Forum addiction?

Post Reply New Topic

I wasn't sure which section to put this under, seemed like a health thing, so bare with me!

I've been a regular poster on a few different forums for several years, and for reasons I won't get into, it dawned on me that one of them isn't the healthiest place for me to be posting on. Every time I try to break the habit of posting there, I get sucked back into it within a few weeks like it's a black hole; I start wondering about things, what members are up to, who's still there, etc. Has anyone ever experienced this, and if you have, were you able to overcome it?

I try to set myself time limits for my forum use, and set an alarm - and decide beforehand what I'm going to do when the time runs out. I allowed myself to finish a post that I'm in the middle of writing when the alarm goes off, but then I have to log out and do something away from the PC.

It certainly doesn't always work - I know just what you mean about getting sucked in. But if you limit your time, and go on the sites that give you the most enjoyment first, you can tell yourself "well, just isn't time for that horrible forum, I've got something better lined up to do."

It's a lot easier to say than to do, of course. But at least you have realised now that there are some forums you are better off avoiding. The first, and hardest, step is to admit that there is a problem - so allow yourself to feel some pride in that, it's an achievement in itself.

I had that problem before my OCD got treated by a med. I'm not saying that you have OCD thou but if you have OCD with other stuff, it might be affecting your forum use.

I've been known to obsess over things, but I haven't officially been diagnosed with OCD. I'm one of those people that does something, and then once all is said and done, I wind up picking out things I could have done better. Anyway, the thing that makes me reluctant, I guess, is that I relied on it for so long. It did get me through a rough patch (before causing more issues), and I just haven't been able to permanently leave. I'll definitely take your advise; getting it out in the open and admitting that it has become a problem has helped. I internalize a lot...which is another habit I need to break.

I'm addicted to forums, both posting and lurking. I post on Wrong Planet and Aspies Central and lurk whatever forums I come across. Honestly, it doesn't feel like such a negative thing for me. Though it does distract me a lot.

I totally get the distraction thing! Don't get me wrong, there are a few forums I enjoy posting on and spend waaaaay to much time on (hobby based ones), but staying off the anxiety forum, while it may be hard in the short term, will definitely do me good in the long term. I just have to keep telling myself that!