That's right! I'm talking to you...the one who checks their wall on Facebook while stopped at red lights! And You, who sends your sweetheart lovie dovie, smoochie woochie text messages on the highway! And of course you...the one playing World of warcraft secretly in your boardroom meeting...and everone else who's afflicted by technology! The ADDICTS!!

Dim lights

 

This topic is as hot as cajun sauce! As disturbing as the look I get when I forget HER birthday! As real as Santa! Well.. maybe not the last one but, you get the picture!?

Originally in 1996 a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Ivan Goldberg coined the term "Internet Addiction Disorder" or "IAD" for short. He then published the first online atricle featuring IAD in 1997 after this phenomenon was acknowledged.

Now wait. No need to get defensive, i'm not here to judge. I'm not gona bust down your door and confiscate your technological contraband and lock you in solitary confinement. I admit, I too am hooked on my I phone and regularly get my fix of emails and apps...just not while i'm driving!

 

Did you know that as a result of AID, no new internet cafe's are allowed to open in China?( Arguably the largest manufacturer of tech-you-name-it in the world!) You like apples? How do you like them apples!!??

How do you know if you're hooked?

Here are some tell tale signs;

1)  Your tolerance has gone up and you need to spend more and more time on your beloved toy, networking website LOLing with friends or playing that video game to get your fix!

2) You experience withdrawl and obsessively fantasize about what's going on and what you're mising out on when you're not online/palying around on it. People experience distress related anxiety and skip out on social, family or work related obligations...putting greater importance on whatever their "flavour" happens to be.

3) You find yourself "occupied" for much longer than intended.

4) If despite evidence that using your device, chatroom or whatever is causing issues in your marriage, family, friends, work, causing sleep deprivation then, you guessed it...you're and addict!

I understand this can be disturbing to consider. You're probably thinking, yeah..I haven't moved off the couch in 3 days or shaved in a week. You may bear resemblance to someone on the show Survivor from lack of personal maintenance. Rest assured, all is not lost. There is hope!

Now that you've silently identified with the problem and realized that you haven't seen daylight in a week...where do we go from here?

I'm glad tou asked!

The solution

1) First, let me congratulate you on empowering yourself! You're not alone on this one. A study by psychiatrists at Notre Dame University have reported that only after numerous couselling sessions did patients start to open up and admit they spent excessive time playing, texting, shopping etc due to a little BIG word called "Denial". Unfortunately,  most people are either unaware, or refuse to see just consumed they have become because they are otherwise seemingly functional.

2) I know it sounds cheesy, but doing affirmations around it helps! I'm not talking about telling yourself aloud on the bus "I don't need to check my email right now" as a conversation piece for your fellow bus patrons! (Who at this point are slowly moving away from you while avoiding eye contact).  I mean at home or while driving.  Reminding yourself that the world won't stop turning if you dont check  who tagged your photo's on face book this very second!  This strategy has proven to help in the midst of a melt down!

3) Monitor the amount of time you are spending. Before you start make a commitment to enjoying it for X number of minuts or what ever time you choose. Then, when that time is up..... go walk your dog. They need exercise too!

4) If all else fails.... delete your profile from the chat room, video game, you tube, facebook, porn site or what ever you keep getting snaged on!

 

It has been proven that AID draws parallels to substance and alcohol addictions. The fundimental differences are;

A) There is no physical withdrawl from AID.

B) Nobody is sitting on the street cornor with the look of degidation and holding a sign saying "Can you please spare me your crackberry!"

Past that, it has also been arguded by professionals that it is a disorder involving poor inpulse control ( also simmular to kleptomania) and directly related to motor vehicle accidents!

So please, lets keep our raods safe and moderate our selves! I'm not suggesting to throw all your toys and gizmos away... just see it for what it is and realize that there is a world out side of it all so find your balance. You'll thank me later!

P.S.

Did you know that there is online counselling for online addictions? That puts the "moron" in oxymoron, doesn't it?

 

References:

www.devhardware.com

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