There is an increasingly amount of people this day in age that are suffering from Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD). A growing body of research in the area of addiction suggests that Internet Addiction Disorder is becoming a real problem, and it's actually a psycho-physiological disorder. This disorder is similar to any other dependency, such as drugs, alcohol or sex which all involve tolerance; withdrawal symptoms; affective disturbances; and interruption of social relationships.
To be diagnosed as having a Facebook Addiction, a person must meet certain criteria. At least 2 or 3 of the following 6 criteria must be present at any time during a 6-8 months period:
1/. The first thing is tolerance. If you find yourself spending more and more time on facebook as each week/month progresses, then you might just have a facebook addiction. Also, if you find yourself having multiple windows open at a time, you might have a problem as well.
2/. After reduction of Facebook use or cessation, you find yourself constantly thinking about what is going on on your facebook wall, if someone has responded back to your message. Almost in an obsessive type of way. It hinders you at work and also in social settings. This again, is another sign of a facebook addiction.
3/. Another sign of Facebook addiction is when important social or recreational activities are greatly reduced and or migrated to Facebook. Instead of calling someone to make plans, you find yourself writting the invite on your friends facebook wall, or posting an announcment. You find yourself more comfortable with IMing, rather than carrying out an "old fashioned conversation".
4/ This is getting serious if you start kissing your girlfriend's home page or ask them to be "in a relationship" via a facebook app.
5/ You look through your friendslist and only know a handfull of people, yet there is a good 8-10 that you have no idea who they are and how they got there.
6/ When you meet people you start introducing yourself and asking "are you on facebook" and then following "see you in Facebook" Now if your dog or cat has its own Facebook profile, that is a sure sign of a facebook addiction. And any notifications, messages and invites reward you with an unpredictable high, much like gambling.
As we spend more and more time online no questions it can be addictive. The question is, is this curable? How do we pry ourselves away from the all mighty facebook world?? Some say that they are starting to develop medications for this addiction...would that even work?
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