Online relationships sometimes segue into real life. For people who overuse the Net, the likelihood of moving to phone calls and sexual contact is much greater. Like Greenfield, Dr. Kimberly Young, a psychologist at the Center for Online Addiction in Bradford, Penn., has found that the Internet can compound existing marital and relationship problems and sometimes prompt them. She's currently working on a paper about how the Net is affecting divorce rates. Geography seems to be no barrier.
People often meet across long distances, a whole new phenomenon.
Overall, his data is consistent with her findings, says Young, a pioneering researcher on the subject. Even though psychologists are still working to better understand the nature of excessive Internet use, they agree that it's treatable now. If you find that the Net is causing serious problems in your life, they advise laying off the mouse and getting professional help. The younger you are the more likely you could develop a problem. You experience intense intimacy when you're online with people.