Living in a virtual reality

   It's been two weeks since Casey's Internet went down. He checks his e-mail from his Blackberry and just downloaded an application so he can talk to his friends via instant messenger. Before his computer crashed, Casey spent nights making friends on message boards like 4chan.org, a popular website that hosts multiple forums with topics ranging from literature to porn. Everything he needs is a click away.

   "I'm awkward. It's easier to be myself when the person I'm trying to impress is on the other side of the country," Casey said.

   At 24 years old, Casey has more friends online than he does in real life. He surfs the web until four or five in the morning. He's never met any of his best friends in person. He's logged countless hours playing Runescape, World of Warcraft and a bevy of multi-person role playing games online.

   Most days he doesn't even realize how much time is being wasted. Casey, who doesn't think he has a problem, says, "I don't have anything better to do. If I wanted to go outside and talk to people, I would."

   College students are particularly vulnerable to Internet addiction because many of them have yet to develop a firm sense of identity.

   The transition from adolescence to adulthood that occurs during this age leaves a large percentage of the college set feeling lonely and depressed.

   The internet serves as a coping mechanism. It's a great escape from academic stress and social strife. When you're online you don't have to worry about midterms.

Bickering friends don't exist and you can make yourself the coolest person in the room.

   "People plagued by social anxiety find it easier to communicate with people who have similar interests online. However, this produces a unique problem: the ebb and flow of real-life conversation becomes lost or even remains unlearned, leading to increasing difficulties in real-life interaction," Psychotherapist Jonathan J. Kandell said.

   Among 18,000 respondents, almost 6 percent indicate signs of compulsive Internet use, according to a survey conducted by the Center for Internet Studies.

   "I don't really use the Internet to escape from things. I check my e-mail, go on Facebook and catch up with my friends. I probably spend two hours a day online," SAC student Alyssa Gomez said.

   Web addiction sets in when surfing the Internet is used as a crutch to avoid underlying psychological issues. Internet use aids in a person's avoidance of the problem and creates a buffer between the conscious mind and the negative thoughts and feelings the underlying issue generates, Kandell said.

   Rehabilitation programs for Internet addiction have been popping up to help those who cannot curb their use of the information super highway.

   reStart, a center in Washington on five acres of land, boasts a 45-day program completely free of Internet access and full of therapy and outdoor expeditions. The program offers both outpatient and inpatient treatment and can only accommodate about six clients at a time.

   Although clinics have been established and many are coping with Internet addiction, it has yet to be classified as a disorder and some medical professionals are still skeptical.

   For now, Casey continues to glance anxiously at his Blackberry every few minutes and check his e-mail every half hour.

 "It just feels weird. Without a computer I feel like I've been disconnected from the world," Casey said.