Social Anxiety Support

strawberryjulius · 09-14-2009, 11:35 PM

I have a pretty bad internet addiction and it's starting to eat up a lot of time in my day. I'm sure I'm not alone here haha.

So tomorrow I'm going to start minimising my usage. I'm going to try to do everything I don't need the internet for early in the day and make a list of things I want to do on the internet so I won't spend any extra time on here.
I'm going to use this thread to track my progress and anyone else is welcome to join me.

Does anyone have any tips for overcoming this? Any extra help is greatly appreciated.

Emptyheart · 09-14-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strawberryjulius

I have a pretty bad internet addiction and it's starting to eat up a lot of time in my day. I'm sure I'm not alone here haha.

So tomorrow I'm going to start minimising my usage. I'm going to try to do everything I don't need the internet for early in the day and make a list of things I want to do on the internet so I won't spend any extra time on here.
I'm going to use this thread to track my progress and anyone else is welcome to join me.

Does anyone have any tips for overcoming this? Any extra help is greatly appreciated.

Lol i have the same problem..especialy since facebook is around..its caused me to be more of an addict lol..I need to stop. I always tell myslef that im going to take a 2 day break from the computer..but That tends to faill lol.

Steve123 · 09-15-2009, 12:02 AM

While sometimes I overuse the internet myself, I find once I get off it for a while it's easy to stay off. All about momentum I guess.

One thing I can suggest it unplugging or staying away from your computer for a while. You'll want to replace internet usage with some other more beneficial and preferably enjoyable activity. I for one love to spend time in nature, I find it very relaxing and it helps me to escape the stresses of everyday life.

A technique you'll want to use is while you're on the internet when you shouldn't be is to make yourself mindful of your current state. Notice how you don't really enjoy being on the internet so much, notice the feelings of guilt when you use the internet excessively. This feeling must be contrasted with the feeling to get when you perform the same exercise doing your replacement activity. If the activity is fun (it should be) you'll want to focus on that. Think about how nice it is to get away from the computer and be in the real world. If your working out for example, think of the benefits you're gaining from the activity (increased fitness, better sleep etc). You might also want to focus on the joy of achieving the very goal of spending less time on the computer. The positive feelings of moving one step closer to solving your problem.

One key thing this is meant to do is expose the difference between the two actual experiences, and also to develop the ability to understand the difference between enjoyment and desire. Just because we desire to use the internet does not mean we enjoy it more than the alternative activity. This is something I have found helps me a bit, probably because I make the most of positive/negative reinforcement mechanisms.

Of course there is also the issue of using the internet as a replacement for actual social interaction. While, regular social interaction is not always an option for people like us, you might want to try any kind of social exposure you feel comfortable with (though stepping outside of your comfort zone always helps overcome the discomfort!).

In relation the my previous point regarding momentum, if you're like me you'll find sometimes you Google random things, read about them, then google something that information just made you think about. It seem to work alot like your own (or my own at least) though patterns. Like Tarzan swinging from vine to vine, eventually you forget why you starting swinging in the first place some time later. I still have this problem sometimes but I find something that helps is having a checklist of things you HAVE to do on the internet and not doing ANYTHING that isn't on that list. Once you complete the list, get off the computer.

Sorry for being so long winded, I hope some of this helps.

rachelynn · 09-15-2009, 12:04 AM

Find other things to do. You could only go on the computer when you have something to do, such as checking your email or if you need to search for something, do that (doing that once cut my computer time in half) But if you are finished with that, don't waste time just sitting around on it and looking around etc and waiting for something to happen. Go somewhere else and wait there or do something (read, write, tv, think, sit and do nothing, take a walk outside, anything else you can do) then go back to check on it later.

I used to be on the computer for 12-14 hours a day (Ive actually been that way for the past couple of weeks, because my sister is not home and Ive had the computer to myself, before that it was 7-8 hours a day) I was able to get down to 4-6 hours a day once.

Sometimes after I get off of the computer, turn it off, and sit on my bed, I think...wow...I should have spent some more time off of that just to sit and notice my room more. It's like, seeing a picture of a forest, but then actually going into that forest (being on the computer, then off)

At the same time, the computer is my life....

