Treatment Centers

Internet addiction is on the rise, but it is unclear as to whether or not the incidence of addiction is rising, or that more people are becoming aware of the problem and seeking help. According to a recent Google News report, the Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has helped 100 young people in the past year.

Dr. Bruce Ballon started a program for Internet addicts one year ago and in that time, has seen roughly 50 people pass through the program, while another 50 or so have been helped online. He notes that demand for help of Internet addictions is up and parents can be as much a part of the solution as they are a part of the problem.

"I often ask parents, "Have you got BlackBerrys, smartphones, iPhones?" said Ballon. "Are you answering emails at three in the morning, are you role modeling things for your kids, are you angry at them playing the game when you’re answering emails at 3 a.m. on Sunday? It’s a society issue too."

The Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health offers programs that cater to gambling, video game and Internet-related addictions.

According to Dr. Brent Conrad, a clinical psychologist who studies video games and Internet addiction, it is difficult to quantify the extent of the problem as the condition is not defined in the profession’s handbook, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association.

"Unfortunately, it is common for different studies to use different criteria – which of course, leads to different conclusions – but in general, most studies suggest that from five to 10 per cent of users demonstrate behaviors suggestive of addiction," he said.