Blog

I got an iPhone recently which means I definitely spend more time online. I am constantly picking it up to check emails and looking up something I am thinking about at the moment...like who would win in a fight Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee...well that's what I think about!

I hate FB, totally addicted to it. There is no other term for it. I wish I could delete it but to be honest I panic about being out of the loop and at present I don't feel comfortable in group/social situations so I feel it gives me a means to stay somewhat connected. It wastes so much of my time - why am I saying 'it'? 'I' waste so much of my time.  

Of course I'm addicted to the internet. There are no young people in my area and even if I wanted to go out, my parents say it's too dangerous. I live two miles from a bus, in my dangerous area, and have to be driven everywhere. I am finding a lack of free (or at least affordable) activities for teens. So what else am I supposed to do...?

Hey Nia B,

That's tough, and it sounds like it can be kind of lonely.  There's a factsheet in the isolation and loneliness section with a few tips that might be of some use...  

I think alot of people go through something similar from time to time, so you're certainly not alone in how you feel, even if you feel alone. 

It may be tough to find the solution that's right for you, but keep looking.  There's one quirky video I like that is a bit inspiring which you might like- http://ie.reachout.com/find/articles/overcoming-obstacles .

ok im addicted to the internet ...i dont know why but i was sick about november 09 and got into video editing for youtube and stuff and i have just been so used to it i know that i have a problem now.

Edited by moderator 7 months ago

no tips anyone 

Hey Patrick,

I think I can relate quite well with how you're feeling. I know what it's like to feel addicted to the internet. I have a laptop with the last few years and it's rarely out of my sight. If I'm at home it's always within my grasp or on my lap (like right now!), or if I'm in college I have it in my bag. So it's safe to say I pretty much have wireless access 24/7. For me, like yourself, it's just something trivial that I'm interested in. I'm not really big into social networking sites like facebook and twitter (even though I must confess I do have accounts on both!) but it's more sports and sports betting that I look up the most.

What I've done is tried to substitute the activities I do regularly online with something similar and practical in my everyday life. So instead of constantly checking out www.skysports.com, I pick up a newspaper each morning and read the sports section. I've gotten more involved in playing some of the sports I love, and by embracing these new activities I've made some new friends too, and they're people who I instantly have at least one thing in common with!

Don't get me wrong, I still use the internet on a regular basis, let's be honest it is one of the most powerful and resourceful tools out there! But now I feel I have more control over the amount of time I spend on it. I've realised I don't have to be so dependent on it as there are many other resources to find what I'm looking for!

I think the same can apply to you! I certainly don't think you should give up video editing or anything like that. On the contrary, if it's something that you find interesting, perhaps you should investigate it further! Pop down to your local library and maybe look up film making or whatever area you are interested in! Maybe see if your school or college has a film club or something similar. Find activities to do outside of the internet! And this too will result in you meeting new people and starting up new friendships.

Just like everything else in life, you need to try and maintain a healthy balance! By all means don't give up on internet use altogether, just realise that there are plenty of other things that you can do outside of the internet that still relate to your areas of interest!

Hey guys, just a quick update if it's of interest, though I think Patrick's comment is spot-on, and has great ideas for focusing energy away from online stuff to in-person stuff.

Fwiw, there's a super-technical update on the 'internet addiction' concept here: http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/165/3/306

Key points:

I am.. well not quite addicted, but totally hooked on facebook..!
One of my best friends moved to New York and I have no other way to keep in touch, but I find myself constantly checking on my phone if I have any notifications!
Any advice on how not to care so much if I miss a comment, or wall post??

Hey SceneKid!

If you feel like you're constantly checking your notifications for a post from your American friend, why don't you consider just telling him/her that you won't be online for a few days but that you'll reply as soon as possible! That way they'll know you're probably not around so won't contact you as much through Facebook, hopefully easing your impulse to check it!

I've gone through times where I've been checking my emails a few times every hour (I pretended it was in case something 'important' had come through but really I was just cheating as I knew I would get to check and see if people left comments on my page!)  but I found then when I actually did stop I didn't miss it at all!

I made sure the internet wasn't too near! At the time I was in college during the week and so didn't have internet access to hand (laptop usually at home), and deliberately didn't enable Facebook Mobile so I had no easy access to it. And I really didn't miss it at all! I log on now maybe once every few days, and then it's more out of boredom than neccessity!

I think disabling Facebook Mobile really did wonders for me (and unclicking the 'receive email alerts' button too!)!