Is the Internet an Addiction?

Domino · Sat 01/09/2007 01:21:20

I think i might be addicted to going online every single day of my life. Before the Internet, i use to get out and play sports or visit family and friends. But now, all i have to do is sit in front of my computer and type on this keyboard. I try to think back and imagine what life was like before the Internet evolved, but i can't because all i want to do is go online.

I read somewhere that people do get addicted to the Internet and now i think i am an Internet junkie...using it way too much. Even my doctor told me that i spend too much time in front of the computer, causing me to gain weight and lose all of my real life social skills.

Please help me, it's like a drug and i need a fix every hour or so.

If my Internet goes out I seriously go through withdrawal.

radiowaves · Sat 01/09/2007 01:27:03

Yes, I am an Internet addict too, nice to join the club.
I've been addict for 3 years now. I've tried sports, TV, painting and other activities but nothing has helped. Iusually don't do much in the internet, there just have to be a window opened with some forum (even if I don't post anything) which I might not even use while I am doing other stuff on my PC. Otherwise I would just feel too uncomfortable, being cut off from world and all, discovering that I am actually alone sitting in home in my shell.
But shure youtube has wasted a lot of time. Like today I watched Top Gear half a day...

Actually sports did help, it boosted up some confidence too. But until I get a new tire for my bike, I don't have much to do. Yes, biking is my favourite sports.

Radiant · Sat 01/09/2007 01:35:13

Interestingly, when I'm away from home for a holiday or something, I don't miss internet, at all. When I have other things to do or go out with friends, I don't miss it either. It's just that when I'm at home, it beats watching TV by a long shot.

Stupot · Sat 01/09/2007 05:54:55

Hello, my name is Stupot and I am an Internet addict.

We neverhad a PC in my house back in the day, so it wasn't until the Day Dreamcast was released that we got hooked up to the internet. I spent so much time in chatrooms it was unbelievably sad. I spent more time on the internet than actually playing Dreamcast games.

Now the DC is dead, but in the meantime my folks had bought a PC.

I think it CAN be called an addiction, because I don't really need it, but I can't do without it. I'll think to myself... 'oooh, must go online'.. so I do... open up a browser and stare blankly at a forum or inbox with no extra posts...

I don't even do much else, sometimes I might have a couple of games 0f solitaire then click refresh just to make sure... it's a sad life, but the nature of the internet means you have to keep checking or you'll lose touch, so it's unhelpful of you to have started this thread, Dom, because now Im going to have to keep checking for replies.

MillsJROSS · Sat 01/09/2007 06:12:29

I'm somewhat of an addict, but not really. I do go on pretty much everyday, but I don't necessarily go on for very long. I don't browse the internet for interesting things to do. I'll go to You Tube when someone sends me a link to something, but I don't usually actively seek anything further. I also, about once a year, take about a month off from the internet. It's not a conscious decision, I just find other things to do. The majority of time spent on the internet, now, is work related.

I think there's nothing wrong with going on the Internet a lot, but as with anything, there is such a thing as too much.

-MillsJROSS

Jhumjhum · Sat 01/09/2007 07:39:05

I might just decide to log into yahoo and check my mail "in about 5 minutes time". Then while, the page loads I decide to check the bigbluecup site and browse through the various forums. I decide to click on a few links I find on the site to see if there are any new great games or tutorials or anything else. Well, then I decide to do a google search with those keywords.(or few related/unrelated others) When the google search results page opens, I naturally find pages which aren't relevant. But they look interesting and I decide to click on them. Thus I go into a 'click-click-open a new window-click again' spree and before I know it "5 minutes" has become 3 whole hours! I curse and slap myself(mentally) but decide to go through just one last page.

The only thing which makes me get up from my seat is if there's a "power failure". which ironically seems a good thing now. I think internet is an addiction much worse than TV. At least if you surf through 100 channels twice and don't mind anything interesting you do switch it off after 15 minutes. With the internet it just like it hypnotizes you literally!

lo_res_man · Sat 01/09/2007 08:24:59

Oh yes, I should stop, but it keeps calling me.....!

Obi · Sat 01/09/2007 09:19:22

It's not an addiction IT'S A WAY OF LIFE.

Dave Gilbert · Sat 01/09/2007 12:59:13

Oh yes. This can be a problem. I went through a phase like this about 5-6 years ago. I got rid of my cable modem, and just used dialup. This was before I used my cellphone exclusively, so I had to limit my internet useage in order have the line free. While I was at it, I sold off all my game consoles. It was a wonderful "getting back to basics" stage for me, and eventually I felt comfortable enough to get all those things back. I'd recommend doing something similar, if you can't think of any other way.

