SCI/TECH: Is This Evidence of ATS Addiction?

Perhaps not ATS specifically, but a study sponsored by Yahoo adds credence to the theory that internet use is an addiction, with participants suffering ill-effects after only a few days spent without access to the internet-based services such as the World Wide Web, email, and instant messaging.


The users who chose to go without internet access described their time off-line as "feeling left out of the loop," having to "resist temptation" and missing their "private escape time" during the day. These results cut across all demographics, affecting everyone the same regardless of age, income or ethic background.

We all knew this before now, right? Email, blogs, P2P and IM I could live without for a while, but it is hard enough to spend the weekend away from dear old ATS, so the thought of a two week absence is quite chilling. The volunteers for the study have my deepest respect. Good luck, Yahoo, with recruitment for the next larger, longer study.

Related News Links
Webpronews
The Inquirer
Psychosocial Parameters of Internet Addiction
Internet Stress Survey

Related ATS Discussions
Web Addiction Gets Conscripts Out of Army
How has the Internet changed our world forever?

[edit on 23-9-2004 by Spectre]

Heh.

Lets see how I do. At the end of the month i am going to lose my internet connection due to me moving out of home and telling the teleco to disconnect my cable internet. I might but probably wont get dial-up (being too used to cable and then going back to the slow piece of # that is dial up.. no way in hell)... I'm sure I will go through withdrawals again. I hardly ever go without using the internet for a day unless i am really really busy and really reaaly extremely tired. I havn't been without the internet since about 2001 wheni wa without the net for about 2 weeks, and even then during that 2 week period i went on the net twice at a cafe to check my online game i play called utopia. games.swirve.com...

So yeah... Being without the net everyday of the year is going to be a big thing. An di'm sure i will feel greatly aggitated, and edgy. I wont know what to do with myself. What will I do during all the time I usually spend on the internet discussing ideas, playing games, etc. Hrmmm how things will change.


And on that note... I've been here at ATS for about 2-3 years or so. Only when it was pretty new and wasn't version 2. Trolled a bit before becoming a member. So I think I must say Farewell ATS. I'll be gone in 6 more days from now. Gone through alot here at ATS, Seen alot fo changes, A lot of ideas, and it sure as hell has made me deny ignorance. ATS has opened up my mind to many ideas, many points of views, and to realise that the world is a very diferent place with many different forces at work than anything that the sugar coated media presents. ATS has made me see things for what they really are, and to delve further into many hings seeing past teh deception that lay on the surface.

ATS has surely made me deny ignorance, for when i came here, I was an ignorant little biatch. I'd like to thank everyone for making this website great and what it is, and yes, even the Colonel and his word of propaganda...Repugant..

Farewell All, and keep on Denying Ignorance.

(pssst i got 6 more days to go, (and this doesn't mean to get rid of my blog page coz i sure will be back some time or other).

[edit on 23-9-2004 by DaRAGE]

His plan to take over the WORLD!!!!!!

I am addicted!!!!

When you have ATS as your homepage and you keep clicking refresh every 5 minutes to see updated news and new threads, thats when you know you are addicted.

I have moved out of the denial stage, still not willing to seek help though.

I am an ATS addict, and I am proud of it.

Lol, Yeah my homepage is ATS, and i refresh tons like yourself.

Heheh. Get home from work, turn the comp on, login to the net, load up the web browser and to homepage ATS... then see the top 100 recent threads, search for anything that seems interesting and right click and open it up in a new little window. hehe. I usually have about 15 windows open in the first 2 minutes of geting onthe net ;P

Getting on the net? I don't get off the net. My computer is continuously on. I think I hear it screaming sometimes. I hear it telling me. "Can't you just let me rest for one night!?"

Now that is a problem when your PC starts talking to you, begging for mercy.

Originally posted by deeprivergal
When you have ATS as your homepage and you keep clicking refresh every 5 minutes to see updated news and new threads, thats when you know you are addicted.

It's better then drugs or booze ( booze??, gotta think about that LOL)

Originally posted by deeprivergal
When you have ATS as your homepage and you keep clicking refresh every 5 minutes to see updated news and new threads, thats when you know you are addicted.

