A German doctor today warned a growing number of people are becoming addicted to text-messaging and estimated there were some 380,000 sufferers nationwide.
Psychotherapist Dr Andreas Herter based his prediction on the growing proportion of manic mobile phone users among patients arriving at his clinic for addiction therapy in Hanover.
"Text message addiction is a real and serious illness because it causes mental and financial damage," said Dr Herter.
"The problem leads to depression and personality disorders, not to mention spiralling phone bills."
Among the most extreme cases were a teenage boy who spent €8,900 compulsively texting people he didn't even know and a married couple who could only communicate by text message, even when they were sitting side by side.