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There are a number of steps you can take to get your internet use under control. While you can initiate many of these yourself, it's important you get some outside support as well. It can be all too easy to slip back into old patterns of usage, especially if you use the internet heavily for work or other important activities:
- Recognise any underlying problems that may support your internet addiction. If you are struggling with depression, stress or anxiety, for example, internet addiction might be a way to self-soothe rocky moods. Have you had problems with alcohol or drugs in the past? Does anything about your internet use remind you of how you used to drink or use drugs to numb yourself? Recognise if you need to address treatment in these areas or return to group support meetings.
- Build your coping skills. Perhaps blowing off steam on the internet is your way of coping with stress or angry feelings. Maybe you have trouble relating to others, or are excessively shy with people in real life. Building skills in these areas will help you weather the stresses and strains of daily life without resorting to compulsive internet use.
- Strengthen your support network. The more relationships you have in real life, the less you will need the internet for social interaction. Set aside dedicated time each week for friends and family. If you are shy, try finding common interest groups such as a sports team, education class or book-reading club. This allows you to interact with others and let relationships develop naturally.
Modify your internet use step by step:
- To help you see problem areas, keep a log of how much you use the Internet for non-work or non-essential activities. Are there times of day that you use the internet more? Are there triggers in your day that make you stay online for hours at a time, when you only planned to stay for a few minutes?
- Set goals for when you can use the internet. For example, you might try setting a timer; scheduling use for certain times of day; or making a commitment to turn off the computer, tablet or smartphone at the same time each night. You could reward yourself with a certain amount of online time once you've completed a homework assignment or finished the laundry, for instance.
- Replace your internet usage with healthy activities. If you are bored and lonely, resisting the urge to get back online can be very difficult. Have a plan for other ways to fill the time, such as going to lunch with a colleague, taking a class or inviting a friend over.
Tips for Dealing with Internet Addiction*
- Ask yourself, 'What am I missing out on when I spend so much time on the internet?' Write down these activities, and decrease your internet time to pursue some of them.
- Set reasonable internet use goals and stick to them. Take frequent breaks, at least five minutes each hour, and do some other activity.
- Alter your routine to break your usage patterns. If you spend evenings on the internet, start limiting your use to mornings.
- Seek out friends and acquaintances who 'couldn't care less' about the internet. Take time to appreciate the fact that all life is not yet online.
- Stay connected to the offline world. Visit newsstands; book and music stores; and participate in entertainment such as museums, music and live theatre. Novels and poetry readings are hard to experience online.
- Treat the internet as a tool. Stay focused on the fact that the internet is a means to an end. Plan your strategy – whether you're looking for information or entertainment – with the end in mind, and you'll save valuable time.
*Source: University of California, San Francisco
Reference:
Saisan, J., Smith, M., Robinson, L. & Segal, J. (Updated 2015, April). Internet and computer addiction: Signs, symptoms, and help for balancing your time online and off. Retrieved 18 June 2015 from www.helpguide.org