Nombre: __________________________________________________________ Fecha: ____________

Treating internet addiction

Dr Elias Aboujaoude deals with patients suffering a particularly modern condition. Louise Ridley
speaks to the psychiatrist who treats pathological internet use
Are disorders caused by the internet recognised by the medical world?
They havent been verified through studies yet. Until these are conducted, we cant credibly call
something a disorder or pathology. But what my colleagues and I see is that people are transformed
into a different version of themselves online. Narcissism, impulsivity, regression and grandiosity are
personality traits that come out in many people and have real consequences in terms of their lives
offline.
Why did you start treating disorders caused by the net?
I live in ilicon !alley" the birthplace of the net. #eople started coming to our clinic saying things li$e
%&y wife wants to leave me because I wait for her to go to sleep so I can chec$ my email one more
time.' (r %&y boss threatened to fire me because of inappropriate internet use.' )e conducted the
largest study to date on internet addiction, which showed us its a widespread phenomenon. *nd that
was in +,,-, before .aceboo$ and smartphones really too$ off.
Who is your typical patient?
)e e/pected the typical profile to be that of a twenty0something male gee$, but it turned out the
average age was in the early forties and there was no significant male0to0female ratio. I have patients
who are 120year0old high0school students who are 3addicted to videogames and retirees who have
became completely enamoured with the net. 4namoured to the point where they spend their savings
on purchases they dont need or gamble their savings away.
READN! A"T#TE$
%& Write ' words (R phrases related to nternet )rom the te*t&
+& Write ' words (R phrases related to addiction )rom the te*t&
,& Read the te*t again& Now write one -uestion in $panish&

555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555
'& Answer these -uestions in $panish&
a. *ccording to the te/t , whos Dr Elias Aboujaoude 6
b. 7an we call Internet addiction a disorder6 4/plain
b. &ention four things that can possibly characteri8e an internet addict.
1. 5555555555555555555555555
+. 5555555555555555555555555
9. 5555555555555555555555555
:. 5555555555555555555555555
c. *re .aceboo$ and smartphones responsible for Internet addiction6 4/plain
d. )ho is a typical patient for ;r. Dr Elias Aboujaoude
e. 7omplete the following sentence"
<ay pacientes que 555555555555555555555 sus 5555555555555555555555555 en compras que
ellos no555555555555555555555555555555 o 555555555555555555555555555.
f. )hat do the following words refer to"
1. it =#aragraph 9>" 55555555555555555555 1. They =#aragraph :>" 5555555555555555555555
g. Translate the underlined nominal groups"
deal with: tratar
through: a trav?s de
yet: todav@a
until" hasta =que>
traits: rasgos
come out" emerger
threaten: amena8ar
)ire" despedir
largest" el mAs grande
to date: hasta el momento
widespread" e/tendido
too. o)): hicieron
famosas
pro)ile: perfil
gee." persona e/perta en
computadoras
turned out" resultB
a/erage: promedio
age: edad
early: al principio de los
ratio: proporciBn
retirees: Cubilados
sa/ings" ahorros
gamble away" perder
dinero en apuestas