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“Tech devices control and dom- inate our lives," the Counselling Associates said. “It’s the monster that V‘ f with us. Technology has caught off guard and we nowhaveagewa’r alized 0CD (obsessive disorder) in our culture in!!! 2, ' we're obsessed with the device‘s: Sotethered to our electronic devices are we that they've spawned serious consequences, mental health experts and devo- tees agree. With convenience comes comâ€" pulsion and the connectivity- mania is creating manic disorders, includ- ing dangerous dependencies. Let’s call them e-ddictions. Increasingly savvy cellphones, enabling conversations, instant access to the Internet and the sending and receipt of e-mails, text messages, videos and photographs are “technology tyrants," Markham family therapist Carrie Fleetwood said. Canadians send =o~v ow 100 million text and text message doubled every year , saging was introduced in " the Canadian Wireless , communications ' ' reported. Berry smartphone I; earned its mfi CrackBerry moniker, chotherapist Tracy ' ards said. Ql'm “Do we have a ,_ addicted generation? ' N short answer is yes,” said Ms Richards, host of CFRB radio's Inspirational Living. i "+3 However, it’s a stage we have got to go and evolve through. ‘We all need to love and be loved, to have relationships. It starts with that basic need.’ BY CHRIS TRADER ctraber@yrmg.com e’re wired to wireless k technology. The big picture is connectivity. Society needs to stay connected, she added. Opting for private practice after operating a Thomhill wellness cen- tre, pan of Ms Richards’ portfolio involves counselling clients with addictions. She knows how habit- forming devices, such as her own iPhone, can be. “l confine it’s usage, but admit that I depend on it," she said. “I lasted two weeks without it when it was being repaired. I felt the loss of connectivity. I need to be up-to- the-minute." Both therapists agree well-docu- mented wireless and Internet fixa- tions can lead to serious pmblans. Excessive gaming, gili w online pomegraphxem textmessagingbavg ‘ as causes pf a u It has been reported nearly 14 per cent of adolescent Internet users in China, or about 10 million people, could be considered addicts. More than 2.5 billion text messages are sent each day in theUnited States. Internet in the world, now consid- ers Internet addiction one of its most serious public health issues, a recent study indicated. lt estimates more than 210,000 South Korean children are affect- ed and in need of treatment and another 1.2 million are at risk of addiction and require basic coun- selling. “We all need to love and be loved, to have relationships,” she said. “It starts with that basic need. It’s done best face-to-face with voices, but it’s so easy to text that it’s become the lazy way to com- municate.” We all waht to have control of DU! environment and alleviate ) variables, she said. Tex- ing obsession with all things wire- less is motivated by humanity/s most primordial prerequisite Ms Fleetwood said. Text communication is isolating but works for many, Ms Richards If you answer “yes” to some of these ques- tions, you may have an addiction: > Do you feel preoccupied with a wire.L less device or the lntemet? > Do you need increasing amounts of time on your cellphone or lntemet to achieve satisfaction? > Have you repeatedly made unsucâ€" cessful efforts to control, cut back or stop lntemet or wireless use? > Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop lntemet or texting use? Sourre: Centre for Internet Add'ction Recovery netoddaionmm what we all do. It drives my dad nuts. And, yes, when the system is Mn, I freak out." The high school student uses text‘ almost exclusively on her man phone, she said. But being gm finatic is problematic, she " "In Class it’s distracting," she when kids have a prob- findvit‘wier to say mean ’ V rtexting, I actu- thele’s a solution. A u re: text entire kit away um. 0f weeks. ‘My' advice is for moment on the ce, spend as .‘much time connect- ing face-to-face with someone, including yourself.” T00 WIRED?