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Internet Addiction
Silicon Dioxide
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Everyday the same thing happens. I get to my room, wanting to study, read, workout, etc., but I end up spending the entire night just online. If I have an online game installed, I'll play that game. If I uninstall the game, I'll watch streams of people playing the game online or read forums. If I try to ban websites, I just go to other websites (ban reddit? go to digg. etc.).
If I can get myself to somewhere public like a library, I'm usually OK. I try to bribe my brain with something like an energy drink (i.e. I'll bring this energy drink to drink as a reward while I'm studying), but I don't always have energy drinks with me.
How can I stop this? I've read that glucose is important to self-regulation (hence the energy drink), but is there anything else? Does adderall work? Is there anything I can do?
Also, if you're just going to respond with something like "just sit down and start working, slacker", then just save your breath.
If I can get myself to somewhere public like a library, I'm usually OK. I try to bribe my brain with something like an energy drink (i.e. I'll bring this energy drink to drink as a reward while I'm studying), but I don't always have energy drinks with me.
How can I stop this? I've read that glucose is important to self-regulation (hence the energy drink), but is there anything else? Does adderall work? Is there anything I can do?
Also, if you're just going to respond with something like "just sit down and start working, slacker", then just save your breath.
Silicon Dioxide on
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If you really consider it an addiction, you should take the same steps that any addict takes to overcome their addiction. Come up with a plan, seek accountability, etc.
He turns the xbox on.
I usually come up with some justification for turning my computer back on. One of which is homework. That's a bit understandable since I'm a CS major.
You need to find value in the other activities, and I will specifically address studying, because I had the same problem.
You are used to your home environment, where your computer is constantly available, and you can satisfy your want for the internet. However, you need to be able to WANT to make a difference in order to overcome it. Your approach by removing yourself from the environment and relocating to a library is a good solution, and this is how I overcame my internet problems. If I was meant to be doing business, I didn't use my computer, I either used the schools or none.
Before you decide to get a prescription for adderall your should exhaust all other means. Why? Because adderall is really good at what it does, making you focused. If you don't have the self control to pull yourself away from the computer, adderall is just going to make you focused on surfing the internet.
If you decide to turn it back on, it will be a hassle and you'll likely be able to stop yourself a lot easier than of it just involves launching a new browser.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
If you're doing CS, use the school labs when you need to get work done. You'll have less distractions and your games won't be there. You still have internet, but you'll find yourself more wanting to get out of there overall so you'll get your work done and then do the things you want for fun.
Which is the way things should be!
I don't think it's possible to restrict the admin, but you could create an account that has everything but the parental controls and then lock out the internet and the admin account with the same password.
-Current W.I.P.
I have a shower and then get started on the list. My PC/TV/Console stays off until everything on that list is done. Only then I can sit down and waste the rest of my day gaming/surfing/whatever.
That way you don't need to trick yourself with rewards like energy drinks, your reward is doing what you actually want to do.
This person would have a seperate Documents, Desktop, etc., though, right?
edit: Nevermind, it seems you can't administer the computer if you've set parental controls for that person.
That sucks.
Are there any other ways to disable your internet such that renenabling it would require a huge inconvenience?
Do that. You need to study? Library's that way. Want to work out? I'm sure you can find a gym or whatever.
Sometimes I find myself getting a little too attached to the forums or a game or whatever. I break myself of it by separating myself from it for a few weeks. It's a lot easier to disconnect yourself if it's been a while since you've been attached.
It sounds like you don't have an interest in what you are doing. Is this true?
I used to have a problem getting things done, possibly due to having ADD, but also possibly just lazyness.
Ritalin helped me focus and study something super well. In fact it put my brain into such a focus on whatever task I gave myself that anything that was a distraction gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my head so I would avoid it and stay focused.
I've since stopped taking ritalin because it doesn't fit in with my schedule and I don't really have anything I need to study other than guitar for fun. But studying, practicing, and playing guitar is also hard for me to keep on unless I smoke pot. Then it becomes super fun, I have endurance, focus, and drive to practice and improvise new melodies.
When it comes to doing tasks like going from point A to point B to accomplish task C, or cleaning the kitchen and laundry I employ the greatest free drugs ever: podcasts or trance music.
I doubt it's for everyone but an interesting podcast or catchy trance beat will keep me focused and help me accomplish whatever I like as long as I don't have to talk to anyone.
literally all i do with my ipad is dick around
Even if it's just sitting in the same area as a classmate, I found that the idea of having someone else rely on me meeting them started up my sense of responsibility and it was really easy to tell myself: Hey, self, Joe is waiting for you at the library/lab/cafe/whatever, get your dumb ass off the computer and over there.
Most of my classes were in one building, so I spoke with the admin for the department and got a classroom assigned to myself in the evenings to use for study. It worked really well as a distraction free meeting place and was great since there'd usually be anywhere from 4 to 8 of us that would meet up and knock out homework as a group. Really helped learning the material too since it made for a built in discussion group. And there were often instructors around after hours to talk to about really difficult material.
One of my floor mates in university did this, but it was his PC's power cable.
Here is one such
http://lifehacker.com/228023/limit-your-surfing-with-the-kiwi-cloak
I host a podcast about movies.
There's an OS X program called SelfControl which shuts off the internet for a time, that's what you're looking for.
Pretty much this. Simply blocking yourself off from the internet won't magically make you focus on your school work. You will find other ways to distract yourself (such as.. watching T.V. for example).
This is very true.
Another thing personally I find is that If I spend too much time in fount of the PC I become lethargic. Getting up and doing something else can make you feel more awake and able to focus.
Another thing which can help, At least for me is creating a list of tasks and goals which are then staring you in the face when you sit back down at the PC. I use Onenote to track this personally. (But something like ever note works as well) As I complete tasks I tick them off.
When you sit down at the computer next to do something. Pick a task and a milestone from which you can see your self reaching if you focus on it for the next hour or so (I'm not talking full tasks but amounts you feel you can succeed at if you do focus). Focus on reaching that milestone before you do something else. If at any time you feel you are on a roll with focusing on that task push past your goal and milk your focus until you over it.
If you feel the need to reward yourself focus on the rewards that take the least amount of time to get into and out of. Gaming is not a good choice because the time it takes to get into the game and stop takes a long time. I personally just browses the forums as my stimulant.
Look, you have already acknowledged that you struggle with this issue. and that's good. Being aware of oneself and one's shortcomings is key to behavioral change, but there's no easy out. Addiction mastery takes a lot of discipline, and part of that is indeed "just start working." Even if it's just busy work to take your mind off of the internet, it's still helping you conquer your problem.
You also have a very clear-cut goal in front of you: college. With all of the studying, reading and homework involved, you'll never lack for work to keep your mind off of the 'net. The key is to really goddamn force yourself to just do it, and consider internet time as reward time. It's really hard to get into that habit at first--hence why you haven't don't it yet--but it gets easier as you practice. You have to goddamn stick to it, though. One moment of "oh, I don't have that much to do, I can push it off until tomorrow" leads to another, and suddenly you may find yourself having backslidden into old habits.
Also remember that this is not a physical addiction in the least--true, brain chemistry changes with any addiction, but you could be fighting cigarettes or heroin. Those might be a bit extreme as examples, but still... take that into account along the way.
adderall is a bad bad idea if you don't take steps first.
my wife has over 2k hours in white knight chronicles because of that damn drug.
it makes you REALLY focused on what ever is placed in front of you. good or bad or indifferent.