Internet addiction

LegacyUser

I spend hours on the intent each day. How can i stop cut it down? I dont even look up anything useful or interesting. I look up movies on imdb. Even one i didnt like. I then read page after page of reviews or posts. Trying to decide if its a 'good' movie or not. Or i spend ages comparing avg to norton antivirus or widows to mac. I seem to have loads of patience for fixing computer problems and never get fed up. I never seem to get fed up. Before i got the computer i would spend a long time watching tv. I am a fairly isolated person even though i know loads of people i can never talk about things. but recently i have started posting things on forums that i never say to people face to face. So internet users know more about me than my family. I have always been like this but recently i have got the feeling that people are talking about me around the town and things have go a lot worse. times i dont leave the house for a couple of days.

I am also pretty sure i have pure o ocd

So how can i cut down my computer usage?

LegacyUser

You're using the internet to escape from real life.... I've done this myself and still sometimes do when things are stressful. It's difficult enough to wean yourself off because it seems so harmless - like, it's only the internet. But it can take over a bit.

I'd look into getting some help about the feelings of isolation, and to see if you do have OCD for a start... I don't know if you'd go for counselling? Thinking that people are talking about you - it's most likely not true. Have you any friend or family member you could chat to at all? Even just someone you could meet up with for an hour or two to hang out regularly, nothing heavy, to help you feel more normal again?

What I do when I realise I'm spending too much time online is just make a conscious effort to do something non internet related - simple things like tidying up, working on a hobby. A few years ago during a particularly stressful time, I found I was having trouble leaving the house so I had to force myself to get out.... just for a walk, or to the shops, short amounts of time to start and then building up gradually.

Start small, it's the best way.... hope you feel better soon

Oryx

If you cant resist the temptation to go on the internet through will power, then cut yourself off from it. I mean literally, cut the wires. (When unplugged first, obviously.) Before that, junk all your passwords to waste-of-time sites youre signed onto by changing them and pasting in gibberish, so you cant even get back into those accounts in a cafe). And then simply get rid of the equipment. It sounds drastic, but like an alcoholic cant just have ONE drink, it may take something this severe to break the need you have to waste your time this way.

Thats your immediate problem sorted, but from the sound of it, thats only a symptom of the problem. Its just something to keep your mind busy, get rid of the internet and youll as likely fill your time with Sky tv or Xbox. Youve got to get to the root cause of why you are so introverted. And you need to fight hard and work at beating that aspect of your personality. It will take work. Counselling may be an option to begin with, but ultimately you will have to take the scary step of interacting with real people, through a group, hobby, whatever.

Im not saying you need to change your whole personality and become the life and soul of the party. But you must already want to change to some degree, or you wouldnt post here. And I hope that means you have enough will to try, cos were not put here to just type on keyboards and live through chat rooms. So once youve made the decision to tackle your issues and break out of this, first step might be to go see your doctor. Talk about your feelings on OCD and see if you can get a referral to someone who can advise you.

LegacyUser

yes you right if i didnt have a computer i would be using a console(of which i have a couple) or watching loads of tv programmes or dvds.

Recently i was drunk and someone made a remark that computer 'do your head in' but they made it in a friendly concerned way. i actually went home started crying

I have in the past got counselling but found it hard to open up and instead talked pshcyco babble

Oryx

Unregistered wrote: »

I have in the past got counselling but found it hard to open up and instead talked pshcyco babble

Yes you will do. Perhaps thats a defensive thing, were obstinate creatures, we'll do anything to avoid hard truths. We fit ourselves inside this way we want to be seen, or how we are comfortable thinking we are. You need to trust enough to let those walls down. The counsellor will not judge, or care. This is all about you. The thing is to keep going till you get to the point where you can talk honestly. Or till you get to a point where keeping up the defences is more of a struggle than letting them go. If you want to badly enough, you can do it.

Gadfly

A thing to try is to set a time when you can surf the internet. I usually go on-line in the morning while having my coffee and give myself a time to be off. I was spending eight hours a day at one stage just mindlessly surfing from one link to another. It's just pure escapism. I think boredom exacerbates matters though. Try the counseling anyway. Like all addictions it runs much deeper.

