Dr Jerald Block, a psychiatrist at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, said that internet addiction is becoming an "increasingly commonplace compulsive-impulsive disorder" and should be “added to psychiatry's official guidebook of mental disorders".

Internet “addicts” fall into one of three categories: excessive gambling, sexual preoccupations and email or text messaging.

Dr Block said that internet addicts can lose all track of time or neglect "basic drives" such as eating or sleeping.

However, Dr Block's research also revealed that 86 per cent of "internet addicts" also have some other form of a mental disorder.

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org

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