Internet addiction and the need to waste time

[EvolvingPhoenix]

So I've been noticing lately that even when I'm feeling fine, I have some sort of serious need to keep myself in a mindlessly distracted state on the computer. I don't even particularly enjoy anything I'm watching or looking at, but I can't get away. It's like I feel some sort of deep NEED to be either asleep literally or asleep metaphorically, in this mindlessly distracted state. And I have no idea why. It's pretty common for people to mindlessly distract themselves, but it's like I'm AWARE I'm doing nothing, and I can't pull myself away, even though I'm not really interested in what I'm watching. If I am interested, bonus, but it honestly seems like distraction is the point. And I dunno why it's so difficult for me to stop and go do something productive. Even if there's something else I know I could be doing, it's like I can't stop. I know there's got to be a deeper reason behind this. Maybe I'm trying to distract myself so I don't face some sort of buried feelings I want to suppress? Maybe that's why it's an epidemic of internet addiction and procrastination in the developed world today. Because there's just that many people who are trying to suppress something negative they feel? I'm not certain. Maybe that's not it. Maybe it's something else. I just get the sense there's a deeper reason for this behaviour and I'm not quite sure what it is.

I looked up causes for internet addiction and found this:

"Whenever Internet addicts feel overwhelmed, stressed, depressed, lonely or anxious, they use the Internet to seek solace and escape. Studies from the University of Iowa show that Internet addiction is quite common among males ages 20 to 30 years old who are suffering from depression.

Certain people are predisposed to having a computer or Internet addiction, such as those who suffer from anxiety and depression. Their lack of emotional support means they turn to the Internet to fill this need. There are also those who have a history of other types of addiction, such as addictions to alcohol, drugs, sex and gambling. Even being stressed and unhappy can contribute greatly to the development of a computer or Internet addiction. People who are overly shy and cannot easily relate to their peers are also at a higher risk of developing a computer or Internet addiction."

That sounds about right. I am lonely and depressed. And I do sort of feel a degree of comfort to my loneliness in online forums.

I'm not so sure what to do about it though.  

I looked up an article on how to break internet addiction and this part in particular got my attention:

"Boredom is one of the most painful things any human being can experience.

Why?

Because it’s hard to be alone with yourself or your thoughts.

When untrained, the mind is like a wild dog that won’t stop barking. At its worst, it is like a merciless judge who only seeks to condemn.

In order to hopscotch past the rigorous process of disciplining the mind, many people turn to distraction. Today, this distraction is in the form of social media and Internet addiction."

Maybe that's a big part of it. Not wanting to spend time with my own mind. I admit that being alone is painful for me, and my mind is quite given to painful thoughts. So it would make sense that I would want to be distracted from it.

Does anybody else suffer from internet addiction or some similar addiction based on wasting time? What issues do you notice behind it?

[schubert]

u seem like u found ur answer, that ur afraid to deal with ur mind/thoughts. i got a great video for u that might help with dealing with ur thoughts

i dont consider myself as having an addiction i think saying that and identifying with it can make it a self-fulfilling thing. i do tend to spend too much time online. i think its a product of feeling like i cant relate to the people in my real life and i relate more to the people i watch and can more freely express myself when im anonymous online and just being alone lets me feel comfortable letting my mind be more of who i am. the solution for me is to work towards a way of making money so that i naturally have more alone time.

[EvolvingPhoenix]

Well, I'm not sure of my "answer" TBH. It could be something else, or there could be more to it. A big part of the problem is that it is an unconscious thing. And I'm trying to understand it consciously. My big guess is that it's not wanting to face my own mind. I'm not sure that that's it though.

[einmal]

How much are you meditating? Awfully hard to do that online

[EvolvingPhoenix]

I go for meditation walks, but not as much as I should. You're right. I need to meditate more.

[native]

Do a simple test. Spend an entire day outside or somewhere else away from your computer. If you're like me (who can spend endless hours on the computer as well), but don't even think about the computer when you're away from it, you'll realize it's just an impulse. I think the internet is just a habit for many people and not an addiction. It's a vast and complex thing. So I'm actually getting rid of it in two weeks!

