Compulsions in Depression: Stalking by Text Message

To the Editor: The ubiquitous nature of text messaging may result in compulsive text messaging as a clinical problem. The case below highlights the affect of compulsive text messaging and suggests that trazodone and behavioral therapy might be effective treatment, although the effect of natural recovery cannot be excluded.

To our knowledge, this is the first report of compulsive text messaging. Compulsive text messaging can be conceptualized as stalking—a pattern of repeated, intrusive, distressing behavior focussed on one individual that persists despite clear indications that it is unwanted (2, 3) ; for example, in the context of maladjustment to the termination of a relationship. Cyber stalking—using technology, including e-mail, fax, text messages, and pagers as part of stalking behavior (2) —is becoming an increasingly recognized behavior (see http://www.mincava.umn.edu/documents/commissioned/stalkingandtech/stalkingandtech.pdf). Stalking behavior has been categorized as the perpetrator following the victim (e.g., keeping a vigil outside the victim’s home); the perpetrator communicating with the victim via phone, letters, and other media; and, ultimately, the perpetrator using aggression toward the victim (2) . Studies of stalkers report that they are more likely to be men with female victims than vice versa (2, 3) . The simple obsessional group, a classification in which there is a prior relationship between the victim and the stalker, such as in the case above, is the most common type of stalking and most likely to resort to violence (2) . Disturbed childhood attachment is also commonly reported in such cases (3) .