Miss Fluff

Unregistered wrote: »

I have always been like this but recently i have got the feeling that people are talking about me around the town and things have go a lot worse. times i dont leave the house for a couple of days.

What has caused you to think people are talking about you OP?

LegacyUser

Miss Fluff wrote: »

What has caused you to think people are talking about you OP?

I have never really had a girlfriend and even though i am not gay someone (who thinks i am) decided to 'out' me

LegacyUser

Unregistered wrote: »

I have always been like this but recently i have got the feeling that people are talking about me around the town and things have go a lot worse. times i dont leave the house for a couple of days.

Hi, it's highly unlikely people are talking you. People prefer to gossip about people who are 'in the limelight', what could people possibly say about you if you're indoors all the time? And if you aren't around to see them how can you know it's true that they're talking about you?
If I were to hazard a guess I'd say you're just being a bit paranoid, or projecting what you think about yourself on to other people.

I am also pretty sure i have pure o ocd

Well maybe you do, maybe you don't. For that you need to consult someone. But what I'd ask is what drives you to stay on the computer? Do you do it out of boredom, or is it actual interest? Or do you go on the computer because you don't feel comfortable in other peoples company?

Whatever the cause, I think you've identified something in your life isn't going as well you'd like it. All I can advise you is to reach out for something new, you know now at this point what you get from sitting at the PC all day. So you now have choice to keep going in that direction or doing something different.
If it does turn out to be an obsessive compulsion, let someone know you're having difficulty and need assistance from a professional.

LegacyUser

You are on the internet a lot maybe because you lack interaction in real life, possibly because you are shy, or have paranoia issues. Do you smoke much at all (pot)?

If you don't smoke and are paranoid that people are talking about you then perhaps you have some self esteem issues. This may be why you are finding it hard to interact with people, so you are finding the internet to be your main social outlet. This can be dangerous, but I would say don't do away with the internet altogether. You just need to drastically cut down your useage, maybe just wean yourself off slowly. How about cutting out 30 mins to an hour a day and use that time to catch up with some friends or family? Or perhaps go for a walk around town or even phone the samaritans or childline. The internet is a great way to connect with like-minded people from all over the world, but it is still important to connect off the screen too.

JayeL

Hi OP, I have a bit of an addiction too and I worry about it a lot. I've been pulled aside twice in 4 years over my internet use in work and I've asked for it to be restricted to no avail.

I know I have an addiction but there's no recognition of it yet. It's part escapism, part boredom, part apathy towards anything else at the time.

If you don't need it for work, cut yourself free. It's like alcoholism only there's no help.

Best of luck with it, OP

LegacyUser

OP here

I never talk out any problems i have or had. I never get angry(except with my parents) People tell me i am really easy going, polite, mild mannered, never in a bad mood etc. If someone annoyed i would never let them know i am annoyed. I see other people getting annoyed and eventually they always tell someone but i dont. I think this has caught up with me.

I think the internet use is just a symptom not the problem.

The problem i have with counselling is meeting the counsellor afterwards in the street and them knowing about me

entropi

OP, i know it may sound easy but you just HAVE to force yourself off it! I had a major problem with playing games online for like 6 years and yeah i gained some happy times, but it was all escapism and i lost a whole lot more in the end. Friends disappeared, cash vanished that i could have spent very wisely otherwise, and most of all, i lost time:( the one thing you can never get more of. Cracking the addiction is tough, i'll forever get the urge to log on every now and again but i'm resisting, and so should you. I would recommend cutting it out of your life at home and work, only use it at a net cafe to check email etc. Get outdoors more and you wont even think about using the net, so call up some friends, do some stuff and live the rest of your life.

Mingey

Unregistered wrote: »

The problem i have with counselling is meeting the counsellor afterwards in the street and them knowing about me

Counsellors are professionally trained and confidentiality is a code that they live by.

It sounds like you really need to talk to someone about what is bothering you, but you are afraid of people knowing about you. Why not try going to someone, you don't have to talk about anything you don't want to, but it may help even to get some of the little things off of your chest.

Just remember, there are a lot of wierdos and counsellors have met all sorts, so don't feel like you are alone