I work from home on the internet, so I'm on the computer most hours of the day. In my personal time I do a lot of emailing to stay in touch with family and friends, I do some of my shopping online, and I read the newspapers online. I also do online banking. My family says I'm on the computer all the time, which I am, but I don't see myself as being addicted. When I'm done doing what needs to get done in a day, I do my other chores, go out, etc. How do I get them to understand that just because I'm on the computer all the time I'm not an internet addict?

I also work from the internet, I mean, not full time, but I make some money on it. I do not consider myself a bad addict, I mean, I do a lot of good stuff online, so I think we're cool, these are neo jobs :)

The way you can determine if you are addicted to the internet or not is....

Would you rather be online then go do things with your family and friends in real life?

Do you tend to tell others to wait for you when you on the computer and they want you to do something (regardless if you have a rational for what you are doing online or not- even if you feel it is more important that what others wants you to do)?

When you are away from the computer for 1 day, do you feel you must get back online to see all that you missed such as if there are any new orders, read the mail, read the news, and so forth?

Many people who are addicted to the internet (or any other kind of addiction) thinks that they are not addicted... they can handle it. The truth of the matter lies in what others are seeing. If your family and friends are telling you that you are addicted to the internet, maybe they are right. They are probably telling you this because you are taking away from the time that you should be spending with them or having a real life. I know this first hand from personal experience both being someone who has had this addiction and dealing with my husband who is even more addicted to the internet than I am. We all try to justify why we do all the things we do such as spending hours and hours on the internet... but the truth is in others preception.

From the sounds of it to me, you can take yourself away from it. Therefore you are not addicted. However to show them differently then they think you might want to skip emailing after work is complete and set one day a week for that or even a couple. Show them you are not dependent on the internet to survive.

I am not sure that it is all addicted to the internet that is at fault. If all you do is work and it is on the internet that does not make it an internet addiction that makes you addicted to working. What is wrong in your family that you feel you need to work all the time.

jnjsarauer wrote
I work from home on the internet, so I'm on the computer most hours of the day. In my personal time I do a lot of emailing to stay in touch with family and friends, I do some of my shopping online, and I read the newspapers online. I also do online banking. My family says I'm on the computer all the time, which I am, but I don't see myself as being addicted. When I'm done doing what needs to get done in a day, I do my other chores, go out, etc. How do I get them to understand that just because I'm on the computer all the time I'm not an internet addict?

I'm in the exact same position as you. And what I have found is that if they aren't going through it, then they do not understand it. Just let them know that if you want your bills paid and they want to keep in touch with you, then you have to be on the computer all the tiime. I don't consider your situation as an addiction, just a part of life in a new era where technology is more prevalent than ever before.

This is not a case of being addicted to the internet. I too, work full time and every bit of it requires me to be on the computer. I also shop and pay bills online, which is much more convenient than mailing it off, paying in person, or fighting long shopping lines for items I can purchase in the comfort of my home with a click of a button.

I also use the internet to chat online, come to forums such as this one, and to play games. However, there is no responsibility in the "outside world" that isn't taken care of . I still work out daily, make sure kids get to and from school, get their homework and extra activities done, go out and socialize with friends, make sure my house is clean, my dogs are taken care of, the rest of the family is taken care of, etc.

I think too many people are quick to call other people internet addicts without being in their shoes and realizing the entire situation. I personally do not care. This computer brings me in a nice income that supports my household. There are really some serious internet addictions out there. I really think there should be more studies done so people can better differentiate.

this case is happening to me? they come to think i was just slacking around and not even believeing i earn fulltime online, I always tell them this is the busines of the future this is how job and works will be done in the future and this is much easier and fun than most of yiou guys are doing.