[SophiaG]

=\

I go to a computer addiction website and I have ALL the symptoms.

My computer usage wasnt this bad until I got a laptop. Now I can use it all I want in my room

And even at school I go on forums and lose hours that way.

Its really bad but I dont want to admit I have a problem.

I spend...HOURS a day on the computer. I dont even know how many hours.

And I've tried to cut back before and it hasnt worked.

:/

I have someone I am dating online and I dont want to leave them. I love them.

I dont want to admit how bad this actually is.

I'm going to a school for the Deaf next semester (hopefully) so I maybe wont feel so isolated and thus compelled to use the internet??

This is pathetic isnt it. >_<. I'm letting the computer swallow my life.

[horsecab]

No hun, it's not pathetic. I spend too much time online too. It's okay for it to be a part of our life, we just have to learn to give it a proper place, and not let it take over. It's too easy to reach out to people this way. And everyone needs that. But it's face to face that we need from people, not just online connections. I'll bet you're new school will help you to connect with real people better. Enjoy it!

[insomniac879]

It's not pathetic, and it's not your fault! The internet draws us in...
well...maybe not..but it sure does keep a lot of us occupied.

I have a similar problem...I just can't get off the internet. I know it sucks...and I know it seems IMPOSSIBLE to cut back...but it isn't. See if you can get someone to help you! My mom cuts out the internet at certain times...it makes me really mad, but as a result I don't stay on the internet until the early hours of the morning.

I lose too much time on teh internet too, and like you, I'm always on diring school hours...

But don't worry! Keep a high head and try your hardest, and this will all blow over

[Blue Krik]

Well...though I'm new here, I can tell you it's not pathetic. Anyone who develops an addiction doesn't know how get rid of it on their own. I'm 21 years old and I spend up to 20 hours a day online. If I stop to think about it, I don't even know why I need so many hours in front of a computer. I read books, listen to music, chat with my friends, go on forums, use myspace, facebook or whatever else they might invent. But do I really need 20 hours each day? Of course not.

It all started 15 months ago, when I found this cool forum, where I could write. And ever since, the internet is swallowing my life, too. Like, three months ago? I used to spend 30, 40 hours awake just so I could be on this forum I mentioned. And somehow I realized it wasn't worth it. I lost my friends, my real life friends, I started arguing with my mom, I'd get so angry whenever the power went off, though that's clearly something no one could control. And I failed most of my exams, because whenever I tried studying, I couldn't concentrate.

You just have to put a stop to it. Maybe try on your own first, make yourself leave the computer alone for a good few hours. Read books (but not online, of course). Ask your friends to help you, take long walks in the park, go out with them. Get a pen pal and start writing letters. I don't know, anything you think it might help. Just don't let it ruin your life, because it really sucks. And just remember: real life has a lot more to offer than the online one. Though we all know we can take disappointment easier through a screen...it's not worth it.

I really hope you can manage. And for what it's worth, I'm here for you. And so are all these people who really understand where you're coming from. It just takes time.

[SophiaG]

I have issues. deep issues.

I think I just failed a class and...Its so easy for me to spend an entire day online that it's not funny.

I really need to step back from the computer and do an assessment of my life, but i'm not sure I have it within me to do that.

I have issues. I'm scared.

I dont think I appreciate school. I dont think I want to do the work. Most likely I'm just plain lazy.

:wall

I used to love school. Now I dont. I have no discipline i have no drive.

And i hide...i hide hide hide on the computer.

I have no idea what to do

>_<

[Rose3]

You used to love school - and so you can find that again.
And you can develop that discipline and drive again.
Think of how you would like to organize your life and future, then plan
to manage your time (and control your use of the internet/forums).
The internet and forums are useful - but you decide when you have time for them.

[Christina86]

I understand, and I completely get this quotation (below) because that's my situation as well... It's not pathetic, it's just a way of avoidance, a way of coping with things, it's fun, it's enjoyable, it's "socially acceptable" when compared to other addictions... which makes it easier to minimize the amount of negative impact it has on ones own life.

I wish I had advice to give you, but I do want to empathize with you and say I do understand (well, I'm not deaf and I don't have an online BF, but everything else is the same.

Originally Posted by SophiaG

I have issues. deep issues.

I think I just failed a class and...Its so easy for me to spend an entire day online that it's not funny.

I really need to step back from the computer and do an assessment of my life, but i'm not sure I have it within me to do that.

I have issues. I'm scared.

I dont think I appreciate school. I dont think I want to do the work. Most likely I'm just plain lazy.

:wall

I used to love school. Now I dont. I have no discipline i have no drive.

And i hide...i hide hide hide on the computer.

I have no idea what to do

>_<

[lynn P.]

