Internet addiction is a real and serious problem. Many people become absorbed in online games or shopping to the point of it taking control of their lives. My freshman year of college I had a friend that became obsessed with an online game. He had problems with drugs and alcohol in the past and managed to quit his substance abuse; however, he transferred his addictive habits to the online game. He was spending over twelve hours a day playing online. I rarely saw him and he started not going to class in order to play the game.
Internet addiction follows the same behavioral patterns of other addictions. It is marked by a withdrawal from normal activity in order to be on the computer. Luckily, the health risks are not as great as an alcohol or drug addiction. However, it is legitimate and cause for concern.