Net addiction - What can you find about Net addiction?
Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 4:22 amThere are 2 support groups for Net addicts, namely The Centre for Internet Addition in Bradford PA in USA (netaddition.com) and The Centre for Internet and Technology in West Hartford in USA (virtual-addition.com).
The most interesting and unusual advice on offer is the Integration Principle, that is to bring online and offline living together. To achieve the integration, one could tell online companions about one's offline life or vice versa (i.e. to tell offline companions about one's online life). Moreover, one could meet online companions in-person or vice versa (i.e. to meet offline companions online). One could also bring online behavior offline or vice versa (i.e. to bring offline behavior online).
I consider it most interesting and unusual as the integrating of online and offline living and of the various sectors of one's internet activities, in general, would somehow create synergy. Both sides of the trade are enriched by the exchange. If the goal of life is to know thyself, as Socrates suggested, then it must entail knowing how the various elements of thyself fit together to make that Big Self that is you. Reaching that goal also means understanding and taking down the barriers between the sectors of self. Barriers are erected out of the need to protect, out of fear. Those anxieties too are a component of one's identity. They need to be reclaimed, tamed. Maybe it would do that corporation president some good to bring his fondness for Jeannie into his office. Maybe bringing something of one's online lifestyle into the face-to-face world would make that in-person lifestyle less stressful. It's interesting to note that any kind of addiction entails an isolating and guarding of the compulsive activity against all other aspects of one's life. Overcoming the addiction means releasing and mastering the needs and anxieties that have been locked into the habit. It means reclaiming the isolated self back into the mainstream of one's identity.
Other kinds of additions that are catered for on the Internet are gambling, drug, alcohol, smoking and Internet pornography and cybersex additions.
According to experts, these kinds of addiction are largely types of impulse-control disorder. For example, compulsive gamblers can't control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can't afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can't “stay off the bet.”
These addictions are sometimes referred to as the "hidden illnesses" because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms. They typically deny or minimize the problem. They also go to great lengths to hide their behavior. For example, problem gamblers often withdraw from their loved ones, sneak around, and lie about where they've been and what they've been up to.
The most interesting and unusual advice on offer is the Integration Principle, that is to bring online and offline living together. To achieve the integration, one could tell online companions about one's offline life or vice versa (i.e. to tell offline companions about one's online life). Moreover, one could meet online companions in-person or vice versa (i.e. to meet offline companions online). One could also bring online behavior offline or vice versa (i.e. to bring offline behavior online).
I consider it most interesting and unusual as the integrating of online and offline living and of the various sectors of one's internet activities, in general, would somehow create synergy. Both sides of the trade are enriched by the exchange. If the goal of life is to know thyself, as Socrates suggested, then it must entail knowing how the various elements of thyself fit together to make that Big Self that is you. Reaching that goal also means understanding and taking down the barriers between the sectors of self. Barriers are erected out of the need to protect, out of fear. Those anxieties too are a component of one's identity. They need to be reclaimed, tamed. Maybe it would do that corporation president some good to bring his fondness for Jeannie into his office. Maybe bringing something of one's online lifestyle into the face-to-face world would make that in-person lifestyle less stressful. It's interesting to note that any kind of addiction entails an isolating and guarding of the compulsive activity against all other aspects of one's life. Overcoming the addiction means releasing and mastering the needs and anxieties that have been locked into the habit. It means reclaiming the isolated self back into the mainstream of one's identity.
Other kinds of additions that are catered for on the Internet are gambling, drug, alcohol, smoking and Internet pornography and cybersex additions.
According to experts, these kinds of addiction are largely types of impulse-control disorder. For example, compulsive gamblers can't control the impulse to gamble, even when they know their gambling is hurting themselves or their loved ones. Gambling is all they can think about and all they want to do, no matter the consequences. Compulsive gamblers keep gambling whether they’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed. Even when they know the odds are against them, even when they can't afford to lose, people with a gambling addiction can't “stay off the bet.”
These addictions are sometimes referred to as the "hidden illnesses" because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms. They typically deny or minimize the problem. They also go to great lengths to hide their behavior. For example, problem gamblers often withdraw from their loved ones, sneak around, and lie about where they've been and what they've been up to.