What is Internet Addiction and How Do You Overcome it?

It starts with a few harmless minutes of surfing the World Wide Web. You eventually become engrossed in surfing the Net and begin to do it more frequently. And if this is not managed and controlled at once, it may turn into a harmful habit that can affect your work or studies, social life, and even your health.

This disorder known as Internet addiction can affect anyone of us who uses the computer and the World Wide Web. We believe it is therefore important to identify its causes and symptoms, and the ways to treat this addiction.

Factors Affecting Internet Addiction

The main cause of Internet addiction hasn’t yet been determined. However, experts in the field of addiction have identified several factors affecting the possibility of Internet addiction.

A person may try to use the Internet to handle existing addictions, feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. When the person fails to manage this habit, using the Internet can become an addiction on its own.

The people around an individual may become a factor in that person’s Internet use. An individual may surf the Net to avoid family problems. Friends who demonstrate certain levels of Internet addiction may influence a person to copy this behavior.

Also, a person may be genetically more vulnerable to Internet addiction. This was derived from findings stating that a combination of genes can increase susceptibility to addictive behaviors.

Internet Addiction Symptoms

Excessive Internet use is the main symptom of this addiction. During its early stages, one may use the Internet for several hours without noticing the time.

Lack of sleep is another symptom of Internet addiction. Since most users surf the Net at night after work or school, this activity often occupies time for sleep.

You can also find symptoms in the person’s behavior towards Internet use. An individual addicted to the Net may be irritable or angry when not surfing. Denying the existence of the problem and lying about using the Internet are other indications.

Effects of Internet Addiction

Once addicted to the Internet, persons may show poor performance in school or work. This can lead to failing subjects in school or losing their present job. They may replace their social life with Internet activities.

Internet addiction can result to health issues such as fatigue, eyesight problems, and painful disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Other negative effects of this addiction can appear as combinations of the ones mentioned above.

Overcoming Internet Addiction

If you or someone you know is addicted to the Internet, abstinence from this activity is the first step to treating this disorder. Try to gradually lessen the number of hours in front of the computer. You should change the environment as the user can associate Internet use with things such as the location of the computer and other items.

Work out a schedule of healthy activities. Try to minimize free time in the schedule. Examples of worthwhile activities are exercise, sports, and hobbies that don’t involve computers.

For severe cases of Internet addiction, you can get help from therapists, treatment programs, and support groups that can help in treating this disorder.

Finally, a huge part of treating this addiction is to recognize that the user may revert to excessive Internet surfing. This can be prevented by avoiding situations that will set off the addiction again.