback from across vast distances. This in a new development, and is now supplementing the
               traditional mass media, with it's 'from one to many" format, with a "from many to many" format, for millions of Internet users
               world wide. This is a categorically different form of human interaction, one that is too recent, and still changing too fast, for
               it's implications to be fully cognizant to even the oldest members of on-line virtual communities. IAD is not like other forms of
               behavioral addiction, because it involves interaction with others in the context of this new, scarcely researched medium.

               Using the Internet is no more inherently addicting than any other human activity that someone might find pleasure producing,
               valuable or productive, be it social in nature or not. A full understanding of IAD is only possible if a complete understanding
               of the aspects of Internet personal behavior, that are unique to the Internet, is arrived at. This paper has been an attempt to
               distinguish the actual kinds of interactions that are only available on the Internet that have a highly stimulating value. The
               uninhibited and hyperpersonal nature of social contact in a virtual realm combine with the selectivity, anonymity and
               availability possible as unique characteristics of on-line social interactivety.

               Research in this area is just now turning to look at the characteristics of Internet users that might predispose them to IAD.
               This paper is an initial attempt to match the unique qualities of the Internet to some inherent personality predisposition, the
               combination of which might help account for the occurrence of IAD at the levels it is now being reported. Fantasy proneness,
               shyness, social phobia, perceived lack of social status or attention are all characteristics that, when exposed to the instant
               acceptance and projection filled nature of virtual interpersonal relations, might constitute a vulnerability to IAD.

               Future research will overcome the methodological handicap of self report data. One area that clearly has not been addressed
               at the level it deserves is the use of, and addiction to, on-line pornography and interpersonal cybersex. Anything that can
               safely, quickly, and completely satisfy such a basic human desire is bound to be addictive to some. How to induce subjects
               to self disclose about this activity is another methodological problem, and base rates for this activity are going to be difficult
               to determine.

               Virtual relationships are mobile, can be very supportive (Wellman, 96), and have minimal risk compared to potential gains
               (Walther, 96).  People using the Internet to form new relations are engaged in a new, stimulating and reinforcing activity. It is
               reasonable to expect a high percentage of new users to become more or less passionate for some period of time when first
               exposed to the possibilities of long distance friendships and the status equality inherent in virtual forums. It is clear from this
               review of research efforts that the time determinate in the diagnostic criteria for IAD is a very important, and it is only the
               continued focus on on-line involvement's, across a significant period of time in which real life losses occur, that marks IAD as
               a pathological condition, as opposed to a freely chosen passion.