I think you need to discipline yourself like you would a child - set 1hr a day and time yourself with an alarm and don't allow youself to go on unless you've accomplished everything you need to do(school work ect). Also remember your body is designed to move, so get out and exercise. Best of luck.

[VickiesPath]

Christina says:
I understand, and I completely get this quotation (below) because that's my situation as well... It's not pathetic, it's just a way of avoidance, a way of coping with things, it's fun, it's enjoyable, it's "socially acceptable" when compared to other addictions... which makes it easier to minimize the amount of negative impact it has on ones own life.

Uh, I could think of a dozen ways I could be spending my time that would be worse. In fact, I HAVE spent my time in a dozen worse ways. Isn't recovery grand!

[kris9999]

This is completely "normal" to become addicted to the internet. Some people are even addicted to this website as well. I'm having trouble with that at the moment but what you need to do is just set a time limit for the internet. Probably don't cut it down too much at first so you're not constantly thinking about going online but maybe take an hour away at first and stick to it. Also what does help is to find something to enjoy doing. Something to get you out of the house so you wont even be tempted to go online and it will keep your mind off things! I hope everything goes well with you! Take care!

[Christina86]

But it's hard to limit the amount of time that we spend on the internet... especially with our culture and society. It's not like alcohol, where you can abstain or most substances (mostly because it's not a substance). Generally speaking, I don't know of many people who say that they could survive without the internet - that they wouldn't miss it and go through withdrawals.

Me? I've tried limiting the time. That's when justification and rationalization enter the picture and say "just five more minutes", or "just until the end of this webpage" or "just until I've finished responding to these emails" ... give an inch, take a mile.

It's even harder when you develop relationships with other people that are basically entirely online. I admit, I've done that a lot - none of them intimate or romantic, but some pretty close friendships. If you limit the amount of time you spend with a friend, you can wind up feeling pretty crappy.

It's so incredibly hard to give up the internet. I just wish I didn't feel addicted to it - and that I wouldn't go through withdrawal without it.

((((((((((((((((SophiaG))))))))))))))))))))))

[Dwayne61]

The Internet is one of several addictions that I have. I also use up a lot of time online that could be used for something else. One thing that I've found very useful to limit my time online is an Internet filter. The one I have can be found at safeeyes.com. You could have a trusted friend put in the password. In my case, my T set the password.

[SophiaG]

lol i havent even set up my computer at college >_>

i'm breaking this nasty addiction that way :P

[Dwayne61]

That's one way to deal with it!

[SweetTooth]

If you are computer savy at all you should look into the grease monkey addon for firefox and there is a website blocker you can script. I have certain websites that are off limits till after 5pm every day.

[SophiaG]

i went without the internet for a week and then I caved due to boredom :l

[eskielover]

Hi SohpiaG,

I know what you mean about being on the internet all too much. I wasn't getting things done around my house. It wasn't bad when it wasn't effecting anything, but when it does, that is when it becomes a problem. Like if I get onto it, I can't get off, so I start my day getting the things done that I have to get done. I get back to the computer when I have the things finished that I want to get done......then my computer is my reward.

Sometimes I check in at a break when I am exhausted from all the work I am doing & just need a couple of hour break.....that's ok too, but I feel much better getting the things accomplished that I need to get done. Somehow, I have been able to come back to feeling good about that, so then I feel better about the time I spend on the computer (not so guilty).

Hope all is going well. Going to the school for the deaf sounds like a wonderful experience for you. It may be that you need a change in your IRL environment that will bring you back to it & want to be there rather than on th computer.

It is always best when we can be well rounded. I love using the computer for research at school. It helped me put together some wonderful class projects & find information that was not readily available to those not using the computer. We have to use it for our good & set our priorities. Sometimes we have to use "tough love" on ourselves also. That way we can still enjoy out time on the computer even more than when we are sitting tere feeling guilty about it.

Hope school is going well & hope you are having a blessed Christmas,
Debbie

[PeculiarGroove]

I spend way too much time on the internet, although it's not as bad as it used to be. When I was in my early teens, I used to go online from about 1pm until about 5am.

Now it's more like 7-5am. I have quite an obsessive/addictive personality and tend to go through obsessive phases so it's very easy for me to get addicted.

It's not easy to set a time to get offline, you just end up thinking "five more minutes" and stay online for another hour.

But I have found that when I go out or if i've been on holiday without the net, I'm not actually as desperate to get online and get bored online more quickly. Perhaps that's the answer?

[Christina86]

Good strategy! Yep that could help things

[BashfullOne]

Becoming addicted to the internet or a website is an easy thing to have happen. I'm addicted to the internet/Psych Central. I don't ever leave my home, I have no one to talk with durning the day, and I'm a very lonely person. Right now I should be watching TV with my husband - and because of your posting, I realized that I need to be spending time with him, not on line. I need to talk to him... Thank you for opening my eyes...