Addicted to the Internet? Here are ways you can quit

From hardcover books to fan fiction; from sending letters to e-mailing; from making entries in personal journals to blogging; and from making friends the conventional way to visiting chat rooms.

With the world having seen this shift, one can only expect people to develop an obsession with the Internet. And considering how common this obsession is nowadays, medical experts have termed it Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD).

So what exactly is IAD?

Words like alcoholic and insomnia are often used callously without taking into consideration the seriousness of the conditions. The same might be applied to those suffering from IAD.

According to addictionrecov.org, symptoms of this disorder range from preoccupation with thoughts about the Internet to using it for increasing amounts of time to losing the ability to interact with people face to face, repeatedly attempting to cut down on the time spent on the Internet, but being unsuccessful and jeopardising relationships by lying about it, etc.

A more obvious symptom would be obsessive 'tweeting' or a compulsively updating status messages.

Physical symptoms could be developing carpal tunnel syndrome, dry and strained eyes, aches in your back and neck, headaches, disturbances in your sleep cycle and alarming weight loss or weight gain.

Although it does not involve the use of intoxicating substances, IAD is similar to pathological gambling. Those suffering from the disorder live in their virtual world, often creating a different identity that they get addicted to. These people who lead alternate lives online are the ones at highest risk of suffering from negative feelings of insecurity and inadequacy, which could, in turn, lead to depression.

So if you experience any of the above, know that you have a problem; one that you require help for if you want to rid yourself of it.

Helpguide.org categorises Internet addiction into the following:

• Cybersex addiction: An obsessive, compulsive use of Internet pornography
• Cyber-relationship addiction: An addiction to social networking and giving online friends more importance than real-life relationships
• Net compulsions: Compulsive online gaming, gambling, stock trading, etc.
• Information overload: Compulsive web surfing or database searching
• Computer addiction: Obsessive playing of off-line computer games like Solitaire or Minesweeper

Of these different kinds of Internet addictions, seeking help for cybersex addiction, especially in a county like India where sex is a taboo, could be the most challenging.

Like with any other addiction, admitting that you indeed suffer from IAD would be the first step, not to mention the hardest. Accepting that you have problem takes a lot of courage, but could take you a long way on the road to recovery.

Help yourself

For those interested in self-help, wikihow enlists a few ways of getting rid of the Internet fixation.

- Beginning with determining how much time you spend online, it says finding activities that could substitute spending time online, like reading, taking a walk and finding a different hobby, could be of great help.

- Next, taking it one day at a time, you could try cutting down on the time spent online, even keeping a timer if really necessary.

- Other steps that could help are ensuring that you subscribe to a limited Internet plan, not winding down your day on the Internet, going online only with a specific purpose in mind, etc.

Spending time with real people and building yourself a support system could be of immense help. Apart from helping you develop the ability to interact again, having more relations could negate your psychological need for the Internet and online friends.

Some interesting methods are using your non-dominant hand to perform tasks like moving the mouse or scrolling, typing with just one hand, placing obstacles that disrupt your regular routine, etc.

If these 'survival strategies' do not help, seeking professional help or joining a support group would be good options. Since this is a relatively new form of addiction, finding support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous could be difficult. As ironic as this may be, there are higher chances of finding them online.

Therapy or counselling could help talk you out of your current perceptions about the Internet or any underlying issues, and provide you with step-by-step methods to rid you of the addiction.

Now moving to helping the addicts

If you do know someone who exhibits symptoms of IAD, but either has not realised it or simply refuses to admit it, your support could be of great help. Introducing that person to other activities to divert their mind, making an example of yourself by managing your own Internet usage and, in extreme cases, encouraging them to seek professional help are a few ways you could help.

These, along with the required willpower and conviction, could determine how successful one's attempt at de-addiction would be.