College students today live in a world where homework assignments often require Internet access, e-mail messages replace phone calls to distant friends and family, and relationships sometimes start -- and even end -- via AOL Instant Messenger.

Because students spend so much of their time in front of computer screens, it is common for some to develop habits that resemble an addiction to the Internet, said Mary Anne Knapp, clinical social worker and staff therapist at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

"We see a lot of people [whose] compulsive connection to the Internet is interfering with their lives," she said.

Today's generation of college students has grown up with computers, and because the technology is so familiar to students, they might find the Internet a reassuring medium to use, she added.

"The Internet is a content area that people can get addicted to," Knapp said.

"Internet addiction" is a broad term that encompasses many types of compulsive computer-related behaviors, and experts have yet to define it as a disorder, said Sean Lukens, psychology resident at PsychCentre, 314 S. Burrowes St., and former staff therapist at CAPS.

"You can't find it in any official manuals or books," he said. "It's not [an easily defined] disorder like depression."

Because it is not a recognized medical disorder, no statistics on the number of college students addicted to the Internet are available.

However, there is much ongoing research about "Internet addiction," which can be categorized as a compulsive disorder according to guidelines in the DSM-IV psychiatric diagnosis manual, he said.

"A lot of kids use the Internet at college for research, but a large part [of Internet use] is socializing," he said, referring to the use of Instant Messenger, chat rooms and listservs. "Some students do use it too much as a way of communicating with others or as a pastime."

Internet use as a means of social contact can predict decline in social engagement, according to research done at Carnegie Mellon University.

For many students, the Internet has become a replacement for face-to-face interaction and an alternative to spending time alone, Knapp said.

"The nature of relationships is changing in general [due to Internet use]," she said. "Over time I think people are going to have more trouble with face-to-face relationships and with being alone."

Knapp said that she has seen cases of people breaking up with their significant others via Instant Messenger because it is easier.

Lukens said he has dealt with students who have chatted online for an hour or more with friends who live down the hall or up the block.

"Instead of [talking to someone on Instant Messenger], walk down the hall or across campus to meet them," he said.

One of the most noticeable results of excessive Internet use for students is lack of attention to daily responsibilities.

Surfing the Web and talking on Instant Messenger while homework and household chores remain unfinished is an all-too-familiar situation for many college students.

"Look at all the people who sit down to write a paper or do something on the computer. They flip on the [Instant Messenger] and within 0.3 seconds they've got 18 conversations going," Andy Miller (senior-mechanical engineering) said.

Amanda Allison (senior-education) said she is guilty of that kind of behavior.

"I get on the computer to do homework but then get on the Internet," she said. "It is a distraction, absolutely."

Dana Nortavage (graduate-education) said that while she has never had a problem with Internet communication, it has bothered her in the past when her roommates spent more time talking to others online than to her in person.

"My old roommate would hear that she got a new [Instant Message] and she would drop everything and run into her room to check it," she said.

While many students fall victim to distraction, only a small number use the Internet compulsively, Lukens said.

Knapp said students should re-evaluate their Internet use if it causes them to neglect their responsibilities or relationships.

"If it interferes with other aspects of life, like studying, eating, exercise, sleeping or relationships, that is a warning sign," she said.

If a student realizes he has a problem and tries to cut back on Internet use but fails, he might be dealing with "Internet addiction" and should seek professional help, she said.

Lukens said he has talked to many students in the past few years who realized they use the Internet excessively.

"Don't panic. It's treatable if you see [a professional]," he said. "Get counseling. Talk to someone. They can help you bring your [Internet use] back down to a normal level."

The key is to be self-reflective, he said.

"It is a good idea to be aware of anything you do to excess and how it can affect your life, especially if you are neglecting family and friends," he said.