Addicted to your computer?

[The Straight Story]

Addicted to your computer?

Experts, users can't agree on when long online use is excessive or detrimental to those staring at a screen.

Peter Svensson / Associated Press


NEW YORK -- Video games and the Internet have been subject to suspicion since the computer became a household fixture. One complaint: People get sucked into spending enormous amounts of time on the computer, to the detriment of other parts of their life.

But are they addicted?

The answer depends on what you mean by "addicted." Most experts say computers are not addictive in the same sense that drugs are, but they could be on the same level as gambling.

"When I started out particularly in Internet addiction in back 1995, I thought that this could potentially be a major problem," said Professor Mark Griffiths, who studies behavioral addictions at Nottingham Trent University in Nottingham, England. "In no way has the hype lived up to what has actually been found in research."

Donna Meyer doesn't think she's addicted, even if she spends up to 12 hours a day in Second Life, a game-like world on the Internet. The 49-year-old grandmother in New York shares a virtual home with a partner who lives in New Mexico.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060208/BIZ04/602080370/1013

[tenshi816]

1. I know I'm addicted to DU. n/t

[Nicole]

2. Not me

I can turn it off anytime. I often go for days without turning it on.

[KyndCulture]

3. Guilty. I gave up TV on Jan 1st.....

I'm addicted to truth...

[Mythsaje]

4. I just HAD to check out "Second Life."

That's some pretty strange stuff...

This coming from a long-time gamer and fantasy author, mind you.

[philarq]

5. I pride myself on going an entire year

Without using a computer---of course that was 1994---

Locked them all in a closet for a year---I had been heavily into computers since the late 70's, and just got to the point of hating it for running my life. I have almost done it again several times, but the addictaion had grabbed me to the extent that I sometimes wonder if in 94 I shouldn't have just taken up opium smoking.

[Raine]

6. Yeah, I am

first thing I do when I get up is turn it on and the last thing I do before going to bed is turn it off. I do take breaks, not on it constantly all day but enough that I would have a difficult time living without it. :argh:

[Syrinx]

7. I only use it for business, information and recreation

So I guess not. :shrug:

[sepia_steel]

8. I admit it

not only do i use it for info on just about EVERYTHING, it's also my entertainment most of the time. at least it's informative and not heroin...

[NJCher]

9. yeah

I'm on the computer all the time and I don't view it as addiction; I view it as an evolution in the way humans operate. Is it such a terrible thing to be "connected?"

Having said that, when Comcast underwent a corporate changeover a few years back, we lost our service for about three weeks. It was in the winter time. My husband and I went out and chopped wood for the fireplace and we spent a lot of time together playing word games in front of the fire. I spent more time in the quiet outdoors, just walking, observing nature, and hanging out with my pets. I still remember that time fondly. I think the quality of life was much better in that three weeks than what it is like when we're both on the computer.




Cher

[izzie]

10. Well I have been reading books on it of late.

I never seem to get off now.

[laruemtt]

11. i'm happily stuck on it

working for docs back in the states, so i'm on all day and night anyway getting their work from their servers and while i'm waiting i always check out DU. in fact my life right now revolves around my laptop, reading books, and walking the island! right now i don't feel any need to add any more :)