BizJournals Portfolio
Home >   Business Views, Opinions and Blogs >   Business Blogs >   Tech Observer >  

Texting Addiction An Actual Sickness

Tech Observer

by Kevin Maney
Main
No Open Mandate for Cell Networks - Yet   Sorry, But Bluetooth Headsets ALWAYS Look Geeky

Recent Blog Posts

Links

Apr 01 2008 12:00am EDT

Texting Addiction: An Actual Sickness?

Perhaps you remember my son from a previous post -- the 14-year-old who ran up a $657 texting bill. That would be 12,000 texts in a month. Well, perhaps he's one of millions of people with Excessive Texting Disorder, or whatever it might be called.

An editorial in the March American Journal of Psychiatry puts texting in the category of "compulsive-impulsive spectrum disorder." Think you might have it? The journal says these are the symptoms:

1) excessive use, often associated with a loss of sense of time or a neglect of basic drives.

2) withdrawal, including feelings of anger, tension, and/or depression when the computer (or cell phone) is inaccessible.

3) tolerance, including the need for better equipment, more software, or more hours of use.

4) negative repercussions, including arguments, lying, poor achievement, social isolation, and fatigue.

You just know this will soon be followed by the establishment of a Texting Crisis Center.

. □

Comments

If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.


Connect With Portfolio.com
Like Portfolio on Facebook

Come on, like us—you know you want to.

Follow Portfolio on Twitter

Follow us and if you're an innovative entrepreneur, we'll return the favor.

The Mix

Today's top stories, conversation starters, and the back nine business bites.

spotlight on

Slideshows

500 Startups Hits New York

Dave McClure's brainchild makes its way to New York and introduces East Coast money folks to some intriguing new companies. View Slideshow