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Compulsive Internet Use

1K views 13 replies 9 participants last post by  Caterpillar13 
#1 ·
Hello everyone.

I am overwhelmed by my compulsive use of the internet. I don't have a "real job" (I mostly get by selling things on craigslist/ebay, and I'm good at it), but the rest of the time I am on the internet. This time wasted could be used to partake in things that interest me such as making music, reading books, writing, exercising, learning new skills.

I have read how internet addiction is an "arousal" addiction--not necessarily sexual as the term often is used, but rather an arousal by new stimulus. I certainly understand that aspect of internet addiction. An arousal for me could be the update of a news site, a new post on a forum, or website I haven't visited before on a topic that interests me. I will spend 90% of my waking hours some days on the internet, it is really out of control.

I used to compulsively smoke pot for about 5 years. It was hard to stop but I did, and haven't used since. I just didn't buy any more, and said no when people offered. Internet is much harder, it's like food--I can't eliminate it from my life. It takes much more discipline. I am someone who is much more comfortable with binary decisions--using or not using. Moderation is a slippery slope, and a real and constant test of will. As difficult as it would be, I wish I could just throw my modem away, permanently disable internet on my iPhone... Thats just not practical as I earn most of my living from the internet.

If anyone can relate, either in the same situation, or recovering, I would appreciate your posting.
 
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#2 ·
Yeah I spend most of my time online, seeing as I'm unemployed. There's not much on TV, few friends I have are usually busy or too far away. I go out for exercise most days, but that's just an hour or two. Go shopping a few times a week for food or household goods. But yeah, 90% of my time when I'm not sleeping is spent online.

Gives me something to do.

I suppose without internet I'd read books or make art to pass the time. Or get a video game console.

I don't know if it's an addiction or just the ideal time filler/killer. I figure, if I had something better/more interesting to do, I'd do that instead. But I don't, so here I am.
 
#6 ·
That's good that you go out and exercise at least. I need to start doing that again, I stopped a few months ago an have felt worse since. I find that it really helps my mood. Are you looking for a job? Is being on the internet slowing you from doing so?
 
#3 ·
I don't know if I could be considered to have an internet addiction. I can spend hours and hours away from it as long as I'm occupied with something else. But once I sit down, I have to reach for the laptop. I can't just veg out with my thoughts, it's like I need to be constantly occupied with something. I think part of it is I'm afraid I'll start thinking, which leads to worrying and sadness, which leads to me being a really bad time. :stu
 
#4 ·
Yes I have the same experience. If I am occupied I am ok. The temptation is still there but manageable. Unoccupied, I'm going straight to the internet. My idle thinking leads to worrying and sadness as well. Problem is, being on the internet all the time is leading to a bad time as well. I have a lot of goals in life, all of which require self discipline in order to actualize them, but I have no discipline, the draw of the internet is way too overwhelming.

My therapist hasn't really been much help, she is more focused on helping the underlying causes of this, she sees the internet use as a secondary symptom which can be dealt with by addressing the root problems of trauma, anxiety, depression. However the internet usage itself is contributing to a negative feedback loop, one that is making things worse.
 
#7 ·
i came to the realization that im addicted to the internet once i came home from vacation.
On the vacation i was chilling on the beach, meeting with friends, eating, enjoying the nature, enjoying my room, read a book...
than i came home and it was i was right back into prison. Since then i knew i need to change and get more outside and away from the internet.
Most problems, especially social anxiety and depression seem much more easier to handle once you allow yourself to take a break from the things that keep you into that hole like going on this site and trying to find the cure...
instead if you go out in nature it doesnt seem so bothersome.
It takes your focus off your problems and back into reality.

i guess its super improtant to resolve this addiction. but i know where you come from, its really hard to stop. What i try is 4 hours a day of internet "entertaining"(means youtube,games etc...) and thats it, than i try to fill my time with other things like taking a walk etc.
 
#9 ·
You are a star (Services roundup)

I was in love with eBay for years. I sold two cars at a good price above market price. I like home visits for them to view before bidding and make a good salesperson.

Plenty of unwanted electronics

Even helped my girlfriend and brother without their eBay accounts - bike frame, Concorde model and handbags for her dad - bought abroad - learning they were spotted as fake. I tried selling my apartment away from estate agents. All I wanted was a view count to then use an estate agent? No results. Good photos. Tried to squeeze in an unspecified category although it did get advertised for a few months. It was a good description (no buffing lie up of all salesperson) - factual location and all details. It's enough info to see no response...

I've bought a few things by driving 50+ miles to collect. I hated losing my eBay account of decades of esteemed history. Their odd security panic - no mention of hacking - they didn't like me not repeatedly logging in for as much as a day. Forced to create a fresh account with a mixed jumble of my names, looking foreign.

The best use of the internet has been working heavily from home which I loved to bits - wearing no clothes all day long, getting paid for it. Granted special server access while in a real office, scribbled login & password for me to check to take home with me after testing there in the office and then at home. Best thing in the world. My mouse & keyboard. My lunch. My music. All hours - overnight and weekends when I feel like it, and getting timesheets approved by email or online accounting processes.

I'm been responsible for heavyweight servers years ago in different countries which I call real 'computers' behind the scenes from the laptop world of sofa-dwellers who get easily played-with to extract money for their magic service

I wonder what it's like for camera people of staff in studios or in the wild comparing to what customers like to see on screen. I'd rather be a an engineer of trains, ships cranes, escalators or elevators which wimpy customers never see, and are plied for their money.

To conclude, my career started in beloved telecomms billing - why customers residential and corporate are so cheated by hiding all the detail, getting them addicted to a faint squeak in their ear
 
#10 ·
yea same goes for me from the moment i wake up i check sites i frequent to see if there are updates. I spend mot free time on the internet then usually make my way to porn sites which is a whole nother addiction lol. im unemployed also as some of u stated and i think that plays a bog role as well as i have nothing to do so i just browse
 
#11 ·
Completely agree with most everyone

Ah, the internet. I don't know what I can add to this thread apart from just concurring with everything that's already been said.

Having said that, however... the internet, for me, is not a source of occupation so much as a source of ultimate distraction. Forums and websites aren't really my thing, though. Just doing this is interacting - which requires at least minimal thought - which is something new for me that I hope will lead to a more productive life. Or a better tomorrow. Or something.

Most of the time, I just spend time on the internet watching stupid youtube videos or pirated tv shows that I know are stupid (or rather, that I don't even enjoy. At some point, procrastination became torture more than fun). Instant stimuli. I don't even have to use my brain. So relaxing, so harmless, so unthreatening to my fragile ego.

The internet is the greatest form of escapism ever invented.

At some point, I'll probably have to legitimately inconvenience my life in so many ways because the internet is also ruining my life.

Just my two cents.
 
#13 ·
Ah, the internet. I don't know what I can add to this thread apart from just concurring with everything that's already been said.

Having said that, however... the internet, for me, is not a source of occupation so much as a source of ultimate distraction. Forums and websites aren't really my thing, though. Just doing this is interacting - which requires at least minimal thought - which is something new for me that I hope will lead to a more productive life. Or a better tomorrow. Or something.

Most of the time, I just spend time on the internet watching stupid youtube videos or pirated tv shows that I know are stupid (or rather, that I don't even enjoy. At some point, procrastination became torture more than fun). Instant stimuli. I don't even have to use my brain. So relaxing, so harmless, so unthreatening to my fragile ego.

The internet is the greatest form of escapism ever invented.

At some point, I'll probably have to legitimately inconvenience my life in so many ways because the internet is also ruining my life.

Just my two cents.
So well put. The internet is a very powerful tool but we are experiencing the negative side of that power. In order to give it up or distance ourselves from it we also give up the good things that it has to offer. But in the end we will be happier if we do. Maybe not in the short term, but over time. The real challenge is getting through that short term, feeling all those bad feelings that we are escaping from. This has been a real challenge for me.
 
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