Internet Addiction Treatment & Recovery

Key takeaways:

Internet addiction is when a person compulsively uses the internet to achieve a dopamine release.
Symptoms of internet addiction include isolation, neglecting responsibilities, and anxiety.
If you find yourself spending more and mor time online when trying to cut back, you may be addicted.
Internet addiction can include news, social media, online relationships, online shopping, pornography, and online games.
Reach out to Avenues Recovery for assistance if you’re ready to become sober.

Internet addiction

Internet addiction, or internet addiction disorder, refers to when a person compulsively uses the internet and can’t stop. If you have an internet addiction, you’ve probably tried spending less time on social media or playing online games, but found that you’re still using the internet more instead of less. Internet addiction could include excessively using social media, online gaming, online gambling, shopping, and compulsive browsing.

The common denominator is that you’re spending too much time on your phone or computer, to the point that it’s negatively impacting your life and the lives of those around you. You’re miserable inside, your family is feeling it, and even your job is taking a hit. And no matter how many times you try to stop, you find yourself doomscrolling again a short while later.

If this sounds like you, keep reading - because there is a way out.

What are internet addiction symptoms?

If you’re nodding along while reading this article, take a look at the symptoms so you can verify whether or not you’re struggling with internet addiction:

Spending more time online than you’d like to
Unsuccessfully trying to cut back on time spent online
Prioritizing internet use over work and family responsibilities
Needing to spend increasingly more time online to feel the same rush of adrenaline as before
Lack of interest in activities or people you used to enjoy
Feeling agitated or angry when forced to step away from your phone
Thinking about the internet and planning how to get back onto it when not using it

If this sounds somewhat familiar, you may be addicted to the internet.

If this information feels overwhelming, we’re here to tell you that it isn’t hopeless - with the right help and support, you can recover from internet addiction.

Is internet addiction a real addiction?

Yes, internet dependency is real. Although internet addiction disorder hasn’t made it into the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) yet, statistics show that it mimics any other addiction, like drugs or alcohol. Both drugs and alcohol trigger the release of dopamine and endorphins - the hormones that make us feel pleasure and reward - in the brain, which is also true for behavioral addictions like the internet.

Putting science aside, we know digital addiction is real because of three factors: inability to stop, developing tolerance, and experiencing withdrawal symptoms. In other words, if you’re addicted to the internet, you have to increase your time online to feel the same dopamine rush as before because your brain developed tolerance. When you try to stop, you also likely feel physical, mental, and emotional withdrawal symptoms as your brain adjusts to existing without the constant online stimulation.

What does technology addiction include?

As you’re reading this article, you may be wondering if your online activity has addictive potential. The truth is that anything online can become addictive, including social media, online games, online gambling, news, pornography, online relationships, online shopping, stock trading, and even compulsive information seeking. No matter what platform, apps, or websites you’re using - if you can’t stop using it, you might be addicted to it.

How can I know if I’m addicted to the internet?

If you’re reading this article, you probably suspect that you might be addicted to the internet. But, how can you know if you’re addicted, or if you’re just spending too much time online and should cut back?

Here are some questions to help you figure out whether or not you’re struggling with an addiction:

Have I tried cutting back or taking a break from the internet, but been unsuccessful?
Do I feel nervous, irritable, anxious, or depressed when unable to be online?
Am I always thinking of ways to get back online when I’m off the internet?
Are my close relationships suffering, and my work life deteriorating?
Have I lost interest in friendships and hobbies, in favor of being online?

If you find yourself nodding along with most of these statements, you may already be addicted to the internet. If you’re still not sure, try putting away your phone for a few hours a day and see how it feels. That could help you assess whether or not you’re actually addicted.

Effects of internet addiction

Internet addiction can have negative effects on the brain and the body in different ways. Physically, you may be struggling with posture issues, and aches and pains around your body from sitting or lying for long hours in bad positions. You may also have a hard time falling asleep at night, suffer from headaches, and experience sudden weight loss or weight gain.

Mentally, you may notice that you’re feeling more depressed, anxious, and isolated. You may find yourself living in a fantasy world, and have difficulty concentrating and remembering things. You are probably more irritable, especially when forced to go offline, and your closest relationships are likely taking a hit. You may also find yourself lying and covering up the amount of time you spend online, and the activities you engage in while on the internet.

How to stop internet addiction

Whether you’ve read through this article and concluded that you’re addicted to the internet, or still aren’t sure whether or not you’ve developed an addiction, there are some very helpful apps that can help you stay on track when you go online:

Quality Time- This app can be downloaded on your phone. It keeps score of what you’re doing online, and is easily viewable on a dashboard. You can also receive personalized alerts when spending a certain amount of time on an app, and impose restrictions on apps or use the ‘Take a Break’ feature to curb your smartphone use entirely.
ScreenZen- This app helps you be more mindful of your time online. You can personalize ‘pause time’ before certain apps open, and decide in your settings how many times you’d like to use specific apps per day, and how long you can spend on each app at a time. You can also block certain apps during different times of the day.
Opal- This app sets restrictions in levels of easy, medium, and hard, and gives you a detailed focus report every week so you see how much time you’ve saved. It has different modes like ‘Brick Mode’ which blocks all apps besides essential apps and ‘Godmode Focus’ which is an hour a day where absolutely everything is blocked on your phone.

Internet addiction treatment

If you’ve tried using such apps unsuccessfully, you’re probably feeling hopeless by now. It’s emotionally draining to keep trying and failing, especially when you really, really want to stop. It may feel like the internet is controlling you, making your life unmanageable and miserable.

But At Avenues Recovery, we’re here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way.

Our rehabs are the place where you can find internet addiction help. We have seen thousands of people walk through our doors feeling despairing and downtrodden, and leave feeling self-confident and sober. We invite you to give it a try, whether you prefer inpatient or outpatient rehab, so you can reclaim your life and be serene again.

At all of our locations, we offer digital detox, personalized one on one therapy, CBT tools, and group sessions where you learn the tools you need to recover from internet addiction.

Reach out and allow us to help you live the life you want to live, with serenity, peace of mind, and joy.