If you or a loved one is addicted to the Internet in an unhealthy manner such that it is affecting the rest of their lives and of those who love and care about them, please do not hesitate to contact me for guidance and direction on how to handle this issue. Please see instructions below.
Addictions have been around for centuries. People are addicted to alcohol, drugs, nicotine, love, pornography, etc. and now, we have a new addiction: Internet Addiction.
The Internet can be a highway of information on just about anything in the world if used correctly. And if used in the wrong way it can destroy marriages, relationships, individuals, and families. It can even lead to murder, and disappearances, and missing people.
The world is much the same way. Whatever can be used for the greatest good, if used in the wrong way or for the wrong motives can also be used for the greatest evil. It all depends on the person, their character, their morals and their motives and their relationship or lack of a relationship with God.
If you value your family, your spouse, your children, your job, and your time, it would be a good idea to take the following test to see if you are becoming out of balance with your time on the Internet. Marriages and families have broken up due to the misuse of the Internet.
Patricia Jones, M.A.
Here is a test to see if you are addicted to the Internet:
Internet Addiction Test (IAT)
How do you know if you're already addicted or rapidly tumbling toward trouble? The Internet Addiction Test is the first validated and reliable measure of addictive use of the Internet. Developed by Dr. Kimberly Young, the IAT is a 20-item questionnaire that measures mild, moderate, and severe levels of Internet Addiction. To assess your level of addiction, answer the following questions using this scale:
1.) How often do you find that you stay on-line longer than you intended?
2.) How often do you neglect household chores to spend more time on-line?
3.) How often do you prefer the excitement of the Internet to intimacy with your partner ?
4.) How often do you form new relationships with fellow on-line users?
5.) How often do others in your life complain to you about the amount of time you spend on-line?
6.) How often do your grades or school work suffer because of the amount of time you spend on-line?
7.) How often do you check your e-mail before something else that you need to do?
8.) How often does your job performance or productivity suffer because of the Internet?
9.) How often do you become defensive or secretive when anyone asks you what you do on-line?
10.) How often do you block out disturbing thoughts about your life with soothing thoughts of the Internet?
11.) How often do you find yourself anticipating when you will go on-line again?
12.) How often do you fear that life without the Internet would be boring, empty, and joyless?
13.) How often do you snap, yell, or act annoyed if someone bothers you while you are on-line?
14.) How often do you lose sleep due to late-night log-ins?
15.) How often do you feel preoccupied with the Internet when off-line, or fantasize about being on-line?
16.) How often do you find yourself saying "just a few more minutes" when on-line?
17.) How often do you try to cut down the amount of time you spend on-line and fail?
18.) How often do you try to hide how long you've been on-line?
19.) How often do you choose to spend more time on-line over going out with others?
20.) How often do you feel depressed, moody, or nervous when you are off-line, which goes away once you are back on-line?
0 = Not Applicable
1 = Rarely
2 = Occasionally
3 = Frequently
4 = Often
5 = Always
Your Score: ________
Results:
After you've answered all the questions, add the numbers you selected for each response to obtain a final score. The higher your score, the greater your level of addiction and the problems your Internet usage causes. Here's a general scale to help measure your score:
20 - 49 points: You are an average on-line user. You may surf the Web a bit too long at times, but you have control over your usage.
50 -79 points: You are experiencing occasional or frequent problems because of the Internet. You should consider their full impact on your life.
80 - 100 points: Your Internet usage is causing significant problems in your life. You should evaluate the impact of the Internet on your life and address the problems directly caused by your Internet usage.
If you find that your score falls between 50-79 points, take that as a warning that you may be becoming addicted to the Internet in ways that are not healthy for you or your family. If you fall in the 80-100 point range then you should consider getting help for your addiction.
If you are in need of help concerning your Internet addiction or know of someone in your family who is in need of help for Internet addition, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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