As a young girl, my family had a Finding Nemo game, and for some reason I was absolutely enchanted by the game. It was a children's game, and rightfully so in elementary school I would play, but I would play it for hours. It had simple animation and several different simple activities to engage in that would keep any kid entertained. However, I would play it for an abnormal amount of time, along with other kids games. This turned into an online roleplay addiction for two years, which was coupled with a tumblr addiction for about five years. The computer was and still is a comfortable place to return to, and I never felt more at home than when I was curled up in bed with my laptop. After a frustrating or alienating day at school, I would quickly turn my computer on and delve back into the online world, exhausting all possible sources of entertainment to avoid what was going on in my life.
So not only was I using the computer to push away and avoid negative emotions, I was developing a chronic wrist pain, lower back pain, missing sleep, and my social life was suffering. At the time, I didn't think therapy was an option, so I tried to limit time I could use social media, but that usually just wound up with me organizing the thousands of pictures I had saved to my computer. I figured out quickly that I just liked any reason to be alone and at my computer. Does this all sound like you? Well then, let's talk about ways to deal with this and erase the stigma once and for all.
Recommended for you
1. Consider therapy.
I wish I had considered therapy sooner, but therapy helps you to get away from the computer and talk to a real person about your issues. There are places online to talk to people about your issues, but pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone once you've found the right therapist will be critical to growing outside of your addiction. Don't let the stigma against therapy and those who receive therapy keep you from improving yourself.
2. Identify feelings that lead you towards your computer.
Personally, alienation and sadness would lead me towards my computer, so I could scroll endlessly on Tumblr and pretend that I was someone else. It sounds cliche, but I don't think I'm the only one who did this. I used Tumblr that way for almost five years, but what caused me to stop was when I finally began paying attention to what drove me to my computer. I also began developing more and more positive thinking habits through affirmations, visualizations, and exercising. This way I was able to deal with a negative environment, such as high school, and find every positive aspect. So, I would spend less time moping on the computer because I was generally happier, and when I was feeling alienated and sad I would cope by talking on the phone to my boyfriend, hanging out with my adorable cat and dog, or even watching movies (but on the TV instead of the computer). Identify feelings that pull you towards your computer, find another way to cope, and do your research on changing your thought patterns, along with therapy, to strengthen your happier thoughts.
3. Limit time you use your computer.
This can be done in a variation of ways, and no single way is perfect. I was addicted to social media and online gaming, so I can't speak for those of you who may be addicted to video games. I use Google Chrome, so I had several chrome extensions to hold me accountable for how much time I spent on social media. RescueTime helps you know where you're spending your time online, timeStats is another add on that tracks time spent on websites, StayFocusd and Strict Workflow are two add ons that can help when trying to do homework by blocking websites you waste time on for a certain amount of time. It's all about being honest with yourself! Computer addicts know the shock of sitting down to use the computer for ten minutes and then suddenly realizing you've spent eight hours on the computer. Now you can be aware of where you're spending time and how long you're spending on each site, and from there you can begin limiting time spent at the computer.
4. Try to ban technology from your bedroom.
So, realistically, this ban only lasts a couple of days for me. But that's a lot considering I spend so much time in bed on my computer and phone. But to ban technology from your room is exactly what it says it is- your bedroom is a place to relax and sleep, maybe stretch and meditate also. If this is an option for you, leave your electronics in another room in your house or apartment. If you're in a dorm room, leave your technology in a drawer or if you don't trust yourself, leave it in a trusted friend's dorm. You can spend a long time on your electronics in other rooms, of course, but your bedroom becomes sort of a safe haven away from your addiction. When I did this my bedroom felt magical simply because there was this invisible barrier keeping technology, the thing that could ruin a day for me, out. Even if you only do it for one or two nights, it feels great and can serve as a sort of retreat from your addiction.
So let's talk about computer addiction like the reality it is. Leave a comment below if you think you're addicted and what you've done to try to cut down on time spent at the computer. The most important thing to remember is that addiction never goes away, but you can live peacefully in control of it once you gain control. Don't beat yourself up over relapse, just keep growing. I believe in you.
