b086

to me this feels like the million dollar question right now...i'm aware that the way i use the internet is very, very similar to the way that i used to use drugs and alcohol. but i was only able to "solve" my drug and alcohol problem by becoming completely abstinent. it would be very difficult to live in our modern industrial world without regularly accessing the internet (and for my current job it's effectively impossible).

so how does this nut get cracked? i use a website blocker these days as an extra layer of difficulty to keep me from getting on some of my most frequented news sites. any other suggestions? has anything worked for you? has anyone worked a 12-step program around this issue, or extended their 12-step program to information addiction?

Mountainmanbob

I have seen the 12 Step Program worked by ones concerning many different issues
although the AA program is not that open to ones of different problems showing up
usually AA wishes for you to share regarding alcoholism (only)
two Christian 12 Step Programs I know of welcome all
I have seen ones with various addictions discussed and shared about in these meetings
#1- Celebrate Recovery #2- Overcomers

using the blocker seems to be a great start

best while at work not to have a slip into the zones we should not be in
I have seen and heard of many being fired for this misbehaver

have heard of and used the 5 second rule
if I'm looking where I should not be looking for more than 5 seconds
I know that I'm doing is wrong
this took a lot of work and practice in the beginning
now it seems to come naturally

guess it's a whole lot of baby steps wherever we can put them in place

in AA and NA they talk and teach about our tool belts
we gather and use the tools found so as to beat our addiction

one -- flee
if I stick around a hot stove long enough I may end up burned yet once again

Mountainman

Shining~Again

I love facebook and have no issues in seeing happiness with my pals.
Always thought it odd that peeps got so weirded out by others happiness....even if
it was fake or "keeping up with the Jone's". I never put that much envy/anger into what my true friends are doing or showing.
It's a social media...it's supposed to be fun. Totally agree whenever something online becomes not fun, it's time to move on.

Thank you soo very much for the post about the online course.
I am ALL over that site tonight/tomorrow. Fabulous!

bemyself

Hi GR - I don't know how long you've been on the Net, but I'll just throw a few things out there to see if any resonate for you. As someone said, it's pretty unlikely that in the 21st Century, we're going to be able to get off the Net altogether. However, unlike alcohol etc, in MOST cases, excessive / mindless Net use CAN be moderated.

I've been on it since its early days due to being at uni in the early 90s as a mature age student, so well before it became mainstream. So how I've learned to manage it for my own good rather than for ill is:

I set Favourites in sub-folders according to my interests or needs to find out something or to delve deeper into it. Before I set a Favourite though, I almost always say 'how authoritative or useful is this site and its content to my question / interest? '

I studiously avoid all sites which seem almost solely to comprise poorly spelt and worded - i.e. unconsidered - trolling-style rants, freak-outs, bits of folk wisdom heard from so and so's grandmother or the guy in next bus seat etc, frenetic sounding 'debates' which are more like people beating up on each other if they were in the street in real life, and so on and so on.

I reckon you'll be amazed how much 'good' stuff is around on the Net - all you have to do is to stop, think - after doing a short scan of the first few posts or articles etc - and then move on. For me, it still helps when I stumble on something new to say: 'if I were to meet these people, this writer, etc in real life, would I actually WANT to spend more than a few minutes with them before excusing myself [ and running for the hills!]'

Hope this helps a little.

happyperson

Maybe you can find 2 days to test it? If you have a work schedule where you have the weekends off for example. You can do a "2 days no PC" test. Not even no internet, just don't turn it on. Everyone survives 2 days without a computer.

But it allows for you to test your response. Perhaps it's similar to addiction, maybe it doesn't turn out to be a problem. Or somewhere in between.

In any case, with that info you can much better decide how to take control of this.

MsJax

There are timer apps to help regulate internet usage! I haven't tried one so I don't know how it works but they are available. That way you would still have time to do your essential online reading & a little fun surfing but nothing more. Maybe check it out?

girlsearching

Oh my God, I am just like this too!! I google actors I like in movies. I go on AOL and read the latest gossip, etc. But I really think a lot of this behavior is sort of normal in this techie world we live it. I try not to over do it, but when I'm bored I guilty of surfing the web a lot. I do tend to be addicted to things I attach myself to. I probably need to work on this...