Too much of everything is bad and the same applies to the Internet. In this concluding piece, Temitayo Famutimiwrites on steps to tackle Internet addiction
Just
as the Internet makes the different facets of our lives easy and
convenient, it has great inherent risks. The Internet and its allied
networking sites can be very addictive and tackling it may be somewhat
hard because Internet use itself has over the years become an integral
part of many people’s everyday living.
You
start out looking for something or reading a post, and the next thing
you know you have clicked two more links away from where you started. A
spouse who prefers to venture into the cyberspace and gives preference
to the Internet over his or her partner is gradually giving room for
marital problems which can result in divorce. A person who has become
used to online gambling overtime and sits back at his computer screen
round the clock everyday will no sooner than later find himself
bankrupt.
Researchers
say Internet overuse make people live sedentary lifestyles causing
them health challenges such as dry eyes, excessive fatigue, withdrawal
from friends, declining interest in hobbies, a decline in personal
hygiene and back aches.
It
also causes sleep disturbances such that addicts go to bed late,
leading to a less restful sleep and an overall decrease in sleep.
Here are simple steps you can take to end it.
Recognise your addiction
Perhaps,
the first step one needs to reduce internet addiction is to realise
that the problem exists. If you are the type that always gives
justification for your addiction to the Internet whenever your loved
ones air their views about your internet behavior, you are far from
freeing youself from this addiction. Once you identify that there is a
problem of addiction, then you can now observe and reflect on the toll
it had had on your work, health and relationship with people.
Identify addiction triggers
Internet
addiction triggers are those actions or events that continually makes
you spend more than usual time on the Internet. One of such triggers is
boredom. When such happens you can engage in other things like music,
sporting events, community development initiatives and other volunteer
activities that will take you off online video games, your smart phones
and computer screens for a while. Some people are triggered to Internet
addiction, when they eat their meals beside their computer system.
Eating at a separate place will help you not to go online and reduce
your addiction. Experts say many a people get addicted to the Internet,
when they seek to put their live’s problems such as a bad marriage, job
loss and business failure behind them.
Set time limits
Whenever
you are going online, decide on a time limit and try and use an alarm
clock or timer and always make sure that you get off the computer or
mobile device when the time is up. Get your friends and family to help
by reminding you whenever your time is up. Employing this method, will
help immensely in your gradual withdrawal from your obsession with the
Internet.
Use a Cyber Café
If
your addiction is triggered by pornographic materials and you find it
hard to take your eyes off such materials whenever you surf the Internet
while you are alone, consider using the Internet in public places such
as in a Cyber Café or a public library. The advantage here is that,
there are restrictions to visiting such pornographic sites in such
public places. Besides, you won’t be as tempted as being in the corner
of your room, where you have the absolute freedom to indulge in
pornographic addiction.
See a professional
If
you still find yourself obsessed with Internet overuse after trying one
or a combination of the above tips, then you might need to see a
psychologist who would take you through some forms of therapy that will
directly take care of your out of control addictive behaviour.
Comments