Internet and Computer Addiction

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Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by StarPhoenix »

What is Internet addiction or computer addiction?
Internet Addiction, otherwise known as computer addiction, online addiction, or internet addiction disorder (IAD), covers a variety of impulse-control problems, including:

Cybersex Addiction – compulsive use of Internet pornography, adult chat rooms, or adult fantasy role-play sites impacting negatively on real-life intimate relationships.

Cyber-Relationship Addiction – addiction to social networking, chat rooms, and messaging to the point where virtual, online friends become more important than real-life relationships with family and friends.

Net Compulsions – such as compulsive online gaming, gambling, stock trading, or compulsive use of online auction sites such as eBay, often resulting in financial and job-related problems.

Information Overload – compulsive web surfing or database searching, leading to lower work productivity and less social interaction with family and friends.

Computer Addiction – obsessive playing of off-line computer games, such as T.E.S. Skyrim or Civilisation, or obsessive computer programming. [iRon?]
Signs and symptoms of Internet addiction or computer addiction
Signs and symptoms of Internet addiction vary from person to person. For example, there are no set hours per day or number of messages sent that indicate Internet addiction. But here are some general warning signs that your Internet use may have become a problem:

Losing track of time online. Do you frequently find yourself on the Internet longer than you intended? Does a few minutes turn in to a few hours? Do you get irritated or cranky if your online time is interrupted?
Having trouble completing tasks at work or home. Do you find laundry piling up and little food in the house for dinner because you’ve been busy online? Perhaps you find yourself working late more often because you can’t complete your work on time — then staying even longer when everyone else has gone home so you can use the Internet freely.
Isolation from family and friends. Is your social life suffering because of all the time you spend online? Are you neglecting your family and friends? Do you feel like no one in your “real” life — even your spouse — understands you like your online friends?
Feeling guilty or defensive about your Internet use. Are you sick of your spouse nagging you to get off the computer and spend time together? Do you hide your Internet use or lie to your boss and family about the amount of time you spend on the computer and what you do while you're online?
Feeling a sense of euphoria while involved in Internet activities. Do you use the Internet as an outlet when stressed, sad, or for sexual gratification or excitement? Have you tried to limit your Internet time but failed?
Physical symptoms of Internet addiction
Internet or computer addiction can also cause physical discomfort such as:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (pain and numbness in hands and wrists)
Dry eyes or strained vision
Back aches and neck aches; severe headaches
Sleep disturbances
Pronounced weight gain or weight loss
So I am thinking of drastically reducing my internet use at home...
Do any of the above descriptions sound familiar to you?

I think that I am well and truely addicted, and think that it might be a good idea to go cold turkey.
Also, people in my salary bracket shouldn't be spending so much on luxuries.

More sources:

11 Signs of Internet Addiction

Netaddictionary
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by rustypup »

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (pain and numbness in hands and wrists)
Dry eyes or strained vision
Back aches and neck aches; severe headaches
Sleep disturbances
Pronounced weight gain or weight loss


i'm coming over all stabby again... how the hell are any of these unique to internet addiction?

i know nothing at all about the sources but i strongly suspect you'll find some serious bias in there... it all smacks of tech-fear-parenting woo... :x

<edit>
at +-$10k per "treatment" i suspect Dr Hilarie is looking to Cash* in :lol:

*<get it? nudge.nudge.>

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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by StarPhoenix »

Have I struck a nerve? ;-)

Internet AND computer addiction, Rusty. The fact that they are not unique to this form of addiction does not make them any less valid as symptoms?

I certainly would pay someone a cent to "cure" me of my addiction-or manage it for me. One needs to take responsibility for the problem if one sees it as such, and do whatever is necessary-or opt to live with it.

While I may be going cold-turkey at home, that may not work for everyone, and if you have sufficient self-discipline to manage your computer and internet usage, and not allow it to impinge on other areas of your life, then good for you. :-)

I shall still have internet access at work, but am expected to use it responsibly here.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by hamin_aus »

StarPhoenix wrote:Internet AND computer addiction, Rusty. The fact that they are not unique to this form of addiction does not make them any less valid as symptoms?
ITT: bullshirt psychologists make up to keep themselves employed and the simpletons who buy into it
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by doo_much »

Boet, are you some kind of Psychological Hypochondriac?

It's as though you want something to be wrong with you!

Internet abuse is not an addiction, and even if it is the effects are much less debilitating than that of other addictions.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by CapNemo »

jamin_za wrote:
StarPhoenix wrote:Internet AND computer addiction, Rusty. The fact that they are not unique to this form of addiction does not make them any less valid as symptoms?
ITT: bullshirt psychologists make up to keep themselves employed and the simpletons who buy into it
:notworthy:
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by StarPhoenix »

doo_much wrote:Boet, are you some kind of Psychological Hypochondriac?

It's as though you want something to be wrong with you!

Internet abuse is not an addiction, and even if it is the effects are much less debilitating than that of other addictions.
Well......it stil isn't right, and I think it needs to be dealt with.

