I'll admit it; I'm an addict. I spend at least 5-7 hours/day engaging in nonessential internet use. I do this at the expensive of my grades, my health, and my social life.

My internet usage started to really get out of control during a depression that was (by my standards at that time) quite nasty. I always assumed that that was a coincidence. I've noticed, however, that for me the internet has some mood-stabilizing effects. When I'm low, I can drown myself in distraction. I can forget that I exist, which helps me to escape all of my depressive thoughts and feelings of self-hatred. It doesn't matter if I'm exhausted or cognitively slowed down; you don't need a lot of energy or intelligence to surf the internet! When I'm high, I can find info on anything I want as quickly as I want. I can listen to loud, energetic music that is at the same pace as my mind. With either extreme, I'm satisfied...until it's time to log off.*

Does anyone else have a similar, non-chemical addiction, for similar reasons?

*I'm not saying that the internet cures my symptoms. It just lessens them to somewhat tolerable levels.