I think I have an internet addiction

LegacyUser

I feel so stupid writing this but I need to reach out and get views.


I think I've developed a bad habit in terms of internet use. I am constantly online, checking facebook, different forums and other sites. I have a tablet and smart phone and several times I've been online until both have run out of power. I check both constantly and even when I'm at home with my partner I can't stop checking and reading and surfing. I don't want to waste so much time but I can't seem to stop. First thing in the morning and last thing at night I'm online. I've often spent a free morning doing nothing but browsing the web and once or twice on a day off I've spent almost the entire day online, even reading things on my phone while eating.

Its not like I can't ever put the tablet/phone down. If I'm out with a group or for a date I can easily do without going online for a few hours. I sometimes promise myself I'll unplug for a day or an evening but I can't help myself. My partner has mentioned a few times that they wish I'd be less absorbed with tablet/phone but even though I don't want to be so obsessed with the internet I can't seem to stop.

I'm a grown adult with children and I need to figure out if this is a problem and if it is what I should do. I really think I need to cut back on my use, but I don't know how to address this problem, it seems a very trivial thing compared to what some people are 'addicted' to.

Red About Town

Probably 'suffer' a bit from this myself. Best thing to do is go 'cold turkey' for a while e.g a week. After that limit yourself to a short time every day to surf, check emails etc.

The internet is great but a lot of time can be wasted on it.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Sounds like a behaviour addiction.

The trick with these is to annalyse why you get pleasure from the act and then see if you can break the link between the act and the pleasue. Google it and see if you can find some useful techniques.

sashafierce

This post has been deleted.

If I ever feel I'm being online far too much, then I do something else. You say you have a smart phone - download an audiobook to it, put your phone to airplane mode and go out for a walk. Turn off your laptop and take out a book. Go talk to your partner. Make plans to get both of you out of the house.

finbarrk

'A grown adult with children'. Maybe it's time to start forgetting about facebook. Leave that to the kids.

Duckjob

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

The trick with these is to annalyse why you get pleasure from the act and then see if you can break the link between the act and the pleasue. Google it and see if you can find some useful techniques.

You've got to love the irony of telling someone to Google info on how to overcome their internet addiction



Seriously though, while it's not as dramatic as other addictions, OP at least you recognise a problem. Most people probably can identity with that feeling of spending a morning dly browsing and then saying "wtf have I been doing all morning?". I think once you get used to recognising when you're doing it, you can make the conscious decision to unplug a bit. Good luck with it.