Are internet friends a symptom of a person hiding from life?

I have all these friends from the internet who I’ve never met in person. Some addiction counselors say that addictions are used to keep us from feeling our feelings. Those feelings are so painful that we will do anything not to have to feel them. One way of running away is by establishing fantasy relationships. Addiction folks might say these virtual relationships get in the way of true intimacy.

Do virtual friends count as healthy friendships? Or are they a sign that someone is running away from their real life and their real feelings? Many people are lonely and have low self-esteem, and they can find friendship online. But is that healthy? Or is it a kind of drug that alleviates their pain without actually dealing with the real problem?