INTERNET addiction

I admire everyone who's struggling with this and still fighting I have a problem with this, too

HI mickey,
you are not alone.
I think there are a lot of folks( adults and children) who are having problems with tech gagets...that don't know it is a problem. Knowing is half the battle.
(((((HUGS))))
bizi

Bizi,

Thanks for this thread. I am trying to only spend 1 hour or less a day on my computer. Addiction to places like PC can sort of sneak up on you. It is a lot like food addictions (where you eat to sooth yourself rather than just for the sustainance) because you can't stop eating food, rather, you have to figure out how to moderate your behavior. People need the internet for school, work, finances, etc. Yesterday, I was reading and posting at PC more than an hour. Some of the stories are fascinating, triggering, etc. I see people in the Psychoanalysis Forum complaining about unhealthy attachment to their therapist. I am not complaining but I've become attached to some people here. It feels weird and unreal. I have found myself wondering if I have all sorts of psych problems that I probably don't even have. Though it is not right what people like Jussie Smolllett have done to get attention--I wonder if the internet contributed to his downfall? Some of us have to be on guard so we don't get sucked up into it. Taking it day by day. Will try to make this (this morning) the only time I "look" today....

Bizi,

Noticed this is not your thread--it is more like you adopted it.

Though I have not spent that much time on PC yet today , I have been thinking that I am not completely addicted to the internet (that is my GAD/hypochondria), it is just a bad habit I developed because I relied on PC to get encouragement/help sorting out a confusing event. I am not quite as confused now. They say we tell ourselves stories and constantly tweak/revise stories about traumatic events in our life. The stories are about finding meaning about what happened. Our interpretation of the events makes all the difference in whether or not we heal ourselves. What matters in life is supporting each other. Maybe we need the "thanks" and "hugs" while we are sorting through it all. Though we might get "hooked" on them, this is a good place. That I am aggravated to be "attached" or that I miss (members that left) some of the wonderful people who just tried to help me is a bit dysfunctional. But yes, we do sometimes need to reevaluate how we are spending our time without making it into a crisis when it might not be.....

for me....I am addicted to it.
I am on line as much as I can get away with. I have favorited bipolar neurotalk, bipolar and addictions at psychcentral, yahoo email, facebook, spark people(a dieting and cutting down drinking) and Hams forum (a cutting back on drinking forum).
So what I do is sit and scroll thru my favorites again and again seeing if any one has posted to me.
I call it mental masturbation.
bizi

Well here I am again....have been on line for hours. Hubby went to join his friends for drinks after the concert tonight. He dropped me off back home because I am not drinking right now and did not want to be out around people with out a drink in my hand. I have social anxiety issues.
Alcohol lubricates those awkward moments.
After mardi gras I was at my highest weight. so decided to give up alcohol and started dieting for lent.
so far have lost a good 12 pounds in a months time.
So that is good.
I am still 7 pounds heavier than what I was before christmas break.

sigh

I will get there.
so working on 2 out of 3 addictions.
At least I am working on some of my problems.
bizi

My twin grandsons, now 17, are addicted to the Internet gaming. They live overseas, and I visited them twice over there. Excited to visit, they only said "hi" a few times before retreating to their bedroom to resume their internet activity. They were such sweet young boys, but their parents, my daughter and her husband, both educators , have allowed them to become absorbed and obsesses with internet gaming. They're 17 now, approaching leaving school to embark on college, but their grades are bad. I attribute this wholly to allowing then to focus on internet instead of school. I mean, all night! when the visited me this past summer, they barely spoke to me, absorbed in their internet activities. To speak to them, I had to interrupt them to remove their headphones, to which I would get a one word reply. I don't have confidence that they will succeed in anything. They are supposed to go to college next year.

I think that this is a big problem.And you are not alone in your worries.
It will be an interesting time....their grades being so bad they may not even find a collage to accept them.
I feel for you....
bizi

Bizi, exactly. Thank you for your response. I can't do anything about it. If I even mentioned this to my daughter, I'd be resented. They'll just have to find out for themselves, I guess.

Don't smoke, don't drink on a regular basis. Never thought this is a thing, untill started noticing that I don't feel comfortable without peeking every 10-15 minutes at my phone. Now try to limit that to every hour. It is an addiction.

I continue to spend a lot of time on line. Per my therapist:I am to try to limit my computer to 15 minutes in the morning as I have been running late to work.
This is very hard to do.
bizi

Well my internet time usage has increased. I am on here a lot more and even using my cell phone during the day at lunch or in between clients...I never used to do that!
sigh
bizi

My internet usage has continued to raise. I have been on here all day.
sigh
bizi

I've been on here a lot today too grrrrrrr. Can you set a timer and do something else for 5 minutes? Maybe you would feel a bit better. Sorry if this advice isn't helpful, I'm not an expert. I'm sending hugs

btw I have to go and clean my fangs, it takes me ages and I've been here procrastinating

And then I have to try to sleep

Goodnight

I am procrastinating from doing work....paperwork for my business. It is much more fun being on line and goofing off.
This is very childish.
oh well....need to get back to my desk.
thanks for your support.
bizi

It’s ok to be childish sometimes. Maybe if you give yourself permission to play, it might also facilitate more time engaging in “useful” activities

I think I spent 6 hours on line yesterday.
sigh
bizi

Ive spent every day since Friday all over the net. Im officially addicted now. Addicted to the adrenaline rush when someone responds and depressed as fck when somebody says something i dont want to hear or worse, ignores me or takes to long to respond or doesnt friend/follow me back. I know! I know! Its stupid and petty. Im stupid, but im too lazy/depressed or unwilling to try to stop. I keep digging and digging for that high. Omg!

Can she walk and text at the same time? Not really. This addiction is getting real! :/

How is it going kitty?
I was with out a PC for the past 2 weeks but had my phone so was glued to facebook and new to me instagram.
last night when we got home It took me forever to delete all of the junk email.
bizi

Going a little better today after a break yesterday and attempting to focus my priorities on various sites. I was without a computer last week though for 4 or 5 full days...and then I still got addicted. I find my mind is often on what's going on online, but last night I at least went out to see a movie and today I didn't look at my tablet WHILST watching tv (yeah, that's when I know the addiction is getting bad. Can't even wait until a show is over! Eek!...although sometimes, rarely though, I'm multitasking so I can get to other things)
Giddy

Spoke too soon! Thoughts of internet things to do on my mind all night...suppose it could've simply been because I was hungry though and already having trouble sleeping...but well, I'm here now so what does that say? Sigh!

How do we rein it in?
bizi

Now it's just becoming a habit! At the same time, don't have anything better to do. By better I mean WANT to do...maybe I'll go do some yoga. If I get hungry, screw my fasting for one day!

I am on here for hours. forums, PC alcohol forums, nutrition forums, face book, instagram. yahoo email, weather sights.....bipolar sites....it goes on and on.
sigh
bizi