The Internet is fairly new and so you might not think that there are many seriously dangerous addictions that you can have when dealing with the Internet. But the reality is, there are tons. The Internet is so powerful and huge that it can control you or anyone else if you let it. Let’s look at what an Internet addiction really is.
First of all, an addiction is anything that you can’t get away from. You spend all your time and energy feeding your need to do something. It can be anything. An Internet addiction is an obsession with something on the Internet or a specific program that you run while on the Internet.
Internet addictions include an obsession with cybersex, pornography, online gaming, online gambling, an obsession with ebay and other online marketplaces, online affairs, too much web surfing, and many others.
Cybersex and pornography are huge Internet businesses. They have many ways of advertising and many ways of sucking you in. Some ways to avoid it are to block the pop ups on your computer and make sure that you never go to a website that you are unsure about. If you don’t know the exact web address of something, just do a search on a search engine. The results will help tell you where you want to go. Often pornography sites will be slightly different from ones that you would normally go to. So double check your spelling and be sure of the web address. You don’t want to accidentally see something you never wanted to see in the first place and then get hooked.
Online gaming is a huge industry. There are hundreds of games that you can play online. You can still play the games a lot and have fun but if you find yourself playing them for hours a day and ignoring others things like family and friends, you need to get help. Playing a game online can be really fun and a great hobby but it can be dangerous and expensive if you play too much.
You don’t have to go to Las Vegas to gamble anymore. You can do it online. Gambling must be done responsibly if you are even going to do it. If you budget for some gambling just to play a poker game online, then stick to it. Don’t waste all your money online playing card games and gambling, because it will only make you lose money. Gambling should only be used for a source of a little entertainment and not as a source of income or an everyday sort of thing.
Ebay is really great and you can buy a lot of cheap things on it but just like anything else, make sure it’s stuff you need and that you aren’t going on it everyday to find something new. Surfing the web can also be harmful. Just because the Internet has lots on it doesn’t mean you have to check everything out. Just like with anything, don’t spend hours a day online doing one specific thing, because it turns into an addiction and something you can’t live without.
The Internet can be a really useful tool and help with many problems and be fun. But if you let it take over your life then it will ruin your life. Many people use it everyday to pay bills, read articles, and check their email. That isn’t an addiction. It’s using the Internet for many of the useful tools it provides. When you are spending too much time online or find yourself not able to do anything about it, then you are in trouble.
If you think you might have an Internet addiction or know someone who might, get help. Ironically there are many websites that will help you with your Internet addiction and help you get over it. Check them out before an addiction ruins your life.
