title: [Self-help on the internet. Chances and risks of communication in electronic networks].
abstract: The worldwide web is used for self-help purposes by an increasing number of patients with a variety of mental disorders. The benefits and dangers of applying the internet in psychiatry are discussed based on a case report concerning a female with post traumatic stress and multiple personality disorders who visited a chat-room in the internet with two of her 48 supernumerary identities. During one stage of her history, she displayed an excessive use of the internet which must be considered a symptom of mental disorder rather than a distinct disease entity, viz. "internet addiction".
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Fakultät der RWTH, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Podoll
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mörth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sass
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rudolf
mesh_terms: D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology; D009105:Dissociative Identity Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted