Internet Addiction

I’m halfway through reading my regular blogs and news sources in my feed reader. I’ve just got off playing World of Warcraft a few hours earlier, and have had a good half hours sleep before waking up again and returning to the cathode. I’ve already skimmed my web site logs twice today, and I’ve concluded that this one is the day to stop procrastinating and actually get some decent work done. All this considered, I thought it was interesting when I came across an article on my list about a clinic in Bejing curing Internet addiction.

Now, I’m openly honest about being a sucker for all kind of addictions, but it never really occurred to me that Web addiction can be dangerous. It also never occurred to me that maybe I was addicted myself. After skimming the article it’s become clear that maybe I do actually have a problem, however crazy it sounds.

Stealing a quote straight from the article, the addicts are “suffering from depression, nervousness, fear and unwillingness to interact with others, panic and agitation. They also have sleep disorders, the shakes and numbness in their hands.” I can count a good five out of eight symptoms that I myself am victim of, and there’s a couple more in there I could arguably add at a stretch. So, what’s this mean? Am I an Internet addict, or is the whole theory just a way to cash in on the next big thing? I’m inclined to think that I do have a problem: Easily 90 percent of my waking time is spent in front of a computer monitor, which leaves not much for face-to-face interaction with real humans. Most of my friends are the same as well. There’s not a one of them that I speak to more on the telephone than I do online. It’s a little scary really.

I think part of the problem is that (to my addicted personality,) there’s not a great deal to do outside of the Internet. If I didn’t have a computer, I’d probably spend a hell of a lot more time at the library reading books, or sitting at home drawing. Seriously, it’s difficult to imagine what I’d do without a permanent link with this great expanse of information… My dictionary is online, likewise my encyclopedia and journal. All my news is syndicated on my computer, my radio comes from the Internet… I eat my breakfast at my computer. It’s so convenient to have my entire life in one place, but often it means I’m too distracted to get anything done.

I’m now idly forming the basis of a plan to spend less time with my PC. Even as I’m musing this, there’s thoughts of typing up a contact list of everyones phone numbers (Psychological addiction? What would I do without a contact list?) How difficult would it be to keep in touch with my friends without the Internet? How much more expensive? It’s a scary thought.

Here’s my confession, now it’s your turn. Will you join me, or is your shiny lcd too alluring? Maybe your IRC client calls too strongly? Imagine how fun things could be if we actually met up sometime. Hit reply and post a confession to the techtoucian.net online Internet addiction support group: we’re all friends here.