Internet addiction isn’t a widespread problem yet, but there are serious cases in which teenagers don't leave the house, don't have interpersonal relationships, and have been isolated in front of their computer screen for the past two or three years.
But while there is no lack of data on compulsive gambling and alcoholism, there is a near vacuum when it comes to Internet addiction.
A survey conducted in the Quebec health network concluded that hundreds of patients have consulted a professional about this issue. Researchers hope to further develop this data and determine the clinical threshold of addiction, establish how the disease evolves and elaborate intervention techniques.