Does this count as an addiction?
I think I might be addicted to the internet!
It’s been like this for the past 2 years or so where I am almost constantly on my electronics whenever I get the chance. This includes while eating, while walking or traveling in a vehicle, pretty much any free time I have including in between classes, and even while attempting to do homework or when I’m supposed to be asleep.
I’ve tried cutting back on electronic time (which is about 7-9 hours avg daily but sometimes up to 13) but I give up just as quickly. I also feel shame for this and have outright lied to people when they ask about it, and I’ve turned off screen time reports on my electronics out of fear that someone would see it, specifically my parents because I was scared they would take my electronics away or something.
Now for the effects it has had on me, there’s a lot of stuff! My concentration span has decreased immensely to the point where I can barely think about anything important at all and I don’t retain anything from class. I don’t know if that is caused by this or is something else though since I’m still a teen. I procrastinate everything whether it be chores, sleep, or literally eating food just to sit and do stuff on my phone.
It’s gotten so bad that I only sleep 1-4 hours a day and my grades are rapidly dropping because I don’t have the motivation to do homework and study. I want to do it, I just can’t get myself off phone and force myself to concentrate long enough to do the work.
I originally had suspicions about ADHD because I’m also super fidgety and always moving + I’ve always had poor time management skills even when I was a little kid, but I have a pretty decent memory and I don’t really lose things at all (actually I am paranoid of losing things so I check to make sure I have them over and over). It would make more sense to me if it was internet addiction, especially because I’ve had unrestricted, unmonitored, unlimited screen and internet access since I was like 6 or 7. No time limits and no content limits, so my brain just ate up the free entertainment.
I have no clue what I’m supposed to do about this. Thoughts?
@Cubic
Hello! I am not sure if 7 Cups has any online training resources about the addiction to electronic devices but, yes, using them too often can turn into a serious addiction.
The good news is it is not a physical addiction (like drugs, nicotine or alcohol), which would require a period of chemical detox.
But still it can be a strong addiction on the emotional level, and may require some different kind of detoxification.
I've heard that in U.S. or some West European countries there are special therapies for people addicted to electronic devices.
If I were your parent... First, I think diagnosing that you have ADHD (or not) might be crucial for your recovery from the addiction. Then... Taking your electronic device by your parents would address the result, but would not change the reasons of your behaviours. So it should better be managed, I guess, by a specialized therapist.
For the beginning, internet and smartphones are not evil themselves, but they have the bright side and the dark side of the power.
I think the bright side is when you use your electronic devices, for example, for:
- connecting with other people,
- finding information for your homework from school, checking your schedules etc.,
- watching a movie or a TV series,
- listening to music,
- reading e-books,
- visiting sites connected to your hobbies,
- being here at 7 Cups.
But still there should be some time limit for that.
And you are attracted by the dark side of the force when, e.g.:
- you play games, watch "adult" sites or gamble online - all of them being extremely addictive,
- you scroll for hours with no special reason your social media accounts or watch the news about the end of the world, abuse or crime,
- by "electronic barrier" around you, you expose yourself to serious physical danger, like being hit by a car, a train or a scooter while looking at the screen (no joke, some young people die in accidents as a result of that 😢),
- you keep using your electronic device in your time reserved for learning, eating or sleeping,
- you have no or scarce real-life interactions with your friends, parents or siblings,
- you feel depressed, anxious, angry or having dark thoughts (like self-harm) connected with overuse of electronic devices.
Do you have any person you trust you could talk it about with? If not a parent, maybe some grandparent or cousin, a school psychologist or a teacher?
@jacek73
Thanks a lot for the response 🙏
(TW for readers below)
I do have a therapist I could talk about it with, but I’m mostly worried about dropping the screen time. I have quite literally zero hobbies off of electronics, I even draw and read digitally, etc. I am not too sure if I even want to get better or if it is worth it.
Especially since COVID-19 lockdown, I have been completely dependent on electronics for everything I do; including schoolwork, socializing, hobbies and entertainment, emotional support, feeling happy, etc. Whenever I can’t be on my phone (class, parents took it at bedtime, no internet access) I do think about and long for it quite a bit, so I honestly don’t know if I want to stop.
As for the list of the “dark side” of the internet you mentioned, I think I have instances from every single one. 😅
- I do play games and visit “adult” websites
- I do scroll for hours to cope with boredom and look at a lot of negative information
- I am a little more aware when it comes to being in public areas like roads because I am always anxious that people are watching my screen for some reason, but occasionally I am careless with where I step
- I always use my electronics while eating unless my parents force me to turn it off, have been using it past bedtime for the past 2 years (typing this at 2:30 am for me lol), and I have used it in class once or twice (this is less because our teachers have us put phones in containers before class)
- I talk to my friends still but I definitely don’t interact with my parents or siblings. Basically the only times we even see each other is at meals, the other times we are always just in our rooms using electronics.
- I do get pretty depressing thoughts (including SH and s//cidal ideation), a lot of irritability and I have always been pretty anxious since I was a little kid, but I have no diagnoses so I have no clue if it’s related to internet usage or not (probably)
thanks again! Totally not procrastinating my homework with this reply at 2:33 am
@Cubic
I am afraid to some extent we are all in the same boat 😉
Several months ago I had one day of electronic detoxification, because I accidentally left my phone (together with my money, credit cards and my ID) at my workplace.
Quite quickly it turned out I can listen to the music on my vintage tape or disc players, I can read a paper book, I still got ebooks on my tablet and some movies on DVDs. And I could hear the news on the radio to make sure our country wasn't attacked overnight (there is war in a neighbouring country). My biggest concern was what could I do in case of emergency, like fire, or how would I know if anything bad happened to my closest relatives. All ended well.
But it was different for me, because I still remember very well the times before the internet and with practically no phones (one for 100 people doesn't count, I guess).
I think the solution is not to eliminate the civilization at all, but to use it in a balanced way. Maybe the answer is having a mobile in my pocket but not using it sometimes?
I believe your therapy would not mean getting rid of screen devices at all, but re-learning how to use them in a safer way.
It is sad to hear that communication within your family is mostly limited to the meal time...
@jacek73
Thanks for the advice! You are correct, my life has revolved entirely around the internet for as long as I can remember. Sometimes if I can’t use it to the extent I want, I am able to manage with other stuff, but I think about using electronics the whole time and I get super agitated.
Hey there!
In my experience, if you even have to ask yourself this question...the answer is yes. "Normal" people don't have to plan to quit or limit substances.
