Psychological

Treating IAD is not just simply pulling out the plug and disconnecting the addict from the Web. By forcefully and suddenly withdrawing them from the Web, it will only cause their condition to deteriorate as the addict attempts to seek fulfillment through other potentially more harmful methods, such as alcohol or drugs. Therefore, the key to helping them is to tackle the underlying concerns while controlling the behaviour.

Counseling or Psychotherapy

The psychologist or therapist you choose should preferably be experienced in the treatment of IAD. More importantly however, is that the person you chose should be able to instill confidence in you about his ability to assist you. Do not refrain from asking questions regarding the personal life of the psychologist to know him or her better, as the relationship of the psychotherapy and oneself requires trust and honesty. Spending time and effort to find the right therapist to work with will pay off in the long run.

Consider a support group

While there are several support groups for Internet abuse and addiction, many of them are self-defeating as they are on-line chat rooms. Using these means of support may in turn aggravate the urge for Internet usage instead. However, they may also be positive support and help from these groups as well, as they are commonly made up of other Internet addicts and thus could relate to each other better and help watch out for each other, reducing any compulsive Internet usage interfering with an addict’s personal life.

Recognize Your Addiction’s Triggers

For many Internet addicts who logs on to avoid facing low self-esteem and other emotional problems, certain feelings usually trigger their online sessions. Recognize and consider your own feelings before you head towards your computer for another grueling and exceedingly long session on the Net. Think through and complete the sentence: Before I turn to the Internet, I feel ____________.

Are you tired from daily work or worried about money matters? Do you wish that you could just shirk your responsibilities at home? Are you depressed because you have so few friends and life appears boring? Others have reported feelings of depression, anxiousness, anger or stress. These are the feelings that prompt one to rush back to the Internet as an escape path, and they’re part of the drive of the addictive behavior.

Now think again for a moment about how everything seems to changes when you go online. Then think through and complete another sentence: When I am engaged in my favorite Internet activity, I feel _______________.

Recognizing these two feelings – how you feel before going online and how you feel while you are on the Net – allows you to see what you’re running away from and what you hope to gain when you’re online. Instead, choose to turn to more constructive activities, such as learning a new musical instrument, or tell yourself that: “I am in control of my life when I decide how and when to use the Internet.” Do not succumb easily to your emotions. Escaping to the Internet does not solve the problem, you just merely avoid it.