The Internet has given us so many great things – easy access to information, being connected with people around the world, instant money transfers, and so many other things.
However, more and more people nowadays can’t imagine a day without a smartphone and the internet which has led to developing a technology addiction and the need for internet rehab.
Internet addiction types
There are a few types of internet addiction that need to be identified and addressed accordingly in the right rehabilitation center:
1. Gaming addiction
this is perhaps the oldest type of addiction concerning the internet. Ever since simple games such as solitaire became available, there was a significant decrease in productivity in the work settings. People would simply spend too much time on their computers playing instead of working. Now there are thousands of games of all sorts. People addicted to playing games spend enormous amounts of time in the virtual world, while completely disregarding the real world, family, friends, food and even sometimes personal hygiene.
2. Obsessive–compulsion information searching
Having so much information at the reach of your fingers can be so tempting for people who have obsessive-compulsive tendencies. A person often doesn’t even realize just how long it takes since it is a never-ending process. New information appears all the time, giving fresh material to people who want to know as much as possible which can lead to avoiding obligations and everyday commitments.
3. Online dating
Known as catfish – people often find online dating much easier and less intimidating when compared to real dating. Even though it can have some positive sides to it, face-to-face communication cannot be replaced with anything else. Besides, online dating can be massively misused by adopting other identities that put the other person at risk. There have been many cases of a person pretending to be someone else. The consequences can range from suffering from heartache to being a victim of financial fraud.
4. Compulsive shopping, gambling or trading stocks
The rush of playing online and gaining money or buying things of interest can be thrilling for some people. It is easily accessible 24/7, there is no trouble of going from store to store, trying out new things, being exposed in front of the other people which can be the essential factor in triggering this addiction. A first red flag is less money on the bank account than usual and irritability when confronted.
5. Cybersex addiction
Visiting adult websites can become an obsession for some people when they don’t even want to consider dating a real person. After a long time of being attracted to this type of content, a person can become uninterested in romantic relationships in real life. Consequences are enormous for a person’s life and even health.
Dealing with the addiction
People usually don’t notice first that they have a problem, their family is the first one to realize that there is something wrong. Sometimes, a person doesn’t want to deal with the issue, but rehab can be a great place to start talking to a rehab psychologist who can explain better the addiction patterns that need to be remodeled in order to improve one’s life. Best rehabs have a rehab specialist on board who can guide the participants in the direction of disconnecting from the virtual world and turning to other people. Making friendships and relationships can be scary at first, but it is necessary for a healthy human being.
The Internet rehab center is usually a place with no technology or with a bare minimum. Participants are encouraged to talk to each other, to clean, cook and read in order to create new behavior patterns. Best rehab facilities offer wonderful programs, but that doesn’t mean that the road is easy – the first few days can be extremely hard, but the good news is that better days come pretty soon. After reestablishing positive patterns, old ways become redundant.
Rehab addict show
Not only people get into rehab but houses too! Nicole Curtis is a rehab addict that has our full attention. She renovates houses to their former glory. She buys old houses, works on them and then sells them. The way she performs her magic has our eyes on the show and we can say that we want more! It is something that we binge-watch for sure. Seeing how an old house becomes beautiful again gives a certain feeling of satisfaction and keeps us longing for more.