Internet withdrawal similar to giving up smoking
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New study says internet withdrawal
makes people upset
similar to giving up drinking or smoking
Internet withdrawal is tough on people according to a new study by Intersperiencein on the impact online and digital technology is having on people’s lives in the UK.
British consumer research firm Intersperience found that over half of people felt “upset” when asked to not use any technology for 24 hours and 40 percent felt “lonely” when not engaging in activities such as social networking, emails, texting or watching their favorite TV channel.
Internet withdrawal is not for pussies
The project, which surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 1,000 individuals from age 18 to over 65s, questioned people about their ‘digital lives’ including their attitudes and use of the internet, smartphones and other connected devices.
The project also involved qualitative research, including challenging participants to get through one full day without using technology. Giving up technology was considered by some to be as hard as quitting smoking or drinking, while one survey participant described it as “like having my hand chopped off” and another called it “My biggest nightmare.”
A significant number of people ‘cheated’ by switching on the television or radio as they did not regard them as ‘technology.’ Others agreed to the challenge but turned their mobile phones to silent, regarding being completely disconnected even for one day as “inconceivable.”
I have given up a few things in my life, but Holte Ender refuses to experience internet withdrawal.
Happy
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I have internet addiction. Can I collect an SSI disability check?
Even the cave people drew on cave walls to communicate with each other. Remember the drums in the Tarzan movies. Every one wants to stay connected some how.
Want to stay connected? Here’s a novel idea: go talk to your neighbors. I’ll bet you’d be amazed at how many Americans don’t know their neighbors. When I was growing up everybody knew everybody in the community. That’s why it was safe for 8 yos to be playing around the neighborhood all day and after dark. We were never alone.
I have news for you SH, it is still safe for 8 year olds to play in their neighbor hoods … as long as you keep the creepy uncles, cousins, step fathers, etc. out of the neighborhood. There is well over a 90% chance that if your child is going to be hurt it is going to be by a family member or a friend of the family and not a stranger.
Inquisitive human beings need to stay stimulated. When I gave up the internet (and Holte, checking in once a week or so is very different from being continually connected), I did the things I did before I had internet. I read an amazing number of books, I made a number of items from wood, I took a college course, I built things. . . I will also ad that at the same time I disconnected my TV which I never watch anyway.
See, you simply have to find other things to satisfy your “addiction” to keeping your mind stimulated.
I tried being digitally disconnected once. It is not easy. It is sad. It forces one to admit that this is a huge part of one’s life. Screw this. I’m going to smoke what is left of my cigar.
I call bullshit on this one. Smoking is the hardest thing I ever gave up and I’ve given up a whole bunch of addictions. Go by an AA meeting sometime and check out all the smokers outside. If it wasn’t the hardest thing to give up, would people who have given up drugs and alcohol be still doing it?
I disconnected my internet for a whole year ba couple years ago. About once a wek I’d check my e-mails and do blog posts from someone elses location. No problem. Thinking about doing it now except I start classes in the fall and will need it then.
When you disconnected a couple of years ago, you still had to use another location to check email and blog, so didn’t really disconnect completely. Once on, It’s tough to drop off line.
SH, I quit smoking over 10 years. Internet withdrawal would almost as painful. I was without a good computer for three years and could barely get on line, let alone input data without the internet or my Open Office freezing.
I had DT’s the entire time, which was not ameliorated until I had a good computer in the house. I’m hooked, SH, and it’s primarily because of all my cyberspace friends and my compulsion to conduct research on anything and everything.
However, I could easily live without social networking. Twitter annoys me.
Actually Holte, if the internet disappeared today I could live with out it. I would miss all the friends I have made through the blog here and the money I make teaching on the internet, but I could live without it. I could live without a smartphone. A cell phone would be a bit tougher because my consulting work depends a lot on my cell phone. Also, I have had a cell phone since they first came out (the Brick) and have gotten used to them, but I could live without a cell phone also because most of my life was sans cell phone.
Sorry Bill, I think you are as hooked as all of us.
Yeah, you’re probably right Holte.
I think it depends on what you want. I managed for two whole weeks, yes count them, two whole weeks without internet access or using a mobile phone, even the tee vee machine. Could be I was in one of the most beautiful places in the world I have seen thus far and wanted to see as much of it as I could, for the couple weeks we were there, so I didn’t mind giving up the technology.
I’m with you Jess, I could drop this habit of cruising online, having an exotic location certainly helps with the withdrawals.
Jess and June – I bet these vacation plans to wherever you escape from technology, were made online. Ha.