Jak rozpoznać uzależnienie od Internetu?
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How to recognize Internet addiction?

How to recognize Internet addiction? Nowadays, the Internet has become a widely used medium. Many young people do not remember the times when the Internet in Poland did not exist yet. So they are convinced that the Internet is something natural and obvious. It is equally common to believe that spending a lot of time online is normal and most people do. The problem is that it is very easy to overlook the border when the Internet ceases to be a useful tool and starts to be something forced and destructive.

What you should know about Internet addiction

There have always been various addictions in Polish society. In recent decades, these have mainly been addiction to alcohol, nicotine and drugs. However, the passing years brought many new addictions. It is worth mentioning here shopaholism, addiction to work, sex or taking steroids. Internet addiction is also a relatively new phenomenon, which is getting stronger every year and more and more often it is necessary to treat addictions . Basically, this addiction is where the sufferer loses control over the time spent online and neglects other activities because of it.

What are the main symptoms of Internet addiction?

There are several common signs of Internet addiction:

      • limiting social contacts with existing friends, which are replaced by virtual communication
      • loss of previous interests
      • neglecting healthy sleep and eating in favor of being online
      • losing track of time when online
      • postponing your responsibilities
      • feeling anxious when you are unable to access the Internet for a long time.

What activities are most often absorbed by Polish Internet users?

People whose problem started quite innocently usually end up in drug addiction treatment. They spent a lot of time in the virtual world, devoting it to online games, chats, visiting social networking sites or discussion groups. Very often the beginning is a hobby, for example a gym, taking care of beauty or interest in a healthy lifestyle. People who are very passionate about something may not notice the moment when their dealing with a given topic on the web begins to exceed certain standards. Various social networking sites and dating sites are particularly attractive to young people.

The Internet gives great communication opportunities and often, after some time, a person starts to replace their social life with virtual contacts. Some people who have a problem with the Internet at some point begin to notice disturbing symptoms themselves, but usually they do not know what to do to change their situation. In addition, hardly anyone is able to admit to themselves that their problem is so big that addiction therapy will be needed. The alarming moment is most often the time when a person sees that subsequent access to the Internet no longer gives pleasure, it can be tiring, but at the same time he cannot give it up, because it has become a habit.

How can you effectively treat Internet addiction?

Anyone affected by Internet addiction must be aware that the mechanism of such addiction is similar to gambling or alcohol. Here, too, there are compulsive behaviors such as constantly checking your email and reacting to any notifications. When suddenly access to the Internet is prevented, for example, by a power outage, the addict has withdrawal symptoms. She’s starting to get irritable and irritable. Knowing she’s not online right now causes her some anxiety disorder.

The Internet Addiction Treatment Center conducts its activities similarly to other addictions. The idea is to work with participants on self-control skills. This is usually done by very gradually reducing the amount of time users are expected to spend online. To help yourself learn new habits, it is worth preparing a task plan for the whole day. Thanks to this, the addict will have fewer opportunities to seek contact with the network. Usually, when specialist addiction treatment is carried out, Internet addiction therapy is an important part of the whole process.

Special classes are being prepared for people who fell into addiction because they could not cope well with the problems of everyday life. During therapy, participants discuss the causes of their difficulties and look for new solutions. The point is that everyone can improve their daily functioning. With the help of a therapist, participants can learn how to change negative ways of thinking in order to be more optimistic about their situation in the future.
People affected by the problem of Internet addiction should not break down but take action as soon as possible. There are many ways to help yourself. You can opt for private rehab or use support groups that give you the drive to fight addiction. The most important thing is to recognize the problem as soon as possible, accept it and decide on treatment.

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