Monday, 16 November 2009

  • Women and Internet Addiction



    We all use the Internet (thanks, obvious department, we're on Xanga right now!), and it's hard to deny its necessity in today's world. But when does your online activity cross the line from a fun hobby to a serious issue?

    We girls are particularly attached to our Internet. Who doesn't love online shopping? And talking to my friends on Facebook can honestly be more fun than real life sometimes. But when your main social contact comes virtually, and you start to prefer the excitement and rapid pace environment of the Internet to real life, you might start to develop a habit that does more harm than good.

    According to Intel, nearly half of the women questioned by Harris Interactive said they'd be willing to forgo sex for two weeks, rather than give up their Internet access. (source) Teenagers and women whose children have recently moved out are at the greatest risk of struggling with addiction to the Internet. (source)

    As far as sex in cyberspace, whereas men are more like to visit porn sites, women are more apt to have cybersex or seek out chat rooms: "Men prefer visual stimuli and more focused sexual experiences, while women are more interested in relationships and interactions," says Alan Cooper, who conducted a study for the Journal of Sexual Addiction.

    A CNN article from April says that moms are especially at risk for online addiction. For stay-at-home mothers, especially those with very young children, the Internet can be a way to fight the isolation that comes from staying home all day with precious little adult interaction. According to the article:

    "Being a mom of young children can be very solitary," says Jay Parker, cofounder of Internet/Computer Addiction Services in Redmond, Washington. So it's easy for them to turn online, he explains, to find other parents and create a world there where they are not alone. Once that world is created, it becomes an escape that moms may turn to whenever they're stressed, lonely, bored, or sad. In addiction, they become dependent on that escape.

    Curious about your own Internet usage? Take this online quiz (which ironically is, you know, online) to see if your web browsing is creeping into problem territory.

    So, Lovelies, do you feel like you use the Internet too much? Do you know anyone who does?

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