Computers are considered one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th century. As time has gone by, computers have become more and more important in our lives. We use computers at school, at home and at work, and most of us can't imagine life without them. Although computer use has become a daily activity in our lives, its excessive use can have negative effects such as failure in our relationships, school-work and responsibilities. The Internet itself is a tool created to help us research whatever topic interests us. It is fast, convenient and easy to use. However, there are some people who cannot control the desire to spend all their time in front of a computer. Internet addiction is a rapidly growing phenomenon. According to the Pew Research Center, “Internet use in the United States alone grew from just under half of American adults in 2000 to about 59 percent of adults at the end of 2002, and studies suggest that nearly 6 percent of online users suffer from Internet Addiction”. (Internet Addiction Kimberly S. Young, page 402). In her article “Internet Addiction,” Kimberly S. Young indicts researchers who say the term addiction should be applied to refer to drug use. As the author herself states, "the definition of addiction has moved beyond this to include a range of behaviors that do not involve an intoxicating substance, such as compulsive gambling, video game playing, physical exercise, romantic relationships, and watching television" (Internet Addiction Kimberly S. Young, p.404). Young suggests that it is very important to distinguish between normal and pathological Internet use. In the paper presented at the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association on August 15, 1996, Young states that although ... middle of paper ... dents use multi-user chat rooms and dungeons, which allows them to communicate simultaneously in real time. While some of them prefer to chat, other employees use the Internet for the application called Information Protocol that allows them to find new files, access the library or download different software. However, Information Protocol is last in the Dependents list, which suggests that database searches, while interesting and time-consuming, can rarely cause network dependency. While Employees find hundreds of advantages of the computer, Non-Employees declare that the Internet is a useful tool for personal and business communication. While non-addicts value real-life relationships and value time spent with friends, addicts view online friendships as highly intimate, confidential, and less threatening than real-life friendships..