These days, it can be nearly impossible to avoid using the Internet for just one day. In most cases, it’s not that people need to use the Internet everyday; most go on because it’s a regular part of their lives.

To nearly every young adult who grew up with the Internet, checking MySpace or Facebook a couple times a day is normal. But as Internet use is becoming more frequent, it is also becoming more of a problem. Other countries such as China and India, whose growing economies are allowing more frequent Internet use, have noticed a growing number of Internet addiction cases. Many young adults in China and other countries, including the United States, are not eating, losing sleep and spending days at a time on the Internet. According to a March 12 Reuters article, China has already created its own Internet addiction treatment center located in Beijing.

According to MentalHelp.net, the symptoms of Internet addiction include the inability to walk away from using the Internet, thinking about the Internet when not using it and inexplicable sadness or moodiness when not online.

Internet addicts claim the Internet has ruined their lives, causing them to lose friends. Like any other mental disorder or addiction, Internet addiction seems to have the same effects, which is why rehab clinics in China and the United States are beginning to take the addiction more seriously than they have before.

The Internet is usually thought to be very beneficial for school. It allows easy access to information and Web sites like Blackboard that allow students to stay up-to-date with grades. However, it’s also causing students in China to flunk out of school.

So where can we draw the line between taking advantage of the Internet or actually having an addiction?

Internet, along with many other types of technology, is something people use more than they have to. The younger generation doesn’t need to check their MySpace every day, or chat with their friends on AIM for hours. Most young adults probably couldn’t even go one day without using the Internet, even if they tried. Frequent Internet users need to realize that going outside and enjoying life rather than being on MySpace all day is more important. Until then, Internet addiction cases are likely to become more frequent.

While the Internet may seem like an innocent way to talk to friends, play games and get information, the potential for addiction is there. Regardless of how people look at it, Internet addiction can cause just as many problems as any other addiction. This new trend is proof that as technology continues to evolve, society needs to better evolve the ways of dealing with the problems it creates.