ShareThisHere are some questions to ask if you think you are addicted to the Internet:
-- Do you spend excessive time online, or more than you intended?
-- Do you feel more depressed or lonely the more time you spend online?
-- Do you have a heightened sense of euphoria while online or using a computer?
-- Is it interfering with your job or school performance?
-- Do family or friends complain about the time and energy you spend online?
-- Do you frequently choose spending time online over going out with other people?
-- Do you hide, lie or become defensive about online activities?
-- Do you feel depressed, restless, moody or nervous offline and fine again when online?
-- Do you spend too much time with online pornography, multiplayer games or gambling sites?
What to do?
-- Unplug yourself completely from technology for at least a few moments each day.
-- Keep track of how much you use technology, and moderate overuse.
-- If needed, seek counseling, self-help or support groups.
Sources: Virtual-Addiction.com; NetAddiction.com; netaddictionrecovery.com; Dr. John Ratey, Harvard Medical School.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
Must credit the San Francisco ChronicleSidebar to INTERNETADDICTION
