Internet Addiction Can Be a Very Real Compulsion

When you first hear the term internet addiction, you may smile and think this new term is a joke. Okay, so maybe people do waste a lot of time on the internet. But how can that be such a bad thing?

Yet, internet addiction can be a serious problem. Like many addictions, it is a compulsive disorder. First, take the word addiction itself. Addiction means that you are dependent on something, it is taking up a lot of your time. Now think about the time one can waste on the internet. Okay, so an hour here and there isn't a bad thing. But if a person is addicted to the internet they will be online longer than just an hour and it won't just be an event that happens occasionally, being online is something they do daily for hours on end. This addiction can lead to time away from family and friends. It can even led to time that should be spent at work.

Internet addiction can be further explained into subcategories, too. One may not just be addicted to the internet. One can get addicted to certain activities that perform while on the internet such as: online auctions, online chat rooms, online surfing, online gaming, and this addiction can even led to more serious online problems such as online gambling and online cybersex.

How do you know if you have a problem? You should start by looking at your internet habits. Then ask yourself such questions as: How often are you online? Does being online ever interfere with your work or home duties and if so how often does it? How often do you check your email? Do people in your home complain about how often you are online? Do you continue to search out new online friends? When you are not online do you anticipate when you can go back online? Do you get annoyed when someone interrupts you while you are online? Do you loose sleep because you are online late at night? Do you ever hide the length of time you were online?

The answer to the above questions can indicate that you have a problem. If you think you do, what should you do? Like with any other health problem, you may want to consider counseling. If you can't afford counseling, you may want to check out some websites that offers some help.