Are You Addicted To Using The Internet ?

Are You Addicted To Using The Internet ?

Hello All !  David L. Here (Recovering Alcoholic/Addict)

Just like all other Addictions out there, You CAN actually become an INTERNET JUNKIE. As a matter of fact, a few years ago, I was slowly leaning towards Internet addiction myself. I would spend so many hours online building Websites, searching, chatting, and especially Using Facebook and YouTube.

Below is not only a brief definition to what Internet Addiction is but also a self-questionare and some tips for treatment!

Addiction to Technology: 

Cyber addiction is perhaps the most complex societal contagion America is facing today because the nature of the Internet is all encompassing.  There is email, texting, Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, Skype, Google, Yahoo, iTunes, and innumerable chat rooms.

So What is Internet addiction?
 

Internet addiction is identified as an impulse control disorder, which doesn't call for use of any intoxicant drug and is very like a Gambling Addiction.  Some Internet users may develop an emotional bond to on-line friends and activities they create on their computers.

Internet users may enjoy aspects of the Internet that allow them to meet, socialize, and exchange ideas through the use of chat rooms, social networking websites, or "virtual communities."   Other Internet users spend endless hrs searching for subjects of interest Online or "blogging". 

 Blogging is a contraction of the term "Web log", in which an individual will post comments and keep a regular account of events.  It can be looked at  journaling and the introductions are primarily textual.

Like other addictions, those suffering from Internet addiction use the virtual world of illusion to get in touch with real people through the Internet, as a replacement for real-life human connection, which they're not able to accomplish normally.

Below is a really good Questionnaire to see if you suffer from Internet Addiction. Just be honest with your answers, keep the answers to yourself because only you will know if you are really an Internet Addict !

1. How often do you find that you stay on-line longer than you meant?
2. How often do you disregard household tasks to spend more time on-line?
3. How often do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to intimacy with your mate?
4. How often do you form new relationships with fellow on-line users?
5. How often do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend on-line?
6. How often do your grades or schooling assignments suffer because of the amount of time you spend on-line?
7. How often do you check your e-mail before something else that you need to do?
8. How often does your job performance or productivity suffer because of the Internet?
9. How often do you become defensive or secretive when anyone asks you what you do on-line?
10. How often do you mask disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of the Internet?
11. How often do you find yourself anticipating when you'll go on-line again?
12. How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless?
13. How often do you snap, yell, or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you're on-line?
14. How often do you lose sleep due to late-night log-ins?
15. How often do you feel preoccupied with the Internet when off-line, or fantasize about being on-line?
16. How often do you find yourself saying "just a couple of more mins." when on-line?
17. How often do you try to reduce the amount of time you spend on-line and fail?
18. How often do you try to hide how long you have been on-line?
19. How often do you decide to spend more time on-line rather than going out with any friends?
20. How often do you feel down, temperamental, or anxious when you're off-line, which disappears once you're back on-line?

Above are some great questions to ask yourself if you have a problem with using the Internet! Just like all addicts, if you feel that you are and Internet "Junkie", there is help out there believe it or not. They have rehabs, clinics, in-patient and out-patient help as well.

Below are a few Tips for coping with Internet addiction:

 

Modify your Internet use gradually:

*To help you see problem areas, keep a log of how much you use the Internet for non-work or inessential actions.

 

* Are there certain hours of your daily schedule that you use the Internet more often then other days? *Are there triggers in your day that make you stay online for hrs at one time when you only planned to stay for a couple of mins?

 

 

*Set goals for when you are able to use the Internet. For instance, you could try setting a timer, scheduling use for certain hours, or making a loyal decision  to switch off  the computer, tablet, or smart phone at the same time each nighttime. Or you could reward yourself with a certain amount of online time once you have completed a homework assignment or finished the laundry, for example.

 *Replace your Internet usage with healthy activities. If you're bored and lonesome, rejecting the impulse to get back online can be very hard.

 

*Have a plan for other ways to fill the time, such as going to lunch with a fellow worker, taking a class, or inviting a acquaintance over.

 

More Tips for Dealing with Internet Addiction:

 

 

*Ask yourself, “What am I escaping from when I spend so a lot of time on the Internet?” Write down these activities and lessen your Internet time to follow up on some of them.

*Set reasonable Internet use goals and stick to them. Take frequent breaks, at least five mins each hr, and do some other activity.

*Alter your routine to break your usage patterns. If you spend evenings on the Internet, start limiting your use to mornings.

 

*Seek out friends and acquaintances who “could not care less” about the Internet. Take time to treasure the fact that all life isn't yet online.

*Stay in touch with the offline world. Visit news stands, book and music stores, and participate in entertainment such as museums, music, and live theater. Novels and poetry readings are hard to experience online.

*Treat the Internet as a tool. Stay focused on the fact that the Internet is a means to an end. Plan your strategy— whether you are looking for info or amusement —with the end in mind and you will save useful time.

Thank You For Reading !  David L. (Recovering Alcoholic/Addict)