Читать книгу Overcoming Internet Addiction For Dummies - David N. Greenfield - Страница 23

Following is a general list of things to look out for to determine whether you may be suffering from an addiction to the Internet. Sometimes just developing an awareness of what you’re doing can increase your self-consciousness enough to cause you to change your habits and patterns. This is a good place to start. Generally, small changes can be valuable, but you can make those changes only if you are really aware of what you’re doing. Chapter 10 has more information on identifying signs and symptoms, and Chapter 11 provides a number of self-assessments.

Every accomplishment starts with a goal, followed by an assessment of where you are, and a plan for where you want to be:

1 Do you spend more time online on your screen devices (computer, laptop, tablet, smartphone, or smart TV) than you realize?

2 Do you mindlessly pass time on a regular basis by staring at your smartphone, tablet, computer, or smart TV, even when you know there might be better or more productive things to do?

3 Do you seem to lose track of time when on any of your screen devices?

4 Are you spending more time with “virtual friends” as opposed to real people nearby? (Obviously, during the COVID pandemic this is a difficult question.)

5 Has the amount of time you spend on your smartphone or the Internet been increasing?

6 Do you secretly wish you could be a little less wired or connected to your screen devices?

7 Do you regularly sleep with your smartphone under your pillow or next to your bed?

8 Do you find yourself viewing and answering texts, tweets, snaps, posts, comments, likes, IMs, DMs, and emails at all hours of the day and night — even when it means interrupting other things you are doing?

9 Do you text, email, tweet, snap, IM, DM, post, comment, or surf while driving or doing other similar activities that require your focused attention and concentration?

10 Do you at times feel your use of technology decreases your productivity?

11 Do you feel uncomfortable when you accidentally leave your phone or other Internet screen device in your car or at home, if you have no service, or if it is broken?

12 Do you feel reluctant to be without your smartphone or other screen device, even for a short time?

13 When you leave the house, do you typically have your smartphone or other screen device with you?

14 When you eat meals, is your smartphone always part of the table setting?

15 Do you find yourself distracted by your smartphone or other screen devices?

If you answer yes to 50 percent (7 or 8) or more of these questions, then you may want to examine your Internet and screen use.

Here’s an important disclaimer: It should be noted that no medical or psychiatric diagnosis can be made solely from a written test or screening tool. These Internet and screen addiction diagnostic criteria are intended for educational and informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are concerned about your smartphone, Internet, or screen use, you may want to consult with a licensed mental health or addiction professional with expertise in Internet and technology addiction.

The main thing to look out for is an overall lack of awareness of how much time you are spending on your screens. The more time, the more likely your life will be out of balance. The content or app is not the most important thing here; rather, it is the amount of time you are diverting from balanced real-time living. The power of the Internet, in part, comes from its ability to dissociate you from real life and to become a digital drug by impacting dopamine levels in your brain.