Are You Unable To Escape The Internet?
- Do you spend most, if not all, of your free time on the Internet?
- When you cannot freely access the Internet, do you obsessively plan the next time you will be able to?
- Do you often stay up all night playing video games or watching porn?
- Are your thoughts about or time spent on the Internet making it difficult to function well in a job or a relationship?
- Do you wish you could understand your compulsive Internet use and learn to stop it?
If you are struggling with Internet addiction, you may feel like your mind is never in the present. You might find it impossible to focus on tasks or conversations because of your cravings to watch porn, enter a sexually explicit chat room, or play a video game. Perhaps you constantly worry that your boss or partner will discover your obsessive Internet use, including your misuse of company computers and work time. Maybe you have already lost a job or a relationship because of your addiction.
You may wonder why you can’t stop your behavior, which has begun to negatively affect and control your life. Perhaps you feel unhappy or unfulfilled, and you find temporary satisfaction in porn, video games, chat rooms, or other websites. You might feel frustrated and wish you knew how to control your Internet use. Or, maybe you want to better understand what is driving your addiction. With help, you can find these answers.
Many Adults Struggle With Internet Addiction
The Internet has become a pervasive part of most adults’ daily experience. People now constantly work on the Internet, rely on email, and carry around smartphones. Insomuch, the increased affordability, accessibility, and anonymity of the Internet have contributed to a rise in Internet addiction. Many people now have easy, quick access to porn or video games, and it can be incredibly difficult to resist the Internet’s ever-present temptation.
For many people who struggle with Internet addiction, chat rooms, porn websites, and video games offer an escape from real-life pain or conflict. Online, you can enter a fantasy world and take on a completely different persona. Often, adults seek out escape because their real lives are not meeting some essential needs. For example, you might feel timid in your marriage or unable to express your desire for communication and respect. But, online, you can be more aggressive and outspoken while remaining completely anonymous.
While many people may believe their two personas can remain separate forever, at some point, these realities usually end up merging. It’s important to note that, in general, Internet and pornography addiction is distinct from sex addiction because it all takes place online. Rather than seeking prostitutes, you may be cultivating sexual relationships online, which may seem less harmful than the physical expression of sexual addictions. However, if you have created an online persona in order to fill a gap or feel fulfilled, that emotional, mental, or physical need is probably not being met in real life.
Your online behaviors, which allow only a temporary and possibly harmful release, can impede on your ability to find healthy ways of coping with your emotions and engage in meaningful, healthy relationships. For example, if you have been aggressive online, you may begin to be aggressive at work or in your relationships. Thankfully, with help, you can learn to stop searching for escape, identify your needs, and find healthy ways to have them met. You can begin living a fulfilling life in the real world.
Internet Addiction Treatment Can Help You Re-enter the Real World
I have helped many people just like you work through their Internet addiction. I am specially trained and certified in this specific, unique type of addiction. I can help you work through the issues underlying your compulsive Internet use.
In Internet addiction treatment sessions, I can help you develop the tools necessary to understand what is actually happening when you crave porn or video games. By cultivating mindfulness, you can begin to understand your impulses and reflect before acting. Together, we can identify your core needs and why they are not being met in your real life. Then, we can explore healthy ways to go out into the world and meet those needs. The more you seek joy and fulfillment in real life, the less often you may feel the compulsion to find escape online.
Although you may feel isolated and alone in your addiction, there is hope. I have seen many adults learn to understand what is missing in their lives and to seek healthy ways to feel fulfilled. With time, effort and a willingness to change, you can begin to feel better, control your compulsive Internet behaviors, and develop satisfying relationships, careers, and habits in the real world.
You may believe that Internet addiction treatment can help you feel better and function well, but may still have questions or concerns…
What’s Wrong With the Internet?
The Internet is powerful technology that allows people to easily seek out information, shop, pay bills, and complete other daily tasks. In Internet addiction treatment sessions, I will not tell you to cut the Internet out of your life completely. Instead, I will empower you to develop a healthy relationship with the Internet.
In sessions, you can learn ways to regulate your Internet use. For example, you can install accountability software or make sure that you cannot access the Internet in a private room. You can begin to learn ways to avoid the websites and video games that take up a disproportionate amount of your time and hinder your ability to connect in real life.
Don’t All Men Watch Pornography?
Although it may seem that each and every man regularly watches pornography, this is not the case. And, while many men do watch pornography, some can do so without thinking about it obsessively or feeling compelled to watch it in every moment of free time. Excessive pornography consumption can destroy relationships and inhibit your ability to meaningfully connect with your partner.
If you feel as though you can’t go without watching pornography, I encourage you to consider why. What is the underlying reason driving your desire for temporary escape? In therapy, you can begin to understand that reason and address that need.
How Much Time Is Internet Addiction Treatment Going to Take?
Each person is different, and each individual’s situation is unique. While your time in therapy will be determined by your particular situation, my practice is very goal-oriented. You don’t need to be in therapy forever. Instead, we can set specific goals and work together to help you meet them. Even after you have ended your time in therapy, you can rest assured that you can always come back for support.
You can find the confidence you need to move away from online escapism and begin seizing your life. I invite you to call me at 732-806-5630 or to contact me through my website to learn more about Internet addiction treatment and my practice.
