Internet Addiction

[CrimsonTide2006]

I have written about depression, being overweight, I have done challenges but failed to follow through but the underlying problem (besides sleep apnea) is internet addiction. I just love the internet so much, I check facebook at an abnormally high rate even though no one ever talks to me, I check ESPN,yahoo news, I read spoilers about tv shows, watch a lot of youtube..

 

I do plan on figuring out a way to manage my time online/off but would like feedback from others. Thanks!

 

What do you feel is the healthiest amount of time to spend online? I do like to be online at night before I sleep..

[Chives the Conquerer]

I definitely understand the feeling. You go to the computer or sit down on the couch with your phone/tablet/laptop and check Facebook, the box score of the basketball game, or watch a YouTube video and suddenly you find yourself reading some obscure blog post or on the 19th page of some meme site and you've just wasted four hours of your day. It's like the Hotel California; it's an addicting loop and you become a prisoner--Yet, thankfully, there's a way out.

Set yourself time to be on the internet. I know that sounds like a crappy bit of advice you'd hear from some "fitness expert" on Yahoo News, but hear me out. If you wanna browse espn, look at the clock and give yourself ten minutes before you go do something productive. These "productive things" can be exercising, reading a book, reading a magazine (go with TIME or Nat Geo instead of 'People' or other tabloid stuff), hanging out with friends, meeting up with family, or any other eventful things. Not all of these actions are necessarily productive in the traditional sense, but they are all productive in that they are improving, or, "leveling you up" either physically, mentally, or socially.

So don't go cold turkey and smash your iPhone, because I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to realize the countless life-improving moments that the Internet is distracting you from. Don't let the internet control your life.

Internet addiction is a hell of a lot more common than you think. It's an revolving door I realized I needed to get out of sometime last year. I realized that staying up late and watching funny YouTube videos on my iPod wasn't making me any happier-- I'd occasionally chuckle at the videos, but I wasn't doing anything beneficial. A year from now, you'll remember the time you drilled a three pointer during that game of one-on-one, you'll remember going to the Midnight premiere of the new Avengers movie, you'll remember the gratifying feeling after reaching a milestone in your workout, and you'll remember the jubilant family cookouts you attended; but I guarantee that you won't look back and remember the night you spent four hours looking at memes and scrolling through a newsfeed of people you don't actually know all that well. You can take control of the internet, and stop it from being the other way around-- so let me know how great it feels once you do!

[Chives the Conquerer]

I definitely understand the feeling. You go to the computer or sit down on the couch with your phone/tablet/laptop and check Facebook, the box score of the basketball game, or watch a YouTube video and suddenly you find yourself reading some obscure blog post or on the 19th page of some meme site and you've just wasted four hours of your day. It's like the Hotel California; it's an addicting loop and you become a prisoner--Yet, thankfully, there's a way out.

Set yourself time to be on the internet. I know that sounds like a crappy bit of advice you'd hear from some "fitness expert" on Yahoo News, but hear me out. If you wanna browse espn, look at the clock and give yourself ten minutes before you go do something productive. These "productive things" can be exercising, reading a book, reading a magazine (go with TIME or Nat Geo instead of 'People' or other tabloid stuff), hanging out with friends, meeting up with family, or any other eventful things. Not all of these actions are necessarily productive in the traditional sense, but they are all productive in that they are improving, or, "leveling you up" either physically, mentally, or socially.

So don't go cold turkey and smash your iPhone, because I'm not asking you to. I'm asking you to realize the countless life-improving moments that the Internet is distracting you from. Don't let the internet control your life.

Internet addiction is a hell of a lot more common than you think. It's an revolving door I realized I needed to get out of sometime last year. I realized that staying up late and watching funny YouTube videos on my iPod wasn't making me any happier-- I'd occasionally chuckle at the videos, but I wasn't doing anything beneficial. A year from now, you'll remember the time you drilled a three pointer during that game of one-on-one, you'll remember going to the Midnight premiere of the new Avengers movie, you'll remember the gratifying feeling after reaching a milestone in your workout, and you'll remember the jubilant family cookouts you attended; but I guarantee that you won't look back and remember the night you spent four hours looking at memes and scrolling through a newsfeed of people you don't actually know all that well. You can take control of the internet, and stop it from being the other way around-- so let me know how great it feels once you do!

[Chives the Conquerer]

Sorry it posted 3 of these.

