That word – the title of this blog – is a word I made up to define me. HA! It’s a mouthful and it says SO much about me and the state of my union (Life)! I used this as my chat handle many moons ago. I haven’t chatted for years. For a few years all I did WAS chat. I would be online for hours and I mean 12+ a day escaping reality and chatting with people I didn’t know. It was a great escape…..from life, reality, and myself. I was in the throes of a serious depression – perhaps even a nervous breakdown. I can’t say for sure but it was a living hell. I’m not sure how I survived it and lived to tell. I would panic if I was away from the computer. I couldn’t concentrate on anything that didn’t have to do with the internet. I guess you could say I was addicted in a big bad way. It nearly ruined everything. I shut everyone and everything out of my life except online ‘friends’. As a result I am largely a ‘loner’ to this day. I prefer home to being out and about. If I don’t have to leave the house for a day – or a few days I’m as happy as a clam. Can anyone out there relate to this? I would love to hear from other people about similar experiences. I look back on those years and it seems such a huge waste of time and energy and yet I have to believe it all happened for a reason. I’m sure there is a lesson to be learned from it. I recognize how out of control I was. Hindsight is always 20/20. Please leave a comment if you have anything to share about your own experience. Psyche=mind and delicatessen=a mess of somewhat similar items. I was a mind mess alright. Somedays it’s difficult to look back on it-I was such a basket case. I wonder if I still am or if the potential for me to backslide into that dark abyss is lurking a heartbeat away.
Tags: apathy, chatting, depression, internet addiction, personal, thoughts
August 5, 2008 at 2:00 pm |
lol, are you my missing twin?
August 6, 2008 at 12:56 pm |
I probably am…..and I was the one who was given up at birth. See?!??!?!? Even my real parents didn’t want me. The dark rain cloud that’s been following me probably formed over MY crib
( If I could sing or dance I cold parlay that rain cloud into a career maker instead of a deal breaker. I’m singing in the rain….just singing….and dancin’….in the rain. 
) People would actually PAY me to NOT do either (starting with my own offspring) By all accounts I could get rich if I had the shameless tenacity of William Hong!!!!!
August 6, 2008 at 2:47 pm |
I have been increasingly troubled by my internet addiction. At first it didn’t seem so much as an addiction as an enjoyable pastime then slowly but surely I began to see even the most menial task on the Net as having way too much importance in my life. While spending more than 10 hours a day on the Internet I began to realise that actually I could only get less than half the things done that I used to. Productivity and work are all suffering not to mention my relationship with my wife.
Trouble is I know I need some sort of help but am at a loss for what to do? I tried looking at professional psychiatric help for addictions but I don’t know if I am using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. And it takes way too much time and costs way above my means. I have also tried scouring the net and managed to pick up a lot of reading material such as Dr Young work on the subject which has been quite helpful and detailed. I also came across a neat piece of software which automatically stops you from surfing too long on specific sites which has been rather good at stopping me being addicted for too long you can find this product at http://www.internetandaddiction.com well worth a try. But the fact remains that this problem has not been taken seriously enough by the people who really matter i.e. the ISP and Major Internet players for obvious reasons you might think but isn’t it about time they did ??
Would love to know how others cope with the same issues and what people think of Dr Kimberly Young suggestions and the software mentioned above.
August 20, 2008 at 1:02 am |
Sorry for the delay in replying. Internet addiction is not a pretty sight to see. I know what of I speak having been there-done that! My advice to you would be to try anything you think might work. Things in moderation are fine but when it creeps into excess and gains momentum it’s time to do something about it. When you’re online to the exclusion of all else or you put the internet before the living breathing people in your ‘real’ life it’s definitely a sign that intervention is needed. Once you cross a line it’s easier and easier to repeat. What starts out as 2 hours online turns into 10. When you don’t leave the computer to eat or find yourself falling asleep in front of it because you’re exhausted but you won’t log off long enough to get proper rest, it’s a BIG problem. Try any avenue at your disposal to get this under control. If you have to go cold turkey, then do that. Give it up altogether. I wish you luck taming the internet beast. Keep me posted on your progress.
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