Why do you say that it is rubbish, jamin? Don't you think that when spends so much time online or on a computer that
more important things suffer, there is a problem.

Would you prefer it if I called it Internet and Computer Abuse instead?

:oops: OK, so according to Merriam-Webster one can only abuse substances. It is compulsive, protracted use to the detriment of all else, though.

Work is suffering.....as is my laundry.


@Doo: :shock: :lol:


Might this apply.
Last edited by StarPhoenix on 08 May 2012, 18:28, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by Hman »

I can cure you, praise the lord child. Give unto me your gaming pc, and rejoice.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by THE_STIG »

jamin_za wrote:ITT: bullshirt psychologists make up to keep themselves employed and the simpletons who buy into it
for once I agree 100% with you
Hman wrote:I can cure you, praise the lord child. Give unto me your gaming pc, and rejoice.
ROFL


Internet addiction :lol: really now, what will they come up with next :roll:
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by Monty »

Hman wrote:I can cure you, praise the lord child. Give unto me your gaming pc, and rejoice.
You're doing it wrong, you forgot to charge for the service of removing his gaming PC.
StarPhoenix wrote::oops: OK, so according to Merriam-Webster one can only abuse substances. It is compulsive, protracted use to the detriment of all else, though.
You should check the first statement (: the quality or state of being addicted <addiction to reading>)

Addicted is defined as:
1. to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or obsessively
2. to cause addiction to a substance in (a person or animal)
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by THE_STIG »

Monty wrote:
Hman wrote:I can cure you, praise the lord child. Give unto me your gaming pc, and rejoice.
You're doing it wrong, you forgot to charge for the service of removing his gaming PC.
And that he must give 10% of his earnings to you :P
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by StarPhoenix »

Hman wrote:I can cure you, praise the lord child. Give unto me your gaming pc, and rejoice.
Oh........glory be unto Ishtar and Tiamat!

Wilt thou comest unto East London to fetch it? The cost of posting it would be scary, and it may be damaged en route.


Monty: Ah.....so one COULD say that it is an addiction. :twisted:
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by Hman »

If you make a "donation" to the ministry I would gladly travel first class to cleanse you of the bane of your existence.

And as a bonus I will have our lord touch the with his noodly appendage.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

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Unto thee I shall sacrifice one internet [yea, verily].
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

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Receiveth thine blessing child. May Mara smile upon thee and Stendarr guide thee.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by hamin_aus »

StarPhoenix wrote:Why do you say that it is rubbish, jamin? Don't you think that when spends so much time online or on a computer that
more important things suffer, there is a problem.
Oh yes there is a problem, but to call it an addiction is to belittle everyone who actually has a real addiction and may be working to overcome it.
Imagine sitting in a rehab meting with recovering alcoholics who have to live with the knowledge they destroyed their families, or heroin addicts who used to prostitute themselves for drug money....

Then you speak up and go
Hay guise, my name SturPhernix and I was addicted to the internet and computers. It got so bad that 'other important things' in my life suffered. But I'm trying hard to beat this and last week I only spent 4 hours online... hallelujah!
You would probably get beaten to a pulp and I'd be cheering them on.

I'm not saying some addictions are worse than others here. I'm saying that branding every trifling time waste that people get caught up in as an addiction is not only wrong, but it is dishonest and insulting.
It's just a way for psychologists (IE people with ZERO medical knowledge) to keep themselves relevant.
Shame on you for happily palming off peoples lack of self control in these matters as an addiction and expecting people to fall all over themselves about this 'condition'

Anyone who came up to me and told me they were addicted to the internet would bet told to GTFO
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by Tribble »

Welcome to the club birdie. But this is one addiction I will not be giving up. The benefits far outweigh the negatives.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by Hman »

But surely there could be harm in this, I recall an article in which a woman from the UK got so lost in bookface games that her dog's rotting corpse was lying in the house while her kids only got chips and cookies to eat.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by hamin_aus »

If I was a kid I'd love eating just chips and cookies
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by StarPhoenix »

@jamin: Gosh......never in a month of Sundays would I have thought of it that way. :shock:
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by SykomantiS »

Doesn't mean it's good for you jammie...
It's not FB's fault, or any pc or net connection for that matter.
Sounds to me like she was unstable to begin with- she would've found something else to get hooked on.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by KALSTER »

Is it not obvious that there are TWO types of addiction: physical and psychological? I am not necessarily advocating for the existence of internet/computer psychological addiction, but to simply dismiss it out of hand and make fallacious comparisons with physical addictions strikes me as a little ignorant.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by SykomantiS »

I didn't dismiss anything out of hand, I merely said she's F&^#! nuts to start off with- no one who does that is in my eyes mentally stable or fit to be a parent, regardless of the addiction- be it physical or psychological.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by KALSTER »

Wasn't specifically directed at you, but noted and agreed.
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Re: Internet and Computer Addiction

Post by SykomantiS »

Oh, ok. Thought you were talking to me :lol:
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