Internet Addiction

Post Reply New Topic

I'm addicted to the Internet. This has been going on for seven years. I log on to the Internet an average of five times a day. I eat my Breakfasts and Lunches at the computer just so I can spend even more time on the Internet. I feel this high whenever I'm online. I don't feel that I have much controll over my living situation,, but when I log on to the Internet, I feel that I'm in total control of my life. I never did like computers before the Internet came along, but now I love them! I'm trying to win a Computer of my own, so that I won't have to wait to go on the Internet.

Is anybody else addicted to the Internet?

I would not say I am addicted to the Internet, but I use it a lot because it is easier for me. I feel better typing down things than using a pen, and talking online than on the phone. But I could live without a computer for some times. I would still use it though.

Loy

I was using Internet already in 1994. I knew WWW when it was a curiosity, and witnessed as it grew and took over the world. These were times when Microsoft did not yet have a homepage, nobody heard of Internet Explorer and Netscape was in early beta stage, but you could already order online at Pizza Hut. It took me a full day of hard labor to install TCP/IP support in Windows 3.1, so that I could run that innovative piece of software called a "browser". Suffice is to say, I was hooked. My master's degree thesis in 1996 was on the subject of Internet.

Nowadays I live on the net. I have an always-on broadband connection (cable), and most what I do is online (I don't eat, sleep and bike online yet, unfortunately. ) When I was looking for a new apartment two years ago, my first question was about Internet access, and second about apartment size. Internet is as necessary for me as is air.

If i'm not at school, I connect to the Internet after my breakfast and stay online until I need sleep. I've got more friends on the Internet than in "real life".
I take my lunch and dinner near the computer, when my parents allow me and when they are not there.
During holiday I had no Internet access, and felt bad for a couple of days, thats all.
I feel like I can control things better when i'm connected too. Except once, when a friend told me to look for a webpage. I couldn't find that page and got upset...

I hate to call it an addiction. If we can't get interaction with others in "real life," then interacting with people online should be a good thing.

Tom, I really like the way you put that. I never thought of it that way. I always felt this lingering guilt about being judged as 'addicted' but when I read what you wrote I realized that I simply do online what other people do in 'real life' social situations.

I'm not an addict anymore, just heavily dependent. I used to wake up and log on straight away, eventually I would realise I was starving and dash into the kitchen to make tea and toast, and eat it in front of the screen - hours later, I would be feeling grimy and realise I hadn't showered, so it was a quick shower, another quick meal in front of the screen etc etc etc.

These days, I've got a puppy and a house to fix up, so I'm not quite so bad - I have my tea and toast and feed the dog before logging on, usually have a shower first too. Sometimes I can go a day without connecting and not be bothered by it, but recently I needed a new part and was offline for a week, I found myself quite 'manic', keeping ridiculously busy...strange how much I got done that week! I often leave the phone line plugged in to the computer all day, whether I'm online or not, because it diverts phone calls to a voicemail service -saves me having to talk to anyone, and I don't have friends anyway! My family can get me via email if they need to.


PP

I had an eppisode last night. I was waiting to get my fix from the Internet. My Father harshley replied that he was going to be on for quite a while. I stormed into my room and yelled out, "I'm an Autistic Loser who's 'hooked' on the Internet! Are you satisfied?" If he warned me at the Dinner Table, none of that stuff would have happened. I'm despreate to get my own place just so I can have unlimited access to the Internet, whenever I want it, instead of feeling like a caged animal.

I usually have a big tantrum if I can't use the Internet, so I think I'm definitely an Internet junkie!

I too am addicted to the Internet. I need to keep my connection active and find new sources of high-performance code. I've got to have a fast hookup. I don't know how those dial-up users manage! If I'm away from my computer for more than a day at a time, I start to get shakes and severe anxiety; I begin to sweat; my head aches; I even have trouble breathing.

If it's been awhile since I last got my fix and I see someone with a live WiFi connection at a café or on their cell phone, I sometimes grab their computer or phone from them so I can have that sweeeet connection to the wired world.

I have seen an addiction counselor about this, and he recommends going cold turkey. But I can't! The Internet is part of me! I have a buddy list to maintain! I've got e-mail to check! I've got sites to browse! Is he crazy or something?

Anyway, I visited that End of the Internet site once. Haha, very funny. For a moment, I thought I had reached the end of the Internet. What was I going to do then? People shouldn't tease me like that. I'm serious!

For now, I've got to keep opening new sites that I find on Google up. I find that every day I need to open more and more new sites just to keep the craving satisfied. It's ruining my life. But I have to do it!

I can't write any more because I need to visit this new site a friend of mine told me about that has a dancing baby, and I'm already browsing too many other sites. Got to go! Browse! Browse! Browse!