My computer is continuously on.

You only have one computer and have to manually refresh the page? How pedestrian! Any self-respecting ATS addict would have multiple PCs, plus a laptop, and software to automatically refresh the "recent posts" page.

This report has gotten me interested in seeing how I would do on an extended vacation from the online community. I have a 4 day trip coming up soon. Should I take a laptop or go cold turkey and see if I can survive?

[edit on 23-9-2004 by Spectre]

BRING THE LAPTOP!!!!!

And I actually have 3 computers, 2 continuously on, one my husband uses for school. lol Now tell me more about this program that refreshes automatically....

OK, you sold me, DRG. I'll stay in touch. Man, I am SUCH a pushover. The secret to automatic refreshes involves using Firefox as a web browser and the ReloadEvery extension.

I also have two computers permanently on!! I also drink extraordinary amounts of espresso from my lovely coffee machine and smoke like a chimney. I took a year out from work as I sold my house and made a big profit, an all I've done is read the news and browz the internet. I must be on the internet at least 14hrs a day in the week and 18hrs a day on the weekend.

I recently went touring EU for 6wks and every place we stayed at had to have an internet terminal. I spent 3hrs one day as this girl was using the terminal, I checked about every 5mins to see if she had finished, she was only 14 and am 28 and I considered kicking her of it until I came to my senses and she left.

Internet is very addictive; I've gone through loads of different stages over the years from Browzing, Chat Rooms, Message Boards, Pro-Online gaming for 5yrs and back to Message Boards.

There�s no hope for me, bring on the white jacket, as long as the nut house has a computer terminal....

Addicted is too weak a word...how about "habitually dependent upon?"

Doesn't matter if Im at the office or at home, ATS is my crack rock and I'm always fiending for more - lol

Even when I go out of town, I have to be able to at least check up on things...There aren't too many other things out there on the net that can hold my attention like this site can.

*raises a shakey hand to pick up his coffee mug*

[edit on 9/23/2004 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

The internet is here, and it's apart of our lives now. Taking it away is like taking away the phone for a week. It's ingrained. I blame meatspace problems for intruding on the digital perfection of my internet/gaming world.

*looks at 56 empties of Bawls beside his computer*

The body is useless, outside of how far you can force it to function for your computational device!

DE

ATS is not my home page, but I refresh TONS. What ever that means.

I am no doubt addicted. I use Firefox so I might have a look at that automagical refresh. For the meantime, the site that I check on daily or more often I have as the first few choices on the bookmark toolbar. It's ATS, BTS, IG, x-entertainment(80's nastagia), Zophar's Domain(emulation/dev),Cryptome, Dabooda(VB directx engine), and 2600.net

I have experienced net withdrawl twice before, the 2nd time due to no power at all for a week. That really blew! Power withdrawl is even worse...

I am currently using a library computer cause mine is broken. I can't be on everyday and I get weirded out on the days I can't be on. What did I miss on ATS? What news did I miss? I don't watch Fox or CNN because Bush&Co control them so all you get is filtered censored news.

BTW Someone asked why the reporters aren't going to Iraq and reporting all the good things going on. Jon Stewarts response? "Why not? I'm sure they all can't get captured and beheaded." Think maybe that could be why reporters don't go to Iraq and report things?

I don't know, maybe I'm not addicted, but I usually feel frustrated and disconnected when I spend too much time on the internet. It takes a while for those feelings to kick in, but I'm glad they eventually do.

i am only addicted to knowlegde. the internet makes knowledge easily attainable, and a lot of other things too

Well as some of you know reference my goodbye thread i will be leaving ats and internet in 4 days as im off to iraq to do some close protection work. I going for 2 years so i gonna have to do without i dont know how i gonna manage it its kinda scary. When i was in the forces i had to leave my laptop at home once whilst i went away for 5 months and it proper killed me.

BAH! ive spent months away from the internet. the first few days you wonder about email, news, developments, blogs, etc. after that, you settle into whatever you're doing and get that as your normal lifestyle. its no biggy. as with all things, a little will-power is all it takes, except you need less here.