I was just conversing with a good friend of mines, when he made a statement that I found to be rather interesting. He stated (without physical proof) , that over 17% of the American Population suffers from an addiction to the internet. His statement really had me thinking about myself and exactly how much time I actually spend in front of monitor. Over all I spend on an average of 10 to 12 hrs a day (between work and home) on the web. I hadn’t realized it until he mentioned it, but I actually spend more time on the web than I do watching Television. I don’t think that actually qualifies me as an addict, I’ll let you all decide that. But if someone came and took your Computer away from you (if only for a little while), how would you cope. Are You one of the 17% thats addicted?
Why did you define your question as being for Americans only – just curious, really, because I’d have thought the Internet (and spending so much time on it) might have encouraged people to think less parochially ?
I wouldn’t say I’m addicted, per say, but my life would definately be a lot more boring without the internet. Some days I’ll be online from 4-5 hours a day, sometimes I won’t get online for a couple days in a row. Usually I’m online for about 2 hours a day, mainly surfing the SDMB.
You say that like it’s a bad thing. Would it be better to be addicted to telelvision?
Some top-of-my-head maths since I just woke up:
Ok, let’s round off America’s population to 200 million. I know it’s higher, let’s just roll with this for now.
17% of them are ‘addicted’ to the internet. That’s 34 million internet addicts, in the USA alone.
Won’t someone please think of the children!?
Seriously, tho, how does this compare to ‘real’ addictions like alchohol and heroin? The numbers just seem absurdly high to me, not to mention the whole ‘addicted’ to the internet thing. Where on earth did these statistics come from? Oh right… yer friend’s ass. Gotcha.
Did you know that 90% of Americans are addicted to gasoline fumes? Yup, it’s true… just watch. Five days a week they all get up (Twice a day even!) and gather on our highways to sit around for a couple hours inhaling said fumes. They must be addicted to them, right? And there are other travel options available, yet they choose to use automobiles despite all the evidence of the dangers of such vehicles… MUST be addiction! :rolleyes:
Internet addiction may or may not be better than television addiction depending on what you spend most of your time looking at. Certainly it’s safe to say that you’re more edified reading online news articles than say, surfing porn sites and meaningless chat rooms. Same goes for television.
I think internet use becomes a serious problem when it interferes with your social life on an ongoing basis, and becomes your “normal” way of interacting with others. Someone who spends the majority of their time playing games and talking in chat rooms at the expense of actually talking to members of their family and friends–that is cause for concern.
Hi, my name is quiltguy154, and I have a problem. And I’m serious. I’m on the internet about 4-5 hours a day, more on my days off. I only go to 5 or 6 websites, so after awhile they become extremely familiar. Many times I’ll go through all the different categories here at the SD, several times in succession. It’s not good enough that I’ve read a lot of the interesting threads, or even responded to a few. I MUST get back to see what follow-up has occurred, and what the new posts/threads are. It’s a good thing I’m not charged by the minute. Have had a computer for about 15 months, and ever since I registered here, i HAVE become obsessed. Do I need an intervention? Will ennui set in soon? Somedays I try not to go on at all, but it never lasts. Does it have something to do with unlimited access for the monthly fee, and I want to get my money’s worth? My TV viewing has dropped to near zero, but I’m still staring at a screen. The corollary to “Matter can neither be created nor destroyed, only changed.” Would welcome any insights .
There´s a checklist for internet addiction here.
Supposedly, if you answer 5 of these questions with yes, you may be addicted.
My score is 2, so nope, I´m not addicted. Wheee! 
Ot take the test - 37. Average. Phew.
I do spend a lot of time on the internet, in part for work, to a larger degree for fun. I hardly watch TV. And I don´t see how it´s worse than TV - at least its interactive.
London_Calling, I figure that while internet addiction is also prevalent in other countries, it would be higher in countries with a high percentage of internet users. This includes most industrialised countries, not only the US, but I doubt the worldwide percentage of internet addiction is 17% (or whatever the exact figure may be). But in Europe, the situation is probably comparable to that in the US.
My earlier post got cut off (I think that was my fault, not the hamsters). But you’ve hit my point sort of dead on. I thought the OP’s remarks to the effect of “wow, I use the internet even more than TV” to be a little odd – it should have been “wow, I talk to my on-line friends more than my real life friends and family.”
TV and internet are both are activities where you sit like a bump on a log staring at a screen with limited social interaction. They can have value or not, depending on your particular viewing/surfing habits. (Whether you watch the History Channel or Punk’d, surf to expand your knowledge or wank to porn).
With a TV you can pseudo-socialize in person, although you aren’t socializing as much as sitting next to each other staring at the same screen (though a shared viewing experience can be nice). And on-line socializing, while it can be profound, is still tempered by the medium which shields you from the immediacy of an actual physical presence and can veil you with anonymity. This can be a good thing though, because it can suppress prejudices based on appearance and free the chronically shy – but there’s still the element of artifice.
The “wow, more 'net than TV” just threw me for a minute, because IMHO, there’s not much difference in their social value (good or bad) or “addiction badness.” Significanlty sacrificing genuine relationships with other people for either would be a little off kilter.
Though I do remember telling my friends “I can’t play wih you now, The Incredible Hulk is on TV!”
Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous on-line activity or anticipate next on-line session)?
yes
Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?
no
Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?
yes
Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?
yes
Do you stay on-line longer than originally intended?
yes
Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?
probably
Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?
no
Do you uses the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?
yes
Five and a half.
Fuck.
What now?
Heavens yes I am addicted. I am an information junky. I love the internet, it gives me information rapidly and frequently. If I could jack my brain into google and the imdb I sure would. This online world suits me very well indeed. It suits my skillset and my proclivities. I wouldn’t say I’m a victim though. I’d say thank goodness this technology was developed in my lifetime. (Else I should probably have spent a lot of time corresponding with as many people as possible by post and perusing newspapers, magazines and books obsessively, as I did to a greater extent before the advent of the internet in a general-public friendly form.)
Of all the addictions I have had, and all the ones I have avoided, I would say the Internet is the best thing for me to be addicted to.
I was way addicted during my first attempt at college. 12 hours a day online, usually. More on weekends.
Now I’m about 1 hour a day or so.
I almost never watch TV, because TV is garbage these days. I can’t avoid trashy TV, but I CAN control what websites I visit.
Years ago, (1996? 97?) there was a study out of Stanford or Berkeley (I’m sorry I don’t have a cite, it was a long time ago) that concluded “If you use the Internet more than 10 hours per week, you are a patholigical Internet user”.
I changed my online name from Ginger to GingerPIU at that very moment. I think that’s still my name on ICQ.
I think my addiction status changes based on where I am.
1.Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous on-line activity or anticipate next on-line session)?
Home - No, Work - Yes
2.Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?
Home - No, Work - Yes
3.Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?
Home - No, Work - Yes
4.Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?
Home - No, Work - Yes
5.Do you stay on-line longer than originally intended?
Home - No, Work - Yes
6.Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?
Home - No, Work - Yes
7.Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?
Home - No, Work - Yes
8.Do you uses the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?
Home - No, Work - Yes
See, based on that I have a serious addiction to it while I’m at work. When I’m home, I don’t touch the computer, not in the evenings, not on weekends, not on vacations. I think its just that I hate my job that much that being online is the only way I can tolerate it.
There are those who probably think I’m addicted. I admit I spend a lot of time on line and I get a lot of enjoyment from on-line chats and message boards, as well as general surfing. But if my computer went away tomorrow, I’d consider it an inconvenience more than anything. I’d miss the social interactions. I’d miss the convenience of researching and shopping on line. I’d miss the immediacy of finding what I want with a few keystrokes. But I lived more than 40 years without a computer in the house, and I could do it again. I’d probably whine a bit, but life would go on.
I might even use snail mail again!! Imagine!!
1.Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (think about previous on-line activity or anticipate next on-line session)?
Hmm… remember that posting I made a while back? Wonder if it’s still active. If it is, maybe I’ll post again…
2.Do you feel the need to use the Internet with increasing amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction?
Damn Hamsters!
3.Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use?
My own, or others’?
4.Do you feel restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?
Sure do. Those guys are jerks, that’s why I’m tryin’ to get rid of ‘em.
5.Do you stay on-line longer than originally intended?
Damn Hamsters.
6.Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?
Define risk. I accidently saw a boobie once, but closed the window before the boss caught me… think I’m safe.
7.Have you lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet?
“Hey, what are you lauging at in there?!”
"Nothing! Just workin’ hard, boss!"
8.Do you uses the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)?
Hmm… I’m a bit anxious about the weather… just sign online here and check… weather radar, click here… oh, wow, man! Look at the COLORS!
Oh god! I’m addicted! Won’t someone please think of the SimChildren!
I scored a 5. I use the internet because I want information NOW!. I have grown up in this microwave age where I cannot wait patiently, everything can be prepared and consumed in about a minute, it shouldnt take me longer to get my information as well. The thing that bothers me is that at work, we are strictly monitored for internet usage. I login to CNN.com about once every hour and I am a big NPR fan. Maybe Im just addicted to the news and information portion. I just love getting a mental flash of interest or curiosity and having to satisfy it with a trip to the internet to obtain more info.
I have cut back on my tv watching to movies on the weekend and I would say that my relationships with my children has suffered on occasion with the internet. My mom knows that if she calls and my kids answer as they are wont to do, they’ll tell her im on the computer. I think my husband and I are at about equal levels of computer usage, although I use the internet more and he uses the computer for film and animation work. When my second grader asks a question, my husband an I give a brief answer but encourage him to look it up on the internet for more information. Our son does like it but he sticks to games for the most part.