Navy Doctors Say Serviceman Has Google Glass Addiction

Smartphones and similar gadgets have become a significant part of many people's lives, being used to communicate, to read, to navigate, and more. Their use is so frequent that many people have reported experiencing phantom vibrations, believing they felt their phone vibrate when it didn't; others say they wake up in the middle of the night to check their phone. It isn't surprising, then, that some have found themselves addicted to various types of technology, and now counted among them is what is being called the first case of Google Glass addiction.

Unlike your smartphone, which is nestled away in a pocket when you're not using it, Glass is always on your face, and that could be a bad thing for those prone to addiction. CNBC is reporting that a Navy serviceman has been diagnosed with what they're calling the first case of Internet Addiction Disorder involving Google's smartglasses.

The service member, who is not named, is said to be 31-years-old. He checked into the U.S. Navy's Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program to be treated for alcohol addiction, but after evaluation, doctors concluded that he also suffered withdraw symptoms without his Glass.

According to the doctors, the serviceman was wearing Google Glass for as long as 18 hours per day, apparently only removing it to bathe and sleep. His withdraw symptoms from Glass are said to have been worse than from alcohol, and included things like instinctively moving his finger to his face to touch the device when asked a question (though he wasn't wearing it). He would also dream from the perspective of wearing Glass.

SOURCE: CNBC