subject: Internet Addiction [print this page] Because of the growing number of individuals who use the internet every single day, and the rise in how much time which is being spent by individuals online, doctors along with other professionals are starting to wonder whether there may be such a thing as internet addiction.
I myself use the net often, I must, as my job is an online role, which ends up in me spending lots of time online, both at the workplace and at home. So in my circumstances, I don't feel as if I'm an internet addict, but that's what virtually all addicts say about their condition.
Firstly, what would class as an internet addict? Somebody that uses the web quite a lot I suppose, but provided that the length of time their spending online isn't negatively affecting their life than it shouldn't be a problem. Obviously, prolonged use of a pc has many unwanted effects. We're constantly reminded that we should take a rest from the monitor at least every hour to grant our eyes a rest, and to stretch our legs. Those found to be using PC's a good deal can be found to generally be of poorer health, due to the fact there seated for large periods, and often, consuming foods and drinks that are bad for their health. These are the obvious negative impacts a World Wide Web addiction can have, but there are also others. By way of example, has your relationship with your partner, or family and friends changed? Do you now see less of them resulting from your internet use, and has their been any stress in the relationship because of this? Has your work relationship changed? Are you now more tired when in the workplace, due to the length of time you're spending on-line and not resting? What about your hobbies? Have you given anything up that you were previously fond of, due to your love for the internet?
These things have to be considered when pondering whether someone is an internet addict or not. A great way through which to tell if someone is an addict is to discover how they cope once the internet has been taken away from them, whether or not they suffer any withdrawal symptoms.
Like with anything in daily life, an excessive amount of one thing is rarely wise. And if you or someone you know is a heavy internet user, it's a good idea to look out for them, as in most situations, internet addicts let other areas of their life slip because of their fondness of being online.
