Textually transmitted disease

A study in the American Journal of Psychiatry has come to the conclusion that sending excessive texts and emails may be a sign of mental illness.

The article, by Dr Jerald Block, said there were four symptoms: suffering from feelings of withdrawal when a computer cannot be accessed; an increased need for better equipment; need for more time to use it; and experiencing the negative repercussions of their addiction.

As one who has been accused of being too “connected” at times, I would argue everything in moderation. I don’t answer my phone at meals or when I’m in a conversation with just one person. I do send a lot of texts and even post to this blog or twitter on the go a ton, but I think its far from a sickness.

I think anyone who would go out of their way to avoid real social interaction and relied on technology would have a problem, which is the point of the article.

So, reach out to the neighborhood geek. You might save them some money on prescriptions.