You may ask yourself "What are the symptoms of Computer
Addiction?"
The answer is: "They can vary according to the extent of the
addiction". For instance, some people may be only addicted mildly
to the internet and computer, therefore, they display little nor no
symptoms other than the constant desire to be using the internet or
computer.
On the other hand, those suffering from severe computer
addiction may display a variety of symptoms, some of which can be
hazardous to health. There are some symptoms of acute
computer-related addiction outlined below with a brief description
of each.
*Mood swings and irritability when not at the
computer.
One of the first, and the most pressing signs of computer
addiction is when the person shows anger, irritability and mood
swings when not at the computer.
Very often, all lifes' situations become insignificant and they
feel they must get back to the computer. The person seems to be
completely preoccupied and focused on nothing else other than
getting back online or back to the computer. If the person displays
this sort of symptom, then it is a sure sign that this person is
completely addicted to the computer.
*Showing signs of a lack of interest in offline
activities.
This is a huge indication that computer addiction has taken
hold. A computer addict may totally ignore their offline friends in
favor of forming online relationships.
It could even reach the extent that they sever relationships
with their family as well. This is one of the most tragic symptoms,
and when this happens, the computer addict needs to seek
professional help as they are showing severe computer addiction
symptoms.
*Loss of sleep and the abandoning of commitments to
spend time at the computer.
This has a drastic effect on the health of a computer addict.
They will often lose all track of time and will stay up all night
to be at the computer with little or no sleep. They rarely go
outside for fresh air and sunshine which will obviously affect
their health.
Another tragic computer addiction symptom is when the sufferer
abandons their commitments to work, school, college, study and
family to favor computer time. The abandoning of commitments will
have a long-term effect on the life of the sufferer. Loss of their
job, poor grades and failure of courses.
*Not eating balanced meals and lack of personal
hygiene.
A person suffering from computer addiction, will very often miss
meals. This is because it takes time to prepare a proper meal, time
which would rather be spent at the computer. A computer addict will
often favor snacks, fast food and soda.
Another thing to bear in mind is the fact that a severe computer
addict will not spend time for their ablutions. Again, these
fundamental actions take time and some important conversation or a
bad guy on the game who needs to be watched and could be missed if
the addict were completing his or her ablutions.
*Lack of concentration and motivation for anything other
than the computer.
The lack of motivation for any sort of activity outside of the
computer environment. Computer addiction will cause lack of
concentration, which could be very dangerous for those operating
machinery or driving. This could have an obvious tragic effect on
theirs - and others - health.
Sadly, these computer addictions are obviously very dangerous
and should serve as a dire warning to the family and friends of
addicts that the person needs to seek professional help before they
crawl deeper into a virtual reality world with disastrous
consequences. All these symptoms are due to computer addiction.
If you see you might have a problem with Internet usage, you’ve
completed the hardest step towards a more balanced online life.
It’s very easy to rationalize or deny Internet addiction, and
commitment towards a healthier balance will take you a long
way.
The following are some tools to get your Internet use under
control. While you can put many of these in place yourself, make
sure you get some outside support as well. It’s all too easy to
slip back into old patterns of usage, especially if you use the
Internet heavily for work.
Having trouble cutting back? It is not because you are weak
willed. Compulsive behavior like Internet addiction can be hard to
break. The more support you have during the process of cutting
down, the more successful you will be.
Therapy can give you a tremendous boost in stopping excessive
Internet use. Cognitive-behavioral therapy gives
you step-by-step ways to stop compulsive Internet behaviors,
working with a therapist on changing your thoughts and behaviors
surrounding Internet use.
Therapy can also help you learn healthier ways of coping with
uncomfortable emotions. And if depression or anxiety is
contributing to your excessive Internet use, therapy can also
address that problem.
If your Internet use is affecting your partner directly, as with
excessive cybersex or online affairs, marriage counseling can help
you work through these challenging issues. Marriage counseling can
also help you reconnect with your partner if you have been using
the Internet for most of your social needs.
Although Internet addiction is not recognized as a formal
psychological disorder, ask if your therapist or counselor has
experience in treating compulsive Internet use.
Since Internet addiction is relatively new, it can be hard to
find a real life support group dedicated to that issue like
Alcoholics Anonymous or Gamblers Anonymous. If that is a
simultaneous problem for you, however, attending groups can help
you work through your alcohol or gambling problems as well.
Sex Addicts anonymous may be another place to try if you are having
trouble with cybersex. However, there may be groups that you can
join to work on social and coping skills, such as for anxiety or
depression.
There are some Internet addiction support groups on the
Internet. However, these should be used with caution. Although they
may be helpful in orienting you and pointing you in the right
direction, you need real life people to best benefit from group
support.
It’s a fine line as a parent. If you severely limit a child or
teen’s Internet use, they might rebel and go to excess. But you can
and should model appropriate computer use, supervise computer
activity and get your child help if he or she needs it. If your
child or teen is showing signs of Internet addiction, there are
many things that you as a parent can do to help:
