[Secretum]

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.

[manicminer]

I used to be the same way while in college. spent endless hours on youtube.

Just remember: "Procrastination is like masterbation. It feels good at the time, but in the end you're just screwing yourself."

[Confusedinomicon]

I use the internet in the same way. I've ****ed up my grades royally because I rather spend 10 more minutes online.

I've known this for a while yet I haven't really done much about it. Maybe you can get out of the trap. I still think there is time for me to get out of it. x)

[hanners]

I don't know if I use the internet for self-medicating, other than support sites like this one, but I do spend too much time on it.

[Beebizzy]

Internet definitely and self-help books - so reassuring... Although they tend to be abandoned when I'm hypomanic because... why would I need them LOL?

BB

[Miss Laura]

I have had to stop using the internet and am only ever on for 2 hours max. I have had to do this as I would spend anything from 8-14 hours a day on the internet doing nothing in particular. But then I would start re-searching and doing silly things which landed me into a bit of bother. So I am being good. I have spent 4 months dimming my internet usage. My CPN was amazed I had completely stopped my re-searching and obsessions I can get into online. He was amazed I had went down to 2 hours max a day. Some days I don't even come online. It's so hard to not be online but I am a lot happier without the burden of the internet

[Merlin]

It would probably help to reduce my online time, as well as my on-computer time tbo. My pdoc sometimes brings up my electronic addiction.