Who's in Control-The Internet or You?
"I sometimes get up three or four in the morning and surf the net"
"I often check my e-mail forty times a day"
"I seldom spend less than three hours during one session on the net"
"I spend more time in chat rooms than with my'real-life'friends"
Do you know any people like these? They are part of a new addiction called Internet addiction According to
reseachers Internet addicts spend at least thirty to hours online every week. The use of the Internet can be
an addiction like alcoholism or drug use People lose control of the time they spend on the Internet.
For example one college student was missing for several days. His friensd were worried and they called the
police.The police fond the student in the conputer lab :he was surfing the net-for seven days straight.
Current studies estimate that about 6 to 10 percent of Internet users become addicted. And some researchers
worry particularly abput young people because the Internet is taking the place of the mall or the playing field
for some of thwm.The teens spend more time in cyberspace than in the real world of friends and family.
Is"surfing the ner"a hobby or an addicton for you? You may havy aproblem if you these symptoms:
You do not go to important family events or you do not do school project because you like to spend hours on the Internet.
You can't wait for your next online session
You're determined to spend a brief time online, but then you spend several hours.
You go out with your friends less and less
What is the cure? there is counnseling to hlep Internet addicts-even online.Some experts recommend that people set strict limits on their time for Internet use.You have to controlit.
The Internet shouldn't control you.