When is it internet addiction?

Didn't know where this question would fit, so I put it in general

Anyway, when someone, like me, has little or no social life anyway, how do you know when your internet use is addictive or not? If it's solely based on trying to reduce the use and failing, that's me.
I have made feeble attempts at staying away from the internet, but it always draws me back (usually within the same day). I have no real compelling reason to stop, like I said, I have no other life. I'm 18, at home, in grade 12. I have 3 friends, but we never do anything during the week and only do things on weekend nights (friday and saturday nights).
The rest of my time is spent on the internet, working and at school (about 10 hours per week working and 30-50 hours per week on the internet).
I feel better on the internet. Most of the stuff I do is post on forums (like these, though the other ones I post on are about other topics.) I also do random searches on google (could be about anything. I have a wide range of technical interests from computers to cars to nuclear reactors.)
Aside from that, I download music (legal in Canada) as well as various not-so-legal things. Although you may think this is a lie, I pretty much never use the computer for pornography. When it comes to computers, i'm somewhat of a perfectionist and the junk that browsing porn sites puts on a computer is staggering, I prefer to keep a "clean" computer.

So, to take you through a day of my life.

Wake up after 3 hours of sleep at 8AM, go to school from 8:30AM until 2:20PM. If I don't work, I am online from about 3PM until 1AM, perhaps 2 or 3AM sometimes, and sometimes later. With the occassional break for TV (half hour at most) supper (half hour) and homework (rarely, maybe half hour unless I have a major project due).
I pull off good marks (80s in everything except math, I have a low 90s average in math).

Like I said, I don't really have a life otherwise. I would be watching TV, sleeping or doing some other activity by myself. On weekends I generally have no problem with getting up from the computer and going to a friend's house. If I get home late enough (2AM) then I may just go straight to bed without going online.
If I tried to stop using the internet, it would be very tough. I would first have to stop posting and finish up the threads i've started or am active in on my other forums (to be sure I don't miss answers or what-not). After I stopped posting and finished threads (couple days). I MAY be able to stay off the internet for a couple days. But that's probably maximum. I alway come across
1. Songs I want to download
2. Questions I want answered (from the sites found from google).
3. Questions I want answered (from forums like this, or forums for other topics).
4. Software I want to download
5. Other computer tasks I want to do (trying out Linux or a wide range of other things).

When i'm not at the computer, I make a list of stuff. It's usually songs I want to download. Without access to a computer, I would probably make lists of other things too (questions, topics to research etc).

So I suppose everything in my life revolves around the internet. My social life is mostly the internet, the way I get information and knowledge is the internet and a large part of my day I am sitting right here, on the internet.

in my book, you aren't addicted to the internet.

Well, if you think youre addicted, then i definetly know i am addicted. I spend countless hours on the computer every day.

I should be out looking for a job, but instead....here i am

I guess if it isnt interfering with your school work, or getting you in trouble then its ok.

You sound much like me. All of my socialization in life is pretty much done online. It beats picking up the phone and talking to someone. I'd rather talk to someone this way. I find more supportive people online, too. Unfortunately, I DO revolve my life around the internet. Like I've called off counseling appointments and called off plans with my boyfriend just so I could be online. My boyfriend wants me to go to his dad's house for 3 or 4 days. I really don't know if I could handle that much time away from the internet. I can't even handle 6 hours away from it!

Now, I do have 1 friend offline that I occasionally go see. We're supposed to be going there for New Year's. I'm dreading it because I can't be online...it's gonna be for about 2 days. The socialization in person scares me, I get really agitated and anxious, and want to leave. Is it to get online? Probably. But that's how I like things.

I guess if your addiction isn't causing problems in your life, then you shouldn't really worry about it. It doesn't sound like it's interfering with anything, so I don't see it as a problem. But that's just my opinion.

I have myself been spending close to double-digit time here at the keyboard lately, so I'm definitely in the running for hypocrite of the week...but here I go, anyway.

We are not "hurting" anyone or anything when we spend this much time online; yes, we can get the answers to arcane questions from Google and bone up on our quantum physics (I'm 49 and I do all this stuff, too!!!)

The problem is, we don't contribute, either. Sure, what we do at sites like PC is important (saved my life, literally), but one Saturday, (or whenever, really), go down about 8:00 am to the nearest Habitat for Humanity jobsite and work all day helping someone build their home. Or, go to the local Salvation Army or soup kitchen about dinnertime and pass out food. Or even cleanup, or any of the other legions of jobs they need help with. Computers are great, I don't want to live without them, but there is so much of the 3D world that isn't shiny and perfect, and they would just LOVE to meet you! Nice folks, too...

Hey, it's kind of nice up here on the soapbox!
DJ

I need to take this advice myself!

Good points! It would be a good idea to do some good in people's real lives. I wanted to do this at school. My school has lost 3 people from suicide within 2 years (actually less). In a population of 1300, 3 suicides is just ridiculous and coming from my own experience, I KNOW it's possible to prevent these things. I do find it really hard to start something like that. If someone came up to ME and told me how they felt, I may be able to help. My knowledge would be nothing like it is if the internet didn't exist, but I also know my social life would be substantially more interesting if the internet didn't exist. I guess it's a trade-off. Knowledgable people tend to be less socially "able".

I know my life won't be full of parties or 1000 friends, but I just don't want to slip into such a rut that I end up single my entire life with no friends. If I had a family and a couple friends, I would be just fine and dandy. Of course I do have a couple friends right now, I just don't like being in high school still. I want to KNOW where i'll be in 5 years.
I plan on engineering, if that works out for me, my career should be fairly easy to secure, meeting people needs some work though.

Friend, I have to agree with what you'r saying... the internet is such an exciting resource, with never-ending adventures. I get the same feeling in a library, as there's SO MUCH information and knowledge to take in... The world's experts at any given subject have deposited a wealth of knowledge in both areas. SO, I understand, I think, why the internet has such appeal; but also have to agree with some of the previoius replies about your ability to positively affect the world. In my opinion, if you don't see your internet use interferring heavily with the rest of your life (grades, friends, etc...) then you don't have an addiction... or atleast it isn't maladaptive at this point. Just be careful, watch out for signs of it taking over. Take care, I hope this helps!

I don't think I'm addicted to the Internet but when I first got America Online,I tended to spend a lot of time on the 'Net, it got so I wasn't going to my adult daycare at a time when I was medically unstable and my self-esteem and people skills were basically down the spout...I cared about nothing but the Internet. Needless to say my staff, thank god, saw that I was floundering and gave me an ultimatum..Go to program or end up sick and in a nursing home. I know for me I have to have a life off the Internet or else I'd be unhappy and bored...Being out and about is way better for me than sitting at home on AOL every day. In my opinion having 'face to face' people skills is very necessary for me to communicate effectively and be able to be open and honest with the people I care about and those who care about me. I know that my strength comes from being able to live my life, do the things I've always wanted to do, be involved in my community, even going to college, would not be possible if I lived my whole life on the Internet. I hope I am not coming off as mean or attacking...I just know what ALMOST happened to me. It's scary. I am happy with my life now, I feel as if I'm doing great things for myself...and when I do become a peer counselor, for others like me.