Adventure Game Studio

Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: Domino on Sat 01/09/2007 01:21:20

Title: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Domino on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: radiowaves on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Stupot on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: MillsJROSS on 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
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Jhumjhum on 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!
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: lo_res_man on Sat 01/09/2007 08:24:59
Oh yes, I should stop, but it keeps calling me.....!
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Obi on Sat 01/09/2007 09:19:22
It's not an addiction IT'S A WAY OF LIFE.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Dave Gilbert on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: InCreator on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: nihilyst on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: sharksweetheart on Sat 01/09/2007 14:57:12
.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Oliwerko on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: hedgefield on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: R4L on 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
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Domino on 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.  :)
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: nihilyst on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Nikolas on 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...
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: suncrafter on 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.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Afflict on 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!
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Stupot on Wed 05/09/2007 12:23:51
There so many things to do online.
The problem is when you've been online eight hours solid and then realise you haven't done any of those things
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Tuomas on Wed 05/09/2007 13:25:14
Well there's a couple of things I use the internet for. 1. AGS/ProgArchives forums. 2. Reading my e-mail. 3. Paying my bills. 4. Reading newspapers that I cannot order. Oh, and 5. Random stuff when I've got nothing else to do (youtube, porn, etc).

See, Everytime I open the computer, I check the forums, at the same time my e-mail page opens. When I've done that, it's about 30 minutes seeing as I get around 10 e-mails a day, I go read the wsws.org site and then the Aftonbladet occasionally, and sometimes Opendemocracy.net. Also, I get the e-mail version of NY Times. That's about it. Then I spend time drawing, listening to music, playing music, jogging (not today due to blood donations), watching random stuff on telly, debating via msn and my blog, and reading.

Usually at around 4-5pm I join #AGS and chat throughout the night while I listen to music, but only if I can't sleep. I don't think I'm an addict, nor that I would need the internet. I spent July without a connection, and sure, I had to visit my grandma to read my mail, but I didn't lose anything since it was the summer period and all.
Title: Re: Is the Internet an Addiction?
Post by: Domino on Wed 05/09/2007 13:39:13
I do work a Full-Time job so i'm not on every single hour of the day, but we have internet here at work and that doesn't help. aaarrghh!  :)