Young identifies a person as addicted if they answer yes to 5 or more of the following questions:.
1. Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous on-line activity or anticipate next on-line session)?.
2. Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?.
3. Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?.
4. Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use? .
5. Do you stay on-line longer than originally intended?.
6. Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?.
7. Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?.
8. Do you uses the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)? .
Young and many others in the field believe that Internet Addiction Disorder can have adverse effects on both social and work functioning. Barbara L. Kennedy-Souza says that employees who suffer from Internet Addiction Disorder show signs of "Occupational Problems (reduced work productivity, receiving a poor employee evaluation)." Therefore it is understandable why more companies are beginning to monitor and discipline employees for misusing the network while on company time. If employees spend considerable time utilizing the internet for their own personal use and their work suffers because of it the company has a right to discipline them. Another problem that employer's face with their employees" misuse of the internet is liability for breaking laws while online. Activities such as downloading copyrighted music, distributing harassing e-mail, or mistakenly distributing viruses can cause an employer to be served with a subpoena.