Neglecting personal hygiene. Changes in your sleep pattern or sleep disturbances. If you think you may suffer from cyber addiction, there are real-world resources, and of course, online help for you as well. Online, check out the government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration . Here, you can find expert advice, take an addiction test, participate in bulletin boards, read articles and get other information.
Internet addiction is a relatively new phenomenon.
While professional guidance is always the best way to treat any psychological or physical issue, there are steps you can take to combat your own Internet abuse or the cyber addiction of a friend or loved one. The simple task of having to turn it back on and wait while it boots up may be enough of a deterrent to keep you from heading back too soon. Another way to control Internet addiction is to use the computer as part of your recovery. Whenever you're online, use a productivity or time tracking program to log your activity, and stick with a strict, time-limiting regiment. A few of the better time tracker programs include WorkTime , Proj Clock or TimeSlice for Mac .