Customer Reviews

Real Solutions for Overcoming Internet Addictions

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Is the Internet disrupting your family life? Are you worried about a loved one's preoccupation with the Internet? Your fears may not be unfounded. According to Real Solutions For Overcoming Internet Addictions by Stephen Watters as many as 10% of all Internet users may be addicted to either cybersex, online gambling, online games, or other problem areas.
Psychologists noticed that as soon as having Internet access became as common as having a microwave in the kitchen, online support groups started receiving requests from people seeking help for out of control Internet habits.
It may be that more people than we realize are struggling with Internet usage problems particularly in the areas of distraction/obsession with new technology (surfing, chat rooms), money (online trading, auctions, and shopping), games (gambling and multi-user dimension games), and sex/relationships.
Watters, an Internet Research Analyst for the department of Legislative and Cultural Affairs at Focus on the Family, admits that Internet addiction is not an officially recognized as a psychological disorder. However, this does not mean it does not exist; it took twenty years before gambling was listed on the DSM-IV (Diagnotic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).
If you're wondering if this is a problem for you or a family member, Watters says ask yourself some probing questions. "Have you embraced the excitement and novelty of some area on the Internet only to find yourself on a roller coaster where the highs are followed by the lows of anxious thoughts, guilt, and a growing sense of dependency? Or are you the person on the outside looking in, watching someone you love abandon you, hobbies and activities, and everything else that used to be important, to spend countless hours staring at a computer monitor?"
Watters, says to determine whether there is a potentially damaging Internet problem assess your `Internet life'. Is it affecting your relationship with God and your family? Is it affecting your work, health, and reputation? If you have answered "yes" to any of these questions, it is likely you have a problem that is worth addressing.
Watters emphasizes that Internet obsession needs to be nipped in the bud. "Your first step is to delete any accounts, special downloads, or profiles that you have created in order to indulge your addictions-especially if you have been hiding them from your friends and family. Remove programs for games that have gotten out of control, profiles used in chat rooms, accounts created for gambling or day-trading, and other arrangements that directly fuel your addiction." He also recommends setting up a filtered Internet service.
The author goes on to suggests that people with Internet addiction get professional help-Christian counselors, support groups, and accountability partners.
Solutions For Overcoming Internet Addictions is a thoughtful self-help book that will aid you in determining whether you or a family member needs help with an Internet addiction, in addition to providing you with down-to-earth solutions to get life back on track.

Internet addiction can be hell. When you start to think about being on-line whenever you are not it can become a bit disconcerting. Why can't you control how many times you check email, how much time you spend chatting at forums or writing reviews? At least these are the problems I've faced while being on-line. This book also deals with much bigger issues like gambling, spending too much time playing games on-line or viewing pornography obsessively. Basically what this book says is that you have become psychologically dependent on the feelings and experiences you get while on-line.

So how do you overcome Internet addiction? Is there an easy solution to this growing problem? Stephen O. Watters wrote this book almost ten years ago so Internet addiction was a fairly new concept at the time. I think this book needs to be updated but it can still be a good resource if you are also considering support groups, counseling or even a hospital program.

Yes, this book has been written from a Christian perspective but there are very few references to Christianity. There is a 12-step guide, information on how to purify your heart, one biblical story about King David and some verses from the Psalms. Otherwise this book is pretty straightforward and helps to identify which Internet addiction problem you are really dealing with.

Some of the things you may want to consider while reading this book is that you may be seeking solace on-line in order to escape from anxiety, loneliness, marital discontent, depression or a limited social life. One of the ways to overcome Internet addiction is to connect more with people in real life. Making yourself accountable to at least one person may also help. This book shows that telling someone about your problem is one of the first steps to recovery.

I will admit that today I had a very hard time getting myself to workout on my treadmill and to prepare healthy foods and to read this book. The entire time I was obsessed with the thought of going on-line and talking to people who generally are entertaining. My desire for going on-line was so strong I finally admitted to myself that I am currently addicted. In order to overcome my feelings I forced myself to walk on my treadmill for thirty minutes and then forced myself to read this book. For me, spending less time on-line is probably best but then how would I write all these reviews? lol

So basically this book can help you to identify the problem, seek a counselor or participate in a support group. As for me, I will try to control my mind more and follow some of the guidelines in this book.

~The Rebecca Review

This book not only gave me insights into the addictions that I see happening around me but also real ideas of how I can be of help and encouragement to those who are being sucked into these life destroying habits. If you don't need this book now, you or someone you love will soon need it. Since I started reading it, my eyes have been open to many friends that are struggling.

There is nothing but one-side christian propaganda here. Especially on the article regarding pornography. It has the typical right wing christian response toward it. "Any porn whatosever is wrong...blah blah blah.

Just for that i'll replace my addiction to the net...by smoking cigarettes.