Tweeting, Facebook, Crackberry? Are you addicted?

In Fall City, WA lies a countryside retreat where individuals from all over the world come to be “unaddicted” to the Internet for the small price of $14,000. It’s 45 days and the company only treats up to 5 people at a time. Preparing to report on this story today I kept thinking, “this must be serious business.” While driving there I really didn’t know what to expect. The crew and I couldn't help but crack Internet jokes on the way to our destination. When we arrived at a rural house in the middle of the forest I was definitely intrigued. One of the co-executives of the business and owner of the facility gave us a tour of the grounds (called Heavensville). We went through trails that led to a meditation Gazebo, a tree house, and a rock climbing gym. There were animals from chickens, deer, goats, and a border collie that wanted to be everyone’s best friend.


The meat of this story really surfaced from conversing with the owner and psychologist, which influenced me to write about the topic. We talked about the effects from an excess amount of Internet usage or gaming has on an individual. It's a concept our technologically savvy society can all relate to. Many people today text, twitter, or chat online constantly and they miss out on a lot of social interaction because they are sitting on their laptops. Individuals start to lack in social skills. We forget we are social beings with a natural longing for physical interaction since birth. There is something missing when you take out touch, tone of voice and facial expressions from social interaction. Creating a home at the retreat helped those addicted interact with people and stay clear of isolation. They are encouraged to be outside, engage in recreational activities and meditate. This helped the individuals remember what it's like to participate in activities and be active. Responsibilities were given to them as well to take the focus off themselves. One of the many effects on an excessive Internet user is the negative alteration of priorities and becoming self-centered.


Now, most of these people at the facility were in extreme circumstances and suffering from extreme consequences. This included not studying or doing homework which resulted in failing out of college for one young man we talked to. Some were so invested in spending hours on the Internet they were losing sleep, forgetting to feed their pet, or being late to work. All of these different behaviors were causing strains in relationships, his or her health and at the workplace. It was also causing them to feel anxious or irritable if they weren't able to use the Internet.



So, how do you know if you addicted? How much is too much? Take the survey:

http://www.netaddictionrecovery.com/the-problem/are-you-addicted.html



In conclusion, technology doesn't have to be a bad thing, in fact, there are many positives about having technology around us. You really can't survive nowadays without it (ironically I’m talking about this in a blog). I learned today that you just need to know how to manage your usage properly and keep your priorities in line. Use it to benefit your life not halter it or corrupt it.

Something to think about: Do you usually respond to someone through text or do you pick up the phone to call that person? Do you put the phone away when you are in a social situation and give someone your undivided attention? Let's not forget we our social beings that need social interaction to survive!