TERM 3, 2015
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Too addicted to eat One in five Australians would rather go without food, than be without internet access for a day, according to a study commissioned by Telstra. Anthony More men (24 per cent) than women (19 per cent) said they would prefer to go without food than internet access for a day, with internet out-ranking the mobile phone, pay-TV and clothes shopping as the most essential daily-living tool. The findings have revealed our growing reliance on the internet, with most Australian households hosting at least four internet enabled gadgets, with one in five homes operating all of these gadgets at once.
and relationships. It also becomes a problem when people feel more comfortable with their online friends than their real ones, or they can’t stop themselves from playing games, gambling, or compulsively checking their smartphones, tablets, or other mobile devices.
Internet Addiction, otherwise known as computer addiction, online addiction, or Internet addiction While time spent online can be hugely disorder (IAD), covers a variety of productive, compulsive Internet use can impulse-control problems, including also interfere with a person’s daily life, work, cyber-relationship addiction (eg. social
media addiction), net compulsions (eg. compulsive online gaming), information overload (eg. compulsive web surfing) and computer addiction. The most common of these Internet addictions are net compulsions and cyber-relationship addiction. Many people turn to the Internet in order to manage unpleasant feelings such as stress, loneliness, depression, and anxiety because the internet is an easily accessible outlet. When someone loses themselves online they can temporarily make their feelings such as loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, and boredom disappear. As much comfort as the Internet can provide, it’s important to remember that there are healthier and more effective ways to keep difficult feelings in check. These may include
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exercising, meditating, and practicing simple relaxation techniques. Signs and symptoms of Internet addiction vary from person to person. For example, there are no set hours per day or number of messages sent to indicate an Internet addiction. But some general warning signs that your Internet use may have become a problem are losing track of time online, having trouble completing tasks at work or home, isolation from family and friends, feeling guilty or defensive about your internet use and feeling a sense of euphoria while involved in internet activities. If you think that you have an internet addiction and would like to seek help, you can contact the Australian Psychological Society on 1800 333 497.