Time spent online: Are you hooked?

[TLM08]

For the last twelve years, I have spent entirely too much time online. I may even have become addicted for a few months while when the internet was still relatively new. Six to eight hours per day online was not unusual for me back around 1997. I still went to work every day but my family duties were certainly being neglected. It was starting to cause problems with the mariage so I cut way back.

These days, I am online maybe 1 to 2 hours per day maximum. But I still think it’s entirely too much time to be sitting in front of a computer looking at news sites, forums, and hobby stuff. How about you?

 

[puzzleannie]

you did not have a choice for “I am addicted, but only to CAF”

I am grappling with the idea of have 2 hours of free time in any case, which would be such a novelty I would not know what to do with myself w/o CAF.

Is whatever activity occupies your leisure time detracting from your family and work responsibilities, and most of all from your prayer life? Is it beneficial to you–educational, spiritually uplifiting, inspirational? Or is it harmful to you–soft core porn, inappropriate chat rooms or humor, feeding misinformation and lessening your ability for critical thinking.

 

[TLM08]

you did not have a choice for “I am addicted, but only to CAF”

I am grappling with the idea of have 2 hours of free time in any case, which would be such a novelty I would not know what to do with myself w/o CAF.

Is whatever activity occupies your leisure time detracting from your family and work responsibilities, and most of all from your prayer life? Is it beneficial to you–educational, spiritually uplifiting, inspirational? Or is it harmful to you–soft core porn, inappropriate chat rooms or humor, feeding misinformation and lessening your ability for critical thinking.

I think the internet is particularly addictive due to it’s interactive nature. “CAF” must even be taken with due caution due to the wide variety of opinions, many of which aren’t in line with church teaching. Also, some of the very personal topics discussed that are often of a sexual nature can quickly and easily become “near occasion of sin” and an incredible source of temptation.

 

[KCT]

How about a temporary addiction?

When school is on, I don’t have time. On break, though, I’ve spent tons of time online.

 

[fbl9]

you did not have a choice for “I am addicted, but only to CAF”

.

i agree you should have put that in for an option…
if i am not here i most likely offline…very rare for me to go any where else on the net…mainly because i am too easily tempted so it is to CAf then OFF…

 

[gardenswithkids]

you did not have a choice for “I am addicted, but only to CAF”
…

Me too.

Am I hooked? Yes. Could I quit if I wanted? Yes. Do I want to? No.

Moderation is much more difficult for me than cutting out something completely. I struggle with the question of how much is too much. Yes, sometimes I spend too much time on the internet, particularly CAF. I have sometimes given it up for Advent or Lent, but not this past Advent. I try to keep it in check, and when I think the balance if off, I cut back.

I have some limits I put on my internet use, checking only certain areas of this forum and only a couple of other favorite news sights and such. I much prefer a couple news sites to my local paper which doesn’t publish the types of stories I want to read. (I check my local paper’s website for local news to stay informed what the locals are talking about.)

Before the internet, I could spend an hour reading the daily paper. :coffeeread: Was I “addicted” to newspapers? Before the internet, I could read books for hours (and still do.) Am I “addicted” to books?

Maybe I’m “addicted” to conversation with other mommies too. Before the internet became widely popular, I attempted weekly meetings with other moms, but as our children grew many went back to work. I moved onto homeschooling. I don’t get together with other moms very often any more. Or do I? Thanks to the internet, I have daily contact with other Catholic moms (or are they children playing pranks and prison inmates who fake being a mommy pretty well.:ehh: Never quite know with the internet.) My real life mommy friends, (which I still have) don’t live right next door for convenient get togethers. Most of the neighbor mommies work, as do many of my friends. When my friends and I do get together, it’s somewhat difficult to hold conversations because we have children to take care of.

Besides being “addicted” to CAF, reading, and conversing with my fellow human beings, I’m addicted to chocolate. My poor husband and children.

 

[rose_red]

I spend perhaps an average of 10 hours a day online, save for Saturday. I spent most of my teenage years (and a lot of time prior) in front of a screen. It’s pathetic, really. And I know people who spend even more time than that on the computer. From waking until they go to bed.

But I do my schoolwork, language learning, reading books, and pretty much everything online. A lot of things are easier and more effective to do on the computer. (For example, learning languages became faster and more efficient.) Nice to have almost everything you want to know under your fingertips.

I don’t like spending so much time in front of a computer, but in my current situation there isn’t a whole lot I can do about it. Am I addicted? I don’t think so. Perhaps I am somewhat dependent on the internet. I do know that there is a lot of other things I’d rather be doing than being on the computer and if I could be doing them, I would.

 

[Litcrit]

Until this October, I was an official addict. I was a SAHM who craved adult interaction. Then I got a job as a uni prof, and now get LOTS of (young) adult interaction

I now spend up to 10 mins online, and only reply to topics here that catch my attention

 

[beckycmarie]

“CAF” must even be taken with due caution due to the wide variety of opinions, many of which aren’t in line with church teaching.

Amen to that. Sometimes I wonder how many people stumble in here looking for helpful information only to be presented with multiple opinions and no voice of authority in the forum to step in and say what is correct.

Also, some of the very personal topics discussed that are often of a sexual nature can quickly and easily become “near occasion of sin” and an incredible source of temptation.

Agreed - especially those threads on what is and is not okay within marriage. I’ve decided to stay out of those after I saw one get way more graphic than was necessary.

 

[tapiocapudding]

Yeah I spend entirely too much time online. I do crave adult interaction being a first time SAHM. One of my New Year’s resolutions is to avoid using the computer one day a week.

 

[Salonika]

Yes and No.

Yes, in the sense that I get hooked on certain threads and look forward to finding what replies are there and answering them. Then I find another thread and the same thing happens!!!

No, in the sense that I can miss (a few) days and not worry about it. I don’t think about replies when I am work or when I am away.

However, I’m sure that my “to-do” list would be shorter without CAF but then I wouldn’t have met some very interesting and caring people without it.

 

[whatevergirl]

Yes and No.

Yes, in the sense that I get hooked on certain threads and look forward to finding what replies are there and answering them. Then I find another thread and the same thing happens!!!

No, in the sense that I can miss (a few) days and not worry about it. I don’t think about replies when I am work or when I am away.

However, I’m sure that my “to-do” list would be shorter without CAF but then I wouldn’t have met some very interesting and caring people without it.

I like your post. I feel the same way. I think that I used to spend too much time online, on here in particular…but I have learned much, and came away meeting great people. I lessened my time here during the holidays, and now, just pop in here and there to see how people are doing. I think it’s quite easy (and tempting) to spend too much time online. I check my work email from home, oh then I check out youtube to see just ONE video…then, I have to google something…then I pay a bill…then I check out CAF…and the cycle can sometimes take a while to end.