[CrimsonTide2006]

Thanks. both  I probably wont do anything tech related because I would probably mess something up..but a 2 hour limit a day, compared to how long I do spend online,during the week..sounds good..I won't limit myself on weekends...really have nothing to do on weekends anyway., going to take it slowly. 

 

 

That is a great point chives, I will remember my memories of stuff ive done not the sitting looking at mindless stuff. 

[CrimsonTide2006]

Thanks, that's a great article!

[Driftwood]

I've been trying to work on this a lot lately.  I also feel the urge to check gmail, fb, forums, you know, just in case something hot just happened and I need to know it.  In Jan I killed my FB account, but I've been considering activating it but unsubscribing from everything.  The only reason I keep fb is to keep in contact with people, and I don't need to subscribe to feeds to do that.

 

I remember when I used to use the internet to find out something specific, or to accomplish a specific task.  Now I use it like cable TV, for endless hours of distraction.  I really don't have that kind of time in my life to waste, so I've been cutting back. 

 

I've recently started to not use the internet after work until my 2 year old son goes to bed.  The internet never really has anything important going on that can't wait.  On the other hand, missing seeing my son grow up to check fb, memes, forums is so stupid and I know I'll regret it later in life.

 

I've debated turning off my laptop or not using the internet at all.  By 'at all', I mean most of the time.  I can turn it on when I need to shop for something or to lookup a map to some place I want to go.  My bills are automated.  My friends have my phone number.  I switched to a dumb phone a few years ago, then back to a smart phone w/ no data plan.  I've immensely enjoyed the freedom it gave me to not be on my phone all the time unless I was actually talking/texting people.  I also enjoy feeling old-fashioned when I make a phone call to find something out, pull out my atlas or map to determine a route, or talk to someone face-to-face. 

 

One more thing then I'll get off my soap box:  I've been reminding myself lately that I never regret doing a workout, I never regret not eating something unhealthy, and I can add that I'll probably never regret time I'll spend NOT using the internet.

[IanJLive]

Check out Leecblock my man, it's a firefox plugin that alows you to block time wasting (leeching) websites. There's a similar thing for chrome, but i forget what it's called, you can find it if you search for it.

[Spider-Doug]

I use a program called Self Control (for Mac, but also available for Windows as SelfRestraint). You can set up a list of websites that you want blocked and then set a timer for how long you want them blocked.

In the Mac version, the websites continue to be blocked even if you delete the application.

I find it really helpful for when I've got assignments to do and don't want to be distracted.

[lebe frei]

Cancel your internet service.

 

I know this is extreme, but I am really serious. From 1994 (at only 11, thanks for the computer mom...) to 2008 I found myself constantly online when I was at home, which was far too often. I was hooked real early and had a hard time shaking it. I attribute it greatly to living a life so out of shape, and sometimes quite lonely.

 

In 2008 I decided that I'd had enough of it and I completely cancelled it. I only used the internet when I went to a public place, and that made me a lot more aware of my usage and the time spent. It got me out of the house and got me socializing. It got me a wife. My mood improved, my life improved.

 

In 2010 I started a business and work from home now, so I must have it, yet I don't rely on it like I used to. However, I do find myself back to using it too much because it's too damn cold and snowy outside to do anything, but we are fixing that by moving to a warmer climate next year. We all find ourselves too glued to these machines, and life passes us by while we click away at nothing, hoping to get a "Like" on facebook or something.

 

So I'm not saying don't use the internet. I am just saying don't do it at home. Then you'll HAVE TO find other solutions to fill your time (be careful of TV), and you will find a dramatic change in your life.

 

Also, cancel Facebook. Especially if you don't have any serious friends on it anyway.

[El Exorcisto]

Your internet addiction isn't the problem, it is just a symptom. No addiction is ever the actual problem that anyone has. Addiction is just a form of escapism. Stop being depressed about how you perceive your life to be, get over it, and get on with it. I know it sounds simplistic and insensitive, but fundamentally until you stop looking for ways to filter your reality you will never be able to step out and get your hands around the real world.

 

When you are really ready to get on with your life you won't need to ask how to do it. You'll one day wake up, sick of living your life vicariously through the people you read about on the internet or watch on TV. You'll suspend your Fedbook account, you'll start making strides towards a better career, and if it is really important to you, your body composition goals will be conjured up. Until that day any excuse will do. After that day, you'll forget how to make excuses.

[CrimsonTide2006]

Thank you both I agree with all what was said, I think I knew within, when I posted, that being online secluded in my room so long is a symptom itself.