Thursday, October 17, 2013

Are You Addicted?





Are you worried that you might be suffering from Internet Addiction, but aren't completely sure? There are a few quizzes on the Internet that ask you questions to assess whether there is a chance you have an “unhealthy relationship with the Internet.” This quiz on PsychCentral.com also provides a disclaimer that lets the reader know that the results are not a diagnosis, just merely a screening measure to give some insight.

The quiz asks simple questions, like, “Do you find that you stay online longer than you intended?” and “Do you feel preoccupied by the Internet when offline, or fantasize about being online?” There are 3 answer choices for each of the questions that show how often that certain situation occurs—“Never or rarely,” “Sometimes,” or “Often or regularly.”


(n.d.). Retrieved from http://i2.pcimg.org/pc216.gif


The quiz only takes a few minutes to complete, and at the end, it gives an assessment of your possible Internet addiction.  For example, if you receive a score of 5, you are probably just an average Internet user. However, with a score of 30 or more, Net Addiction is likely. Even a score of 20 means addiction is possible.

We suggest that you take this quiz, even if you don't believe you are addicted to the Internet.  You never know what your results might be!  However, if you receive an alarming result, don't panic.  If you take this quiz and receive a score of 30 or more, or even just a score that worries you, there are many places to find more information on Internet Addiction and steps to take towards recovery.  In fact, we will be discussing some of those very steps right here on this blog. That raises the question, though: Isn't it ironic that in order to learn more about an addiction to the Internet, you use the Internet as a tool?



Source
Grohol, J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/quizzes/netaddiction.htm

6 comments:

  1. I took the quiz and I have to say... I may be about halfway to addiction. Some of the questions made me smile as I thought to myself, "Ohhh yeahh... I do that." Luckily, my score was a 13, so it isn't as bad as I had feared. I answered "sometimes" for the majority of the questions, when I could have swayed more towards "often" I suppose. I guess it's time for me to look into the mirror and assess the amount of time I spend surfing :)

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    1. They always say that the first step to treating a problem like addiction is to admit that you have a problem, so at least you have recognized that there may be some things to address about your use of the internet. While sometimes we can easily get caught up in all the distractions of the internet, it is possible for that to go too far. If you truly feel that you may be misusing or overusing the internet there are many sources for help. And if you are concerned about the treatment methods for internet addiction, go check out our blog post titled, "Is Treatment Possible?"

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  2. Honestly sometimes I feel like I am guilty of Internet addiction, But in my eyes I would say that is a good thing. Slowly our generation is becoming more and more dependent on technology and we have to stay "hip" to the changes in our world. So my question to you is do you think being addicted to the internet is a bad this in general?

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    1. We do not believe that Internet use is a bad thing. For instance, many people use the Internet not only for recreational use, but also for school or work. Internet addiction begins when the use of the Internet becomes detrimental to a person's life. It's when people neglect their physical surroundings and the people in their lives that the use of the Internet becomes a negative thing.

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  3. I for one know I suffer from internet addiction because I am constantly on it. I use the internet for many hours every single day, whether it is for work or fun. I like the idea that a lot of information and activities are avialable to me at anytime with a push of a button. I see that this is a problem, so during the summer I am outside more often and I limit my internet use.

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  4. I am very addicted to the internet, but I believe if I deleted all of my social media, I would survive just fine. Your statement about learning about internet addiction is learned through being on the internet is hilarious. I cannot imagine a world without the use of internet. It has helped with every aspect of our lives and has made this technological world easier to partake in. The internet has helped in so many ways that is almost stupid to not use it. This makes it difficult for anyone, especially in America to not use it.

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