Are you single, college-educated, 30-something white male in the U.S.? Are you spending 30 hours a week logged online (apart from your regular work hours in the office)? No, we're not going to confiscate your computer. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine say you might just be one out of eight computer addicts who live like a boozer in the U.S. today.

Internet use has spawned an interesting generation that thrives on non-essential internet use such as compulsive e-mail checking, blogging online, or surfing. You may not be aware of it, but it persists like alcoholism in a sense that most people who do this are hiding the addiction, and use the Internet as an outlet to cure their bad moods or flee from the problems of the real world.

The survey indicated that "nearly 14% of respondents said they found it difficult to stay away from the internet for several days and 12% admitted that they often remain online longer than expected...Approximately 6% also said their personal relationships had suffered as a result of excessive internet usage."

Seems the researchers have missed something. The bottom line is that the Internet is a tool, and whatever comes as across as something people can use, they can abuse. The pattern of addiction that applies to everything mostly fits that of alcoholism, drug abuse, or OC tendencies.

We're told that human brains are practically wired for addiction. If it wasn't the internet, it would always be something else like, tinkering with lab rats or immersing one's self in the Blackberry. It's just a matter of finding the perfect object and getting attached to it - the nature of real addiction.