Thomas Paine · 09-15-2009, 02:03 AM

No, you're not alone. I'm sort of a lost cause though because my family depends on me to keep their computers running, I used to make my living as a freelance programmer, and I have a lot of pride in being kind of a "computer wiz". All of this requires me to be online a lot in order to do the research that I need to stay that way.

You could do some things to make it more bothersome for you to get online. For instance - shut the computer all the way down when you take a break so that it takes longer to start back up when you try it again. Hmm, trying to think of some others... if you live with someone you could ask them to help you by shutting down the internet for certain periods of the day, and tell them not to budge an inch when you change your mind.

strawberryjulius · 09-16-2009, 12:54 AM

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I haven't done very well today, but I think I've spent a little less time on here than yesterday.

I'm going to try and not come online until 4:00 tomorrow. I'd try to go a whole day but I'm applying for jobs at the moment.

mind_games · 09-16-2009, 03:13 AM

Good luck

Unfortunately for me I discovered something called farmville on facebook

strawberryjulius · 09-16-2009, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mind_games

Unfortunately for me I discovered something called farmville on facebook

Haha, I was addicted to Pet Society on Facebook, but I've deleted my account now.

SAgirl · 09-16-2009, 06:27 PM

I had a bad addiction for awhile as well, so I am trying to limit my time online.

BucSappy · 09-16-2009, 10:53 PM

I get completely sucked into it. Message boards, interests, etc. It's insane. The internet is awesome and I love it, but my life is more important than the Internet.

It is kind of like that quote in the movie Fever Pitch where the baseball player is talking to his coach/teacher. The teacher loves and is addicted tothe Boston Red Sox.

The kid says, "The Red Sox will never love you back."

Also a great quote in the movie Fight Club, "The stuff you own ends up owning you."

The internet does kind of own me, but I agree with the OP, I need to seriously limit my use or else it will affect my grades and my future.

09-14-2009, 11:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
strawberryjulius Status: ^_^ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia Gender: Female Age: 18 Posts: 1,568	Internet Addiction I have a pretty bad internet addiction and it's starting to eat up a lot of time in my day. I'm sure I'm not alone here haha. So tomorrow I'm going to start minimising my usage. I'm going to try to do everything I don't need the internet for early in the day and make a list of things I want to do on the internet so I won't spend any extra time on here. I'm going to use this thread to track my progress and anyone else is welcome to join me. Does anyone have any tips for overcoming this? Any extra help is greatly appreciated. __________________ Last.fm▪Anime "And if you've been let down, it might not be the last time. Cheer up, it will hurt much less tomorrow. We're all tired of **ing up and that's not just being sorry. It means brush the dirt off, get up and try again." NaNoWriMo Word Count: 470/50,000**

09-15-2009, 02:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Thomas Paine Status: Fail Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: USA Gender: Male Age: 28 Posts: 1,698	No, you're not alone. I'm sort of a lost cause though because my family depends on me to keep their computers running, I used to make my living as a freelance programmer, and I have a lot of pride in being kind of a "computer wiz". All of this requires me to be online a lot in order to do the research that I need to stay that way. You could do some things to make it more bothersome for you to get online. For instance - shut the computer all the way down when you take a break so that it takes longer to start back up when you try it again. Hmm, trying to think of some others... if you live with someone you could ask them to help you by shutting down the internet for certain periods of the day, and tell them not to budge an inch when you change your mind. __________________ I thought that when you said so long You wouldn't stay to hear your song

09-16-2009, 12:54 AM	#6 (permalink)
strawberryjulius Status: ^_^ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Australia Gender: Female Age: 18 Posts: 1,568	Thanks for the replies everyone. I haven't done very well today, but I think I've spent a little less time on here than yesterday. I'm going to try and not come online until 4:00 tomorrow. I'd try to go a whole day but I'm applying for jobs at the moment. __________________ Last.fm▪Anime "And if you've been let down, it might not be the last time. Cheer up, it will hurt much less tomorrow. We're all tired of **ing up and that's not just being sorry. It means brush the dirt off, get up and try again." NaNoWriMo Word Count: 470/50,000**

