Addicted to the computer

[blah]

Has anyone else felt that the computer and the internet is hurting them more than it is helping? It just seems that whenever I have any free time I would just go online and chat with friends and look at youtube videos. I don't think I remember one day in the past several years where I went computer-free except when I was on vacation. And even though I enjoy just browsing the web and chatting with friends, I feel that it has been hurting my social skills and social life and has definitely made me lazier. Anyone else feeling this way? Yes I know...I can just shut it off and go out more often and all that, but that's what addiction is right?

[Hockey Dork]

Has anyone else felt that the computer and the internet is hurting them more than it is helping? It just seems that whenever I have any free time I would just go online and chat with friends and look at youtube videos. I don't think I remember one day in the past several years where I went computer-free except when I was on vacation. And even though I enjoy just browsing the web and chatting with friends, I feel that it has been hurting my social skills and social life and has definitely made me lazier. Anyone else feeling this way? Yes I know...I can just shut it off and go out more often and all that, but that's what addiction is right?

I just find it a bit ironic, discussing internet/computer addiction on an online forum :)

Just go out with friends. After a week of getting away from the PC you will find your urge to stay in front of the computer dwindling away. There is plenty of other shit to keep you occupied, it's just a matter of kicking your ass into gear and finding it.

[PenforPrez]

I've been addicted to the Internet for years and I admit it. More and more, I realize I'm a big fish in the small pond of my corner of rural Missouri I live in, and I've always resorted to the Internet as an escape, if nothing else. It's not a sufficient surrogate for the things I really want, but I can't get them here, so I just have to deal. Not healthy, but that's how it is.

Just go out with friends. After a week of getting away from the PC you will find your urge to stay in front of the computer dwindling away. There is plenty of other shit to keep you occupied, it's just a matter of kicking your ass into gear and finding it.

Not everybody has that luxury. I don't, for one.

Paul

[winneythepooh7]

Yes. My fiance actually has stated it bothers him when he comes home from work and sees me online. I am going to try to make more of an effort not to be on the computer so much. Sometimes we have no intentions to stay on long at all, but before you know it, 3 hours of "missing time" have gone by.

[wordsmith]

For me, it's been a godsend for socializing and communicating with other like-minded, intelligent people, during a stretch of years when my job has necessitated my locating in a pretty isolated place with few peers. I've made great friends via messageboards and the like who have become real-life, flesh and blood acquaintances, and I'd never have crossed paths with them, otherwise. But I can't say I'd ever blow off plans with friends or fam to chat online or surf the net.

I'm pretty hesitant to label something an addiction if it increases your quality of life rather than cause harm. Which is obviously pretty specific to the individual. If you're foregoing social events IRL to hang out online, then maybe that's not increasing your quality of life, but rather, hindering socialization. Likewise if you're blowing off responsibilities, routinely, to be online. But if you use it to supplement limited social outlets, I don't think that's necessarily unhealthy.

[shorty]

I agree with Paul. I think I use it a lot as an escape, especially if I'm bored or lonely. I've been trying to get out more and away from the computer, but sometimes that's hard... especially if you don't have anyone to go out with and nothing to do. But that's why I've tried finding other things to do in my spare time, besides going online.

I agree with wordsmith too though. At least to me, the computer isn't really an addiction. I'd rather hang out in real life than hang out online. If anything, the computer is probably more like a crutch for me... something to do when I'm bored or lonely.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Yes. My fiance actually has stated it bothers him when he comes home from work and sees me online. I am going to try to make more of an effort not to be on the computer so much. Sometimes we have no intentions to stay on long at all, but before you know it, 3 hours of "missing time" have gone by.

This is pretty much the one thing my FI and I argue about (outside of our looovely families). FOr me, the internet addiction is a symptom of other things missing in my life - not into my career and feel trapped, big part of me would rather just pop out a few kids and be a SAHM, feel all this conflict about family vs. career, etc.

[WorkInProgress]

For me, it's been a godsend for socializing and communicating with other like-minded, intelligent people, during a stretch of years when my job has necessitated my locating in a pretty isolated place with few peers. I've made great friends via messageboards and the like who have become real-life, flesh and blood acquaintances, and I'd never have crossed paths with them, otherwise. But I can't say I'd ever blow off plans with friends or fam to chat online or surf the net.

I'm pretty hesitant to label something an addiction if it increases your quality of life rather than cause harm. Which is obviously pretty specific to the individual. If you're foregoing social events IRL to hang out online, then maybe that's not increasing your quality of life, but rather, hindering socialization. Likewise if you're blowing off responsibilities, routinely, to be online. But if you use it to supplement limited social outlets, I don't think that's necessarily unhealthy.

Agreed. OP, if you feel it is hindering you, do what you can to limit the time you spend at the computer, and like HD said, find something else to do.

[arrow]

This post has in a way actually inspired me to spend less time online at home. I still will go on for a minute or two to look something up if necessary, but I'm trying to stay off for the most part. It HAS improved my life, I must admit, but right now I just want to do other things. I spend enough time online at work anyway. Plus, my boyfriend also complains.

[wordsmith]

If I lived with somebody, I have no doubt that I would be online much less, because when I'm visiting others, when I'm at my parents', when I have people over, etc., I don't have any real time or inclination to go online unless I need something specifically; people, when I'm around them, generally fill up my time. I tend to only be online when I'm killing time when I'm on my own...and I'm just as likely to be reading or watching a movie, too, come to that. It's just a space filler.