Spending too much time online? Tips to avoid internet addiction

As more and more services go online, people are increasingly spending extra hours hooked onto their computer screens. Since people are not strictly monitoring the time they spend on the Internet, this is resulting into addiction.

While some of us log onto the Internet just to surf, others spend crazy amount of time on social media websites liked Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others. People think this behavior is fine, but in reality, it’s not. Today, internet addiction has become a severe issue.

It leads to mental disturbance, early depression and can have dangers of serious illness like schizophrenia. Internet addiction can also significantly hurt long-term memory and lead to suicidal tendencies.

To make things worse, internet addiction is hard to identify. You can’t identify this disorder like the way you can find out other diseases or problems.

Different countries are treating this as a serious issue. In 2008, China declared internet addiction as a disorder and started boot camps to cure it. South Korea too considers internet addiction a public health crisis; in the US, a study is being conducted to figure the best treatment for it.

How to cure internet addiction

If you think you spend too much time on the internet, well it’s time for you to relax, take a deep breath and follow these simple tips:

• Disable notifications for apps you constantly monitor: Enjoying the little moments of life is more important, notifications can wait
• Be connected, but not always: Disable internet on your phone for a couple of hours every day
• Keep your phone away from bed: Exposure to phone at night can lead to sleep disorders
• Go out and pursue a hobby

So, there is no need to be afraid of the online addiction. You can still be connected and be with your phones and laptops, you just have to strike a balance between your online and offline lives. Happy surfing!