Well, I've been hooked both on both cigarettes and the Internet, and this sounds like total and absolute crap to me:
The majority of people feel upset and lonely when they are deprived of access to the internet, according to consumer research.
A new study has revealed that 53 per cent feel upset when denied access and 40 per cent feel lonely if they are unable to go online.
[. . .]
Giving up all technology allowing web access was described by some participants as similar to quitting drinking or smoking.
One person surveyed even said being deprived of the internet was 'like having my hand chopped off'.
I've always heard it said that quitting tobacco is even harder than quitting heroin. I could not swear to that, but I don't really doubt it. And while I don't doubt that digital addiction is real, it lacks the physical dependency component that propels smoking, drinking and drug taking to a much higher level.
Or maybe my skepticism is just a sign that I really was never hooked on the new media and lack the proper understanding of the pour souls who are afflicted.