Humans in general seem to have a great potential within us and a forward momentum about our nature that has to be satisfied; an obsessive quality that wants to be in motion whether it's towards some inward discovery or keeping ourselves busy outwardly. I realized this when having come to some satisfactory "answers" after 30 years of a lifetime of inner contemplation, I instantly became more outwardly oriented. We seem to want to focus our energy intently into things..look at all the arts, crafts, and inventions humans have made.

Pyramid builders, potters, stamp collectors, philosophers, painters, cross-fitters, gardeners, woodworkers, humanitarians..it's all the same. So all you have to do is find what moves you and harness it.

[xise]

General current theory is that addiction is just a way to distract you from something that is bothering you and that you are unable to face.

The best drug treatment programs try to delve into what's bothering you rather than only addressing the habitual aspect of the addiction, as if you break the habit without addressing the underlying issue you'll just restart the addiction or replace one addiction with another.

[schubert]

The best drug treatment programs try to delve into what's bothering you rather than only addressing the habitual aspect of the addiction, as if you break the habit without addressing the underlying issue you'll just restart the addiction or replace one addiction with another.

amazin!

[ZW929]

This may not work for everyone, but a good default for me- is to just work more. When I'm unemployed or working part-time, I tend to do worse than when I'm working full-time. I guess you could say- on a red ray level at least - its a "better" coping mechanism than just sitting at home browsing online. Right now I'm part time, and its killing me. Not only do I need (decent paying) full-time work. But I want it. Because I struggle with more than one type of addiction. And being alone at home, doing nothing, doesn't help much.

And its not like working more is "all fun". My background is in "general labor". Didn't go to college. So work can be tiring and painful- but the good kind of tiring and painful. Rather than that numb feeling of "nothingness".

[Cyan]

I couldn't stop thinking of this book when I read your text.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2150_AD

Should re-read it, good book.

[schubert]

This may not work for everyone, but a good default for me- is to just work more. When I'm unemployed or working part-time, I tend to do worse than when I'm working full-time. I guess you could say- on a red ray level at least - its a "better" coping mechanism than just sitting at home browsing online. Right now I'm part time, and its killing me. Not only do I need (decent paying) full-time work. But I want it. Because I struggle with more than one type of addiction. And being alone at home, doing nothing, doesn't help much.

And its not like working more is "all fun". My background is in "general labor". Didn't go to college. So work can be tiring and painful- but the good kind of tiring and painful. Rather than that numb feeling of "nothingness".

thank u for sharing ur perspective. thats very interesting because i am the opposite! but i think that if ur struggling with multiple "addictions" but ur masking them over with working more i suppose thats a pretty good suboptimal decision but i would recommend taking this extra time u currently have to understand and get rid of those addictions so u dont have such a strong feeling of needing to work more! imagine if u worked thru these addictions and then when u have lots of free time u can do lots of cool stuff!!

[schubert]

I couldn't stop thinking of this book when I read your text.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2150_AD

Should re-read it, good book.

i dont quite understand what its about just from reading that page but that sounds very neat! maybe i will read it!!! thanks for the recommendation

[RitaJC]

General current theory is that addiction is just a way to distract you from something that is bothering you and that you are unable to face.

The best drug treatment programs try to delve into what's bothering you rather than only addressing the habitual aspect of the addiction, as if you break the habit without addressing the underlying issue you'll just restart the addiction or replace one addiction with another.

I agree. What is usually called an addiction is not the problem, it's just a symptom.



And even what is mentioned in this video is only one step in the right direction.

I believe what we are realky longing for is the experience of Truth = connection to our true Self = the One Infinite Creator.

As long as we are in the process of experiential awakening and can’t live FROM that connection “addictions” are helping to reduce the pain of that unfulfilled desire and continue the experience.

[EvolvingPhoenix]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I'm still not sure what to do about this issue I'm having. Lately, my response has been to try to meditate as much as possible. Although I have been sleeping a lot as well. Fact is, I don't have a "rat park". And it's true that I wish I did. So far, most of my connection comes from the internet, which only encourages me to spend more time on it.

Plenum suggests that I get a job to help with loneliness by making connections at work. No arguments there. I was supposed to see a job coach, but the guy they thought would be a perfect job coach for me left and the one single job coach still working at the company that Voc Rehab uses is so overloaded with work, they think it might be a better idea if I go another route for placement. So I'll be talking with my Voc Rehab counselor about it on Tuesday.