I'm not sure to what extent there is a problem:

http://health.yahoo.com/news/reuters...icts_life.html

and to what extent our modern life "requires" lots of virtual interaction?

I don't feel I'm at all addicted to electronic gadgets; only use my cell phone when I go on vacation, it doesn't do anything but make calls (it can text but I can't :-) I don't have a blackberry or other tool like that, just my computers; I am on the computer more than half of my day but. . .

I read books a couple hours a day, I study (on the computer) and am on multiple boards where I interact daily but don't "have" to. I was addicted to Facebook/Mafia Wars last summer for a couple months but that wore out and I successfully "left" Facebook for healthier sites/activities. I know my neighbors and interact with my literal environment :-) and recognize/talk to clerks at my neighborhood stores. I go to the library two or three times a month and out to eat at least once a week with friends.

I wouldn't want to do without my computer but that's because the world pretty much wouldn't want to? When one goes to the library, all their computers are full of users. I have met over a dozen friends in the last 15-20 years that I originally met online (I've been online since 1991), probably more of my "friends" were originally met online than those I've met locally/over the course of my regular life?