InCreator · Sat 01/09/2007 13:06:24

I wouldn't call it addiction, but that depends, do you call freedom and being used with it an addiction?

I cannot really imagine living without Internet anymore, simply because I intensively use it. And yes, for information. Possibility to find out whatever you need any moment, I call it freedom.
Other side is entertainment and endless ways to kill time, which counts too.

Some things in my life, are almost impossible without internet, such as registering meeting to a doctor, finding out telephone numbers, contacting old friends, etc. There's no real or atleast reasonable alternative. Phone books are rare, e-mail address is all I have about some old friends, etc.

side note: I totally do not watch TV. Haven't watched in 3 years or so. Why watch - for example - discovery channel and find out about one animal, if I could Wiki through whole zoo in same time show lasts? Why order a newspaper if I can surf through them all during morning coffee? Why watch news programme, if I could read only parts I'm interested in and see second opinions/extra info from comments? And of course, there's ~~pirating,~~ way to see, play and hear everything I ever wanted to.

TV is only useable thing when I need to get to sleep fast. Simply lie down in bed, turn on TV and watch some stupid 90's movie with Steven Seagal breaking bones. Quick sleep quaranteed in 10 minutes!

Even if it is addiction, It's not droppable habit like smoking or something like that. We need internet.

nihilyst · Sat 01/09/2007 14:49:44

I have to admit, that I'm on the internet very often. But where I usually live, I don't even have access to it, and it works perfectly. So I think, I couldn't be called an addict.

sharksweetheart · Sat 01/09/2007 14:57:12

.

Oliwerko · Sat 01/09/2007 17:49:11

Hi folks, joining you right off.

I spend waaay too much time before my PC. More than is good. But what to do when the time goes by so quickly and you've got tons of things you want to do ? *sniff* If net is broken for a few days, I am kinda "confused", because I am active on so many forums - similar to these, that I "lose track with them".

Anyway, I would't call it addiction, because I have plenty of things to do beside the PC. When a friend calls me, I don't tell him: "man, today I have a PC day". I go out with him. I draw from time to time, pick locks, play baseball and so on.

The entire thing "how" to fight the addiction is to find something that you like doing and do it instead of sitting in front of the PC.

hedgefield · Sat 01/09/2007 18:03:04

Quote from: Radiant on Sat 01/09/2007 01:35:13
Interestingly, when I'm away from home for a holiday or something, I don't miss internet, at all. When I have other things to do or go out with friends, I don't miss it either. It's just that when I'm at home, it beats watching TV by a long shot.

Amen to that. If it's down, I really have to prevent myself from hitting the refresh button every few minutes, otherwise I'll go insane. But the problem is I'll go back to work and totally forget the internet is down, until I need info on something and realize I can't get it when I start up my browser again.

R4L · Sun 02/09/2007 05:20:09

I live off the internet. I get my Frets On Fire songs and mods, check here a lot, go on my myspace, check my mail, play WarRock for a bit, and thats about it. 4chan is a ritual for me. I HAVE to go there daily. :o

Domino · Mon 03/09/2007 00:44:24

I probably should have said are the AGS forums an addiction too? I am going to try and not read the forums for a week. Yeah right, i can't go a day without checking here.

nihilyst · Mon 03/09/2007 02:05:13

Quote from: Oliwerko on Sat 01/09/2007 17:49:11
If net is broken for a few days, I am kinda "confused", because I am active on so many forums - similar to these, that I "lose track with them".

Yeah, I hate that one, too. Stuff like, when I'm off the net for two weeks or so and then it goes "There are 6.332 new posts." Darn.

Nikolas · Mon 03/09/2007 02:42:55

Yes I'm an addict!

Even on vacation, with no computer, I try to check once every two days, at least. See if Speilberg has sent me an e-mail to collaborate, or maybe if George bush is asking my opinion on something, etc... No apart from joking, I just feel that I'm missing something, that... I'm... away. And I don't like that feeling... although I can beat it, especially when busy... but still...

And I use to many...

suncrafter · Wed 05/09/2007 09:27:43

You need to unplug for a few days, dude. Seriously - go off-line for just 24 hours. It will probably do you a world of good.

Afflict · Wed 05/09/2007 11:10:17

The internet like any other thing can be bad if used in excess...

I agree that it's a easy trap to fall into there is just so much to do online! This is bad, I tell you very bad. I also need to step away form it now and again or it really does consume all my time!