09-16-2009, 03:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
mind_games Status: dances, like a fridge Join Date: Nov 2008 Age: 23 Posts: 1,569	Good luck Unfortunately for me I discovered something called farmville on facebook __________________ "this is not me, this is me reacting to your perception of me"

09-15-2009, 12:02 AM	#3 (permalink)
Steve123 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 63	While sometimes I overuse the internet myself, I find once I get off it for a while it's easy to stay off. All about momentum I guess. One thing I can suggest it unplugging or staying away from your computer for a while. You'll want to replace internet usage with some other more beneficial and preferably enjoyable activity. I for one love to spend time in nature, I find it very relaxing and it helps me to escape the stresses of everyday life. A technique you'll want to use is while you're on the internet when you shouldn't be is to make yourself mindful of your current state. Notice how you don't really enjoy being on the internet so much, notice the feelings of guilt when you use the internet excessively. This feeling must be contrasted with the feeling to get when you perform the same exercise doing your replacement activity. If the activity is fun (it should be) you'll want to focus on that. Think about how nice it is to get away from the computer and be in the real world. If your working out for example, think of the benefits you're gaining from the activity (increased fitness, better sleep etc). You might also want to focus on the joy of achieving the very goal of spending less time on the computer. The positive feelings of moving one step closer to solving your problem. One key thing this is meant to do is expose the difference between the two actual experiences, and also to develop the ability to understand the difference between enjoyment and desire. Just because we desire to use the internet does not mean we enjoy it more than the alternative activity. This is something I have found helps me a bit, probably because I make the most of positive/negative reinforcement mechanisms. Of course there is also the issue of using the internet as a replacement for actual social interaction. While, regular social interaction is not always an option for people like us, you might want to try any kind of social exposure you feel comfortable with (though stepping outside of your comfort zone always helps overcome the discomfort!). In relation the my previous point regarding momentum, if you're like me you'll find sometimes you Google random things, read about them, then google something that information just made you think about. It seem to work alot like your own (or my own at least) though patterns. Like Tarzan swinging from vine to vine, eventually you forget why you starting swinging in the first place some time later. I still have this problem sometimes but I find something that helps is having a checklist of things you HAVE to do on the internet and not doing ANYTHING that isn't on that list. Once you complete the list, get off the computer. Sorry for being so long winded, I hope some of this helps.

09-15-2009, 12:04 AM	#4 (permalink)
rachelynn Status: Daydreaming Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: USA Gender: Female Age: 20 Posts: 361	Find other things to do. You could only go on the computer when you have something to do, such as checking your email or if you need to search for something, do that (doing that once cut my computer time in half) But if you are finished with that, don't waste time just sitting around on it and looking around etc and waiting for something to happen. Go somewhere else and wait there or do something (read, write, tv, think, sit and do nothing, take a walk outside, anything else you can do) then go back to check on it later. I used to be on the computer for 12-14 hours a day (Ive actually been that way for the past couple of weeks, because my sister is not home and Ive had the computer to myself, before that it was 7-8 hours a day) I was able to get down to 4-6 hours a day once. Sometimes after I get off of the computer, turn it off, and sit on my bed, I think...wow...I should have spent some more time off of that just to sit and notice my room more. It's like, seeing a picture of a forest, but then actually going into that forest (being on the computer, then off) At the same time, the computer is my life....

09-16-2009, 06:27 PM	#9 (permalink)
SAgirl Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northwestern Ontario, 20 hour drive from TO Gender: Female Age: 30 Posts: 3,037	I had a bad addiction for awhile as well, so I am trying to limit my time online.

09-16-2009, 10:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
BucSappy Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 17	I get completely sucked into it. Message boards, interests, etc. It's insane. The internet is awesome and I love it, but my life is more important than the Internet. It is kind of like that quote in the movie Fever Pitch where the baseball player is talking to his coach/teacher. The teacher loves and is addicted tothe Boston Red Sox. The kid says, "The Red Sox will never love you back." Also a great quote in the movie Fight Club, "The stuff you own ends up owning you." The internet does kind of own me, but I agree with the OP, I need to seriously limit my use or else it will affect my grades and my future.