Dear Em,

First, let me say that you have made a major step towards your recovery - admitting the problem. This isn’t an easy step, sometimes it is the most difficult, but it is necessary part of recovery to begin. I’m not sure of your living situation, if you are 18, you live at home with your parents or a parent, and I wonder what they can also do to help you. Part of being addicted to the Internet means social isolation from the real world. As you have found, this isn’t the type of life that you wish for the long run. Time management regarding your Internet use is important. You will need to try to structure your time online focusing on shorter periods of use. I’m not sure what you do on the Internet (games, MySpace, chat rooms, etc.) but you need to structure your online sessions so that you create more control over your Internet use. Part of the problem sounds like you don’t have other activities such as school or a job to pursue. Have you considered career counseling? At 18, you have many choices. You could go to college or a community college to see what types of professions might interest you. You could also attend job fairs or apply for part-time jobs at a Starbucks or local department store until you figure out what interests you. Having a job, even a temporary part-time job, will help you in reducing your reliance on the Internet. It sounds as if it this is your only social outlet – getting out, meeting others, maintaining a job of some kind, or taking classes all remove you from the computer.

One of the biggest problems I see among Internet addicts is that they use the online world to substitute something missing in their real lives. It could be the lack of friends or social connections with family, so the online relationships that they make become vital. It is fine with there is a balance between the two. When there isn’t, online relationships become too consuming and don’t allow time for you to create new social connections offline. This can be a major hurdle to overcome. If you try to create a balance, moving more into the offline world through a job, school, or making friends, this will take away the need to be online so much. It isn’t easy. It may be overwhelming. You may feel anxious about being away from the computer. Your parents or a counselor can help relieve the anxiety by sharing your feelings and they can help you plan the next steps as part of your recovery through their support as you rely less on the Internet.