Introduction: Internet addiction disorder (LAD) is characterized by the problematic use of online video games, computer use, and mobile handheld devices. While not officially a clincal diagnosis according to the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), individuals with LAd manifest severe emotional, social, and mental dysfunction in multiple areas of daily activities due to their problematic use of technology and the internet
Method: We report a 31 year-old man who exhibited problematic use of Google Glass. The patient has a history of a mood disorder most consistent with a subsbstance induced hypomania overlaying a depressive disorder, anxiety disorder with characteristics of social phobia and obsessive compulsive disorder, and severe alcohol and tobacco use disorders.
Results: During his residential treatment program at the Navy's Substance Aduse and Recovery Program (SARP) for alcohol use disorder, it was noted that the patient exhibited sgnificant frustration and irriability related to not being able to use his Google Glass. The patient exhibited a notable, nearly involuntary movement of the right hand up to his temple area and tapping it with his forefinger. He reported that if he had been prevented from wearing the device while at work, he would become extremely irritable and argumentative.
Conclusions: Over the course of his 35-day residential tretment, the patient noted a reduction in irritability, reduction in motor movements to his temple to turn on the device, and improvements in his short-term memory and clarity of thought processes. He continued to intermittently experience dreams as if looking through the device. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of lAD involving problematic use of Google Glass.