Does Internet addiction lead to a lifestyle change?
Is Internet addictive? This question has been lately puzzling me a lot. To share a personal experience, recently, I noticed a change to the way I reacted to funny situations...instead of laughing I have started saying LOL! It is very amazing indeed and I have to scold myself whenever I react in such a fashion. Then at the weekends, when my hubby dear conquers my computer, I sometimes feel very frustrated and have come to realize that I need to surf the net on a regular basis and that has almost become a lifestyle. Or am I suffering from what they call as IAD or Internet Addictive Disorder.
There are many health and lifestyle problems associated with web browsing. When browsing tends to be more mouse-intensive, the so-called "addicts" may have an increased chance of sustaining soft tissue damage in fingers, wrist, arm, shoulder or neck. There is a range of conditions that were grouped together in the 1980s under the name of repetitive strain injury (RSI).
I also wonder whether introverts are more susceptible to IAD as compared to extroverts. This leads to another guilt, which is associated with it all, that I am not interacting in the society the way I should. But somehow I manage to overcome the guilt and get back to my PC again. And why not? I admire Internet for its connectivity and global reach; and I find it a much better option than watching the K-serials on the telly.
There is an increasing number of bloggers on the net who find it very satisfying to pen down their thoughts and share it with others. It is like sharing your personal diary with the friends. According to the research findings, there are sixty thousand thoughts each day in an average person's mind and if these thoughts are repetitive, then the brain finds it difficult to evolve. Thus writing down or discussing provides a positive outlet to these thoughts. I feel that healthy discussions and thrashing out things is like exercising the mind. And expressing positively definitely creates way for more positive thoughts.
So it doesn't bother me if I am one of those who are suffering from Internet Addictive Disorder as there are sure ways to balance it off. Besides this, the Internet for sure is a vast resource (I am a great admirer of the capabilities of the search engines and databases) and a very beneficial one too. And till the technology progress to develop anything superior to the net I will continue to be an ardent admirer of it.
What is your gutfeel? Click here to read the views of GutFeel members and to express your own thoughts on the issue. |
Home | What is GutFeel | Topics | Your GutFeel | Forum | Contact Us