Tracking Internet addicts

The University of Montreal has formed a new institute to steady addictions, including Internet addictions.

"The [Internet addiction]problem isn't widespread but we know of serious cases in which teenagers don't leave the house, don't have interpersonal relationships, and have been isolated in front of their computer screen for the past two or three years, and only speak in the language of the characters they play with in network video games," says Louise Nadeau, a professor at the school and director of the new institute. "In a few years we'll have couples in therapy because the Internet will have become their main occupation."

Nadeau says there is little data available on Internet addiction, something her outfit plans to rectify.

MORE on techie addictions:

E-Mail Addiction: 5 Signs You Need Help

BlackBerry addiction starts at the top