Today, it is possible to spend a full day on the Internet moving from site to site – chatting, playing, handling finances, uploading videos– almost anything you can do in real life, you can do online.
That’s great when you are sick or tired or you want to save on fuel costs and shop online or buy a unique wedding gift. But if your virtual life is taking more of your time than your real life, you may have an Internet addiction.
From people who send themselves email to teenagers who are pracically living in their computers, the Internet is playing a bigger part of our lives. If you are not aware, it can become an unhealthy obsession.
Children today grow up online and they suffer from a lack of social skills, problem solving skills, they are overweight, have shorter attention span and in general, are not lead an unhealthy lifestyle while they sit hours in front of the PC. It’s a real addiction with psychologists, books, and recovery groups offering to cure the addiction.

So just stop and get back to reality
Internet addiction is not like a drug addiction where any use is outright bad. It’s not like gambling, where you can tell there is a problem when you owe your kid brother and grandmother money. We all use the Internet and its done great things for us. We buy stuff, order concert tickets, pay bills, make new friends, find lost relatives, read the news, etc. But for some people, the Internet takes too much time from their real lives, until one day, they find themselves practically living online.

Is surfing dangerous? When it is compulsive behavior it is!

Problem Internet use is characterized by a difficulty to limit time spent online. More recognized Internet problems include online betting, porn addiction and too much online shopping. EBay addiction is becoming a recognized addiction as more and more people find themselves hooked. Pathological Internet use can be defined as persistent and recurrent maladaptive behavior meeting the following criteria:
1. Preoccupation. You have frequent thoughts about Internet experiences, whether past, future, or fantasy.
2. Tolerance. You require more frequent sessions online.
3. Withdrawal. Restlessness or irritability associated with attempts to cease or reduce Internet activity.
4. Escape. Surf to improