Are you addicted to Internet ? Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous on-line activity or anticipate next on-line session)? Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use? Do you stay on-line longer than originally intended?Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?Do you use the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, and depression)? Do you frequently use anonymous communication to engage in sexual fantasies not typically carried out in real-life? Do you anticipate your next online session with the expectation that you will find sexual arousal or gratification? Do you hide your online interactions from your significant other? Do you feel guilt or shame from your online use?
Computer/internet addiction was never an issue in the 1980s. That’s because the Internet was not yet popular with the general public. In the early ’90s, psychiatrists and clinicians were beginning to hear of a new medical term, “internet addiction.” At first, this was met with a lot of skepticism and denial, however, it became evident that the more people logged on to cyberspace, the more they got hooked. Obsessive Internet users have a true addiction that can hurt their relationships and leave them hung over or disabled at work
Driving FactorDriving factor for internet addictions includeCommunity – meeting friends online. Overdoing it can be a sign of neglected real life personal relationships.
Fantasy – adopting new personalities or playing out sexual fantasies.
Power – instant access to information and new people, a positive that can go bad.
ConsequencesAddicted users are likely to use the Internet anywhere from forty to eighty hours per week .To accommodate such excessive use, sleep patterns are typically disrupted due to late night log-ins. In extreme cases, caffeine pills are used to facilitate longer Internet sessions. Marriages, parent-child relationships, and close friendships have been noted to be seriously disrupted by net addictions. Net addicts will gradually spend less time with people in their lives in exchange for solitary time in front of a computer. Addicted online users tend to use the Internet as an excuse to avoid needed but reluctantly performed daily duties. Overcoming addictionPractice The Opposite
For example, let’s say that your Internet habit involves checking your e-mail first thing in the morning. Instead, you should take a shower or start breakfast first instead of logging on. Or, perhaps you only use the Internet at night, and have an established pattern of coming home and sitting in front of the computer for the remainder of the evening. Then I suggest you wait until after dinner and the news before logging on. Got it? Set Goals
In order to avoid Internet usage, you should program structured sessions by setting reasonable goals, perhaps 20 hours instead of the current 40 on the Net. Develop Your Inventory
Start asking yourself, “What am I missing out on when I spend so much time on the Net?” Then, write these activities down. You’ll be surprised to find out that the list is endless. Join A Support Group
By talking with others who are in the same boat as you, you will (first) make new, real friends, and then you will begin to realize that you are not alone in your fight to overcome this addiction.
