How to Cure Internet Addiction

The first piece of research on Internet addiction was introduced by Dr. Kimberly Young in 1996. According to her, and Stanford University School of Medicine, this is a growing problem that is estimated to affect nearly one in eight Americans.

In fact, Internet addiction even considered for inclusion in the next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders in 2012.

But there are ways to get internet addiction under control, so it’s not a problem.

Get Internet Addiction Support
Seek professional counseling or psychotherapy to help heal your internet addiction. Trained professionals and psychologists can apply appropriate behavioral and cognitive techniques to help you change your Internet behavior and addiction.

Join a support group for Internet addicts or a general addiction support group that helps members with different types of problems. These kinds of support groups can offer advice on how to get your problem under control, often uses a 12-step model that is common to alcoholism recovery groups.

enlist the help of family members and friends to help cure your internet addiction. Tell them about your goals, what you intend to do, and ask them to remind you of why you need to disconnect from the Internet.

Breaking The Addiction
Write down your goals for curing your internet addiction and post them around your house and next to the computer. Be sure to make practical and achievable goals. For example, cutting down your internet time from 40 hours to 20 hours is very possible. However, would cease at all Internet activity can be quite difficult to achieve.

Change your Internet habits.

Center for Internet Addiction recommend turning the times you usually surf the Internet. For example, instead of using the Internet first thing in the morning, turn your practice and surf the Internet for a few minutes just before bedtime. Another example might be to surf the internet at the weekend, if you currently spend time online during each day.

Create physical reminders and tasks that will interrupt your internet addiction.

For example, schedule medical appointments and meetings at the times you would normally surf the Internet, so you do not have the opportunity to practice your internet habit.

Spend more time outdoors away from your internet addiction temptation.

Taking up hiking or biking are good ideas that offer both exercise and time away from the Internet. Volunteer work and visiting friends are also practical suggestions that will pull you away from using the Internet.

Take new hobbies that will require time to learn and practice.

Consider your talents or activities that you wanted to try in the past, but have not. For example, woodworking and Embroidery is both relaxing activities that make it possible for you to work on something productive from your Internet habits.