I fear that I am a blogaholic, suffering from the most recent entry in the DSM III - Blog Abuse or Dependence. The diagnostic criteria for this disease is as follows.
A disruptive pattern of blogging, leading to significant social, occupational, or medical impairment.
Must have three (or more) of the following, occurring when the blogging was at its worst:
- Blogging Tolerance: Either need for markedly increased contributions to blogs to achieve satisfaction, or markedly diminished effect with continued extensive posting to blogs.
- Blogging withdrawal symptoms: Either (a) or (b).
(a) Two (or more) of the following, developing within several hours to a few days of reduction in heavy or prolonged blogging:
- sweating or rapid pulse
- increased hand tremor
- insomnia
- increased carbohydrate intake
- physical agitation
- political paranoia
- anxiety
- inability to converse without reference to blog posts
(b) Blog posts are written to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.
- Blog posts are often written in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
- Persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control blogging
- Great deal of time spent blogging, or recovering from physical discomforts of extended computer use
- Important social, occupational, or recreational activities given up or reduced because of blogging.
- Blogging is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been worsened by blogging (e.g., continued blogging despite knowing that primary relationships are neglected and the neglect is made worse by continued blogging).
Like many bloggers, I can see myself in this list, but I assure you, that doesn't mean I'm a blogaholic. I can quit any time I want. Why recently, I quit for two whole weeks! I'm just coming off a four day dry spell right now! And I started blogging again not because I had to, but because I want to, really.
Yes, I've heard the complaints from non-blogging family and friends, that I'm spending too much time blogging, that I'm less social, that I'm neglecting other things, that I'm losing balance in my life, that I can't hear anything without targeting the political angle or blog value. But what do they know? And don't they want me to be happy? Besides, it's not like they want to listen to me rant about politics so I'm really doing them a favor blogging instead of making them listen to me. Right?
Yeah, they're wrong. I'm not a blogaholic. I just like blogging. It's a stress reliever and life is hard so I deserve a little pleasure in my day. I'm not hurting anyone. I'm not powerless over blogging, etcetera etcetera. Really.
I know I'm right, that I'm not an addict. But every now and then I wonder. So I'm going to do what all right minded possible blogaholics do - I'm getting a blogging buddy to encourage my habit and help drown out the doubts.
Welcome Marjo. Writer extraordinaire, smart, witty, ably mixing cutting satire with common sense, snark master with a black belt in verbal arts, she brings Citizen's Rent to a new level. She'll be posting soon, so welcome her, would ya? If she doesn't blog with me, I just might have to admit I'm out of control.
hmmm, don't addicts usually try to get others they know in on their addiction so they won't feel like an addict? =P
welcome Marjo.
Posted by: Susannity | April 05, 2005 at 05:35 PM
Just to be anal and obsessive. The DSM III was published in 1980. The current edition of the DSM is the DSM IV-TR, which was published in 2000.
Posted by: Daniel | April 05, 2005 at 09:42 PM