Tech Blog

[#1]

My name is Buzz and I'm an internet addict.

Now you could laugh at the notion as being a serious problem, but ask someone with a sex addiction what their life is like and you'll realize that addiction to anything is a serious issue.

As we move through a more and more connected world, the ability to be online all the time is not only proving itself to be convenient, it's proving to be addictive.

reSTART, an Internet Addiction and Recovery center, offers up a checklist to see if you're an addict:

• Increasing amounts of time spent on computer and internet activities

• Failed attempts to control behavior

• Heightened sense of euphoria while involved in computer and internet activities

• Craving more time on the computer and internet

• Neglecting friends and family

• Feeling restless when not engaged in the activity

• Being dishonest with others

• Computer use interfering with job/school performance

• Feeling guilty, ashamed, anxious, or depressed as a result of behavior

• Changes in sleep patterns

• Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, backaches, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome

• Withdrawing from other pleasurable activities

Really that's a checklist you could put up against any destructive behaviour be it smoking, gambling, or .. yknow .. sex.

To show you how deep the addiction can be, reSTART treats texting and video game addictions.  Texting!  The issues surrounding compulsive use of social media made it's way into Newsweek last month with an article headlined: Internet addiction sounds like a punch line. But it ruined my brother's life.

I say I'm an addict, because I find myself constantly needing to plug in.  I need to send a tweet, check my email, google a question or make a note for a blog post.  I can't go through an entire meal with my family without briefly excusing myself from the table.

I sit at the computer first thing when I get up in the morning.  I am sitting with a laptop or iPhone in my hand immediately before I go to bed.  Sometimes my brain won't stop that I'll jump from bed to run back and make a note or check a file.

A visit to the park with my son will have me taking photos and uploading to Flickr and tweeting about the experience instead of relishing the sunshine, fresh air and vitality of my toddler's youth.

Fast Company reports on an Intel survey that finds 3/4 of us think it's fine to check our gadgets while on the toilet.  Is that really necessary?  Is there no sacred time or space anymore? (asks the man who uses the bathroom as an excuse to check his iPhone during family time)

There's no doubt that many of you reading this article will find yourself having a problem.  Whether that is a "small p" problem or a "capital P" Problem will determine whether you need something like reSTART or you just need to re-evaluate how you use technology.

For more it's a re-evaluation.  I'm going to let my wife bring the phone when we go out on weekends.  She has a "dumb phone" that won't draw me into the web, but will still keep us connected if there's an emergency.  I'm going to make an effort to go analog outside of regular work hours.  Reading physical books will feed the brain just as well as a newsfeed and it's a more focussed and imerssing experience.  I'm going to go for a run first thing in the morning.  I can still bring a long my iPod shuffle and feed my head with all sorts of technological podcasty goodness while I'm out experiencing the world and getting fit.

I'm Buzz Bishop and I'm addicted to the internet, but I'm going to do something about it.  What about you?

catch the buzz ... pass it on.

[#2]

Yep, I'm feeling this.

Sometimes I wonder how much more productive I'd be if I wasn't sitting in chat rooms or playing online games and more, though those two activities are a huge time sink in themselves. I'd love to learn Japanese, or learn how to play that keyboard I bought a couple years ago, if only I could pull myself away from the allure of online Tetris...

It can't be all bad, though, right? I mean, I spend a lot of time on the forums helping others here... But maybe that's just me justifying my internet time. >_>

At least the craziest gadget that gets into my bathroom is my electric toothbrush...