I was flipping through the pages of ‘The Kuwait Times’ sometime back, and my gaze fell upon something spooky&interesting. It was a report about a Chinese man, dropping dead in a cybercafe on continuously gaming for 3 days flat! I don’t know about you, but the idea of a grown man staring at his monitor, dazed and hypnotized is a tad weird, eh?

Well the story continues and the paramedics arrive, failing to revive the gamer, declare him dead right on the spot. They assume for now, it might have been due to shear exhaustion that resulted in this man meeting with an untimely death.

What could have driven him to go on for days playing a game you may ask? Well, its just a new type of addiction that has come along in this era “Internet addiction” (before you give me a smirk or decide to skip reading the rest of this post..hold on buddy) Internet/Gaming Addiction is real.

• A survey of Web users found that 52 percent would be willing to give up coffee rather than Internet access.(I know, I agree with you..coffee isn’t as enticing as the Internet , I will be among the 52% but read on)

• 20% of the people going on-line will experience clear negative impacts to their life.

• Use of the Internet is a contributing factor in nearly 50% of all family, work and relationship problems.

• 11% of the people going on-line are becoming compulsive or addicted.

These are just a few facts that have been enumerated here, regarding the effects of excessive internet use. Take a short test :: IAQ to find out if you are among the growing number of addicts. I know I am one What was your score?

* Goes back to playing frozen bubbles — If my next post doesn’t come out soon, you better call the cops! *