Slick2D Networking Crash

This is my first post, so I apologize if it's been put in the wrong place or something. Anyways, here's my problem:

I've run into an issue with running my client-side code in one of my game-states. The game crashes because the update method isn't able to keep running. I know it's because the program waits for a connection, stalling the rest of the program. This line is responsible:

connection = new Socket(InetAddress.getByName(serverIP), port);

My game-state is a standard BasicGameState with an init(), a render(), and an update(). I don't know where to put the connection code into the game-state class. Here's the game-state code if you need it:

public class ConnectState extends BasicGameState {

private UnicodeFont ufont;
private Client client = new Client();
private final int ID;

public ConnectState(int state) {
    ID = state;
}

@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@Override
public void init(GameContainer container, StateBasedGame game) throws SlickException {
    try {
        Font font = new Font("Sitka Small", Font.BOLD, 70);
        ufont = new UnicodeFont(font, font.getSize(), font.isBold(), font.isItalic());
        ufont.addAsciiGlyphs();
        ufont.addGlyphs(400, 600);
        ufont.getEffects().add(new ColorEffect(Color.WHITE));
        ufont.getEffects().add(new OutlineEffect(5, Color.RED));
        ufont.loadGlyphs();
    } catch (SlickException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

@Override
public void render(GameContainer container, StateBasedGame game, Graphics g) throws SlickException {
    g.setFont(ufont);
    g.drawString(client.displayMsg, container.getWidth() / 2 - ufont.getWidth(client.displayMsg) / 2,
            container.getHeight() / 2 - ufont.getHeight(client.displayMsg) / 2);
}

@Override
public void update(GameContainer container, StateBasedGame game, int delta) throws SlickException {
    Input input = container.getInput();
    boolean isRunning = false;

    if (!isRunning) {
        client.run();
        isRunning = true;
    }

    if (input.isKeyPressed(Input.KEY_F1))
        if (container.isShowingFPS())
            container.setShowFPS(false);
        else
            container.setShowFPS(true);
    if (input.isKeyPressed(Input.KEY_ESCAPE))
        container.exit();
}

@Override
public int getID() {
    return ID;
}}

Here's the Client code if you need it as well:

public class Client {

public String displayMsg = "";

private ObjectOutputStream output;
private ObjectInputStream input;
private String serverIP = "localhost";
private Socket connection;
private boolean shouldExit = false;
private Object recievedData;

public void run() {
    try {
        connect();
        setupStreams();
        whileConnected();
    } catch (EOFException e) {
        showMessage("The client closed the connection!");
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    } finally {
        close();
    }
}

public void setShouldExit(boolean should) {
    shouldExit = should;
}

private void connect() throws IOException {
    System.out.println("So far...");
    showMessage("Attempting to connect...");
    System.out.println("...so good?");
    connection = new Socket(InetAddress.getByName(serverIP), 1337);
    showMessage("Connection successful! ^_^");
}

private void setupStreams() throws IOException {
    output = new ObjectOutputStream(connection.getOutputStream());
    output.flush();
    input = new ObjectInputStream(connection.getInputStream());
    showMessage("The streams have been setup! Don't cross 'em!");
}

private void whileConnected() throws IOException {
    do {
        try {
            recievedData = input.readObject();
            //send or do stuff
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
            showMessage("Something square was shoved through the circular tube...");
        }
    } while (!shouldExit);
}

private void close() {
    showMessage("Closing...");
    try {
        output.close();
        input.close();
        connection.close();
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

private void sendData() {
    //TODO
}

private void showMessage(String message) {
    displayMsg = message;
}}

In short, how do I run the aforementioned line of code in a constantly updating game-state? Also, if you know a better/easier way for tcp (I'm making a turn-based game, so tcp is fine) in slick, let me know!