Can someone become addicted to the Internet? I know that people tend to get addicted to everything, but with the Internet it is never talked about if people get addicted to it outside of porn or not.
I think it can happen if you spend time on YouTube a whole day could pass as you may think, I will watch a few videos and then it turns to a lot more and can be surprised with the time that passes. It may not seem like an addiction as we may view, it as just surfing the net and taking breaks at times and can be hard to view as an addiction at times. Some people may check the internet on their phone, and do it a lot, which can seem like they are getting addicted to it and may also spend more time on that.
I guess if it is affecting your real life then maybe you are addicted to it. However, I can see some situations where this may not be applicable. For example, when you have your job in the internet, it is imperative that you are always online. So it is not really an addiction. Or when you are in a long distance relationship, and the internet is your only way to communicate!
I must admit that I spent 4 to 6 hours a day sitting here in front of my laptop but doing something with sense. I had writing jobs in the internet that is why I am always online. But maybe if you are online just to watch videos or games that is affecting already your activities in life then that is a different story already...
I was definitely addicted to the internet as a teen. I think anything you use to escape reality can become an addiction and I definitely used the internet for that reason. I was always on it and I let my actual life and friends kind of slip away. Even as a really young kid I self soothed with video games and computers.
The internet can be an addiction, yes. When you start "replacing" your social life with the computer - slowly - you're going to have problems in terms of relationships. Don't let the internet eat your life, use it to your advantage and don't let it "control" you.
It is difficult to call the internet an addiction especially when all you do on the internet is work. Many People who enjoy playing games online can find it difficult to claim that they are not addicts. Many game players get carried away in the passion of winning that they find out that they spend most of their time on the net. I cannot really claim innocence to this. I know moments when I have spent over twelve hours on the internet doing nothing helpful. Yes, you can become addicted to the internet.
You are right. I think this is an eye opener for many people. I have been a victim of this in the past. I know moments when I spent months indoors. I had no social life, communicated very little with people and preferred scrolling from one page of the internet to the other. It is an addiction that is as difficult to get out of, as any other addiction out there.
Hello dear FuZyOn, Will it be possible to give the benefit of the doubt to the internet when we use it as a complement to our social life rather than using it as a substitute? I mention this because there are plenty of people using social networks to maintain a meaningful type of contact which would be impossible to maintain if the only thing possible had to be physical contact (i.e. face to face). When you think about it, it is not so different from using the phone to communicate with friends and loved ones. Removing cost as a means of differentiation ... should we give the same judgment to someone who uses the telephone instead of social networks in equal measure? Also, please don't forget that many people use the Internet to improve their relationship. An emoticon winking at the right time can make a difference when physical contact is not appropriate or is simply impossible to be made with your significant other...
I also think that it is possible to get addicted to internet. It could be addiction to some online sites like social networking sites or online games. There have been some news about internet games addiction before.
I think some people can become obsessed with social media and check their email every few moments. There is not any set scientific term or diagnosis for it yet. However, anything that becomes a hindrance to daily life and functioning is dysfunctional and can most likely fall under OCD.
I totally agree with this. Just like what I posted, people in LDR use the internet to communicate with each other which in turn boosts their relationship. In this sense, they need to spend a lot of time online because this is the only way they can enhance their relationship.
Internet also complements my social life and it helps me. I know a lot of people that use it as an outlet because they just don't "fit" in the real world. I think that you shouldn't "cage" yourself and limit your opportunities. Even a person like me who is suffering from social anxiety goes outside and tries to at least talk to people and get out of my comfort zone. So I'd say yes, I would give internet the benefit of the doubt .
Yes you are right the internet is addictive. I actually pace myself. I don't use internet on my cell phone. This is an invitation for a constant connection. I do think it is way better than TV. I like to read and research. Learn things. So I feel like it can be a good addiction. Certainly I do think it has to do with managing your time and what you plan to do with that time. Making sure the other important things get done. Maybe the internet is sort of like TV but different. I was really only mesmerized by the TV when I was a kid. Teenage years I could care less. I saw through the brain washing. I've really not had cable majority of my life. I do like youtube. I think because there is no commitment to any kind of a series. I really enjoy watching real people. Documentaries and educational videos. In any case, I think it is a good addiction.
I got this problem right now and yes it affects millions of people nowadays. People are glued to their PCs and Phones like its no joke.
I think that the internet can be highly addictive. Primarily because there is so much information available at the touch of a few keystrokes. You can find out anything about anyone or any subject that you're interested in, and that can be very alluring. To top it off, you have social media platforms which are the ultimate gossip channels. And then, there is YouTube where you can watch just about anything you desire.
@Adrianna The wonders of the internet and modern era! Everything is available at the click of a mouse or a screen or a touch pad. Lol. I also use the internet in a wide variety of things such as work, social networking, learning, reading and many more. Really, the possibilities are endless. I can go a day or a week without television. But not without internet. That is just how important it is for me. I think balance is an important aspect here. As long as you still get out of the house, socialize and have other hobbies aside from internet surfing, it's fine. Just try to have balance and you'll do fine.
Yes, I think that people can be addicted to the internet, since I know someone who watched an anime cartoon series for 24 hours in an internet cafe and he took his bathroom breaks and meals in the cafe as well. That is unhealthy already. Even if he doesn't have a pc, he could have just cut it down to 12 hours and get rest then resume the next day right? So that is one clear example of how people can be addicted to the internet.
Accept it or not, the Internet became a huge part of our lives and we are somehow dependent of it. Be it for school, job applications, or even finding some information about an event, we need to use it. Teachers even give pupils researches to do as a homework, and the Internet is again helpful. Yet there are people who are depressed or don't have anything to do so they just sit on a chair browsing the web most of the day, and this is totally not a good thing. Therefore, yes, people can get addicted to the Internet and social media.
People can definitely get addicted to the internet. It's so easy because it's at the tip of our fingers, convenient to get to, has everything that's going on in the world, etc. It can feed your shopping addiction, if you make money online it can become addicting, so on and so forth. Technology and the internet have taken over so we all need to be careful how much time we're spending on it.