Dayafterdayyouaregluedtoyourcomputerscreen.Youcannotgetenoughofonlinegames,netshoppingorcybersurfing.Yoursociallifegetsworse,andsodoesyourhealth.ChancesarethatyouareaddictedtotheInternetandyouneedcounseling.

OnNovember8,anInternetAddictionDisorder(IAD)diagnosticmanual（诊断手册）wasapprovedbyagroupofpsychologistsinChina,whoagreedthatInternetaddictionisamentaldisease.AccordingtoareportonXinhuanet.com,themanualforthefirsttimegivesacleartimestandardfordiagnosingIAD,sayingthatsurfingtheInternetformorethansixhoursaday,notforthepurposeofstudyingorworking,andhavingdonesoforlessthanthreemonths,mightbeasymptomofIAD.

Addictionsymptomsvary

Besidesthelongonlinetime,someothersymptomswouldalsohelpdoctorsdiagnoseIADpatients,suchashavingastrongdesirefortheInternetandfeelingphysicaldiscomfort,becomingeasilyangry,beingunabletoconcentrateonthingsorfindingitdifficulttosleepifunabletogetonline.

Apartfromtheseconditions,othersymptomsarealsolistedinthemanual.IfanetsurfercannotgetoutofthevirtualworldofWebgames,whichhasalreadyaffectedhis/hercapabilitytostudyorwork,orhe/shefeelslittleinterestindoinganythingbutjumpingonlineorisafraidtocommunicatewithothers,he/sheisalsoconsideredtobeanIADsufferer.

AccordingtotheWorldHealthOrganization,mentaldiseasesufferershavetwomajorcharacteristics:theybringsufferingtoboththemselvesandtheirfamilies,andtheirabilitiestobeinvolvedinsocialactivitiesareaffected.

Mentalillnessstigma（污名）

However,ithasresultedinabacklash（反对）fromthepublic,duetothefactthatmentaldiseaseisaverysensitivetermtoChinese.

Manynetizensdroppedcommentsexpressingtheirdoubtsaboutthemanual,sayingthattheycouldnotaccepttheymightbesufferingfrommentalillnessjustbecausetheyspenttoomuchtimeontheInternet.

Expertssaidthereisamisunderstandingofthemanual.ExplainingthatIADsufferersarenot“crazypeople”,theycallonsocietyatlargetochangetheirunderstandingofmentaldisease.Mentaldiseasecoversawiderangeofpsychologicalorbehavioralproblems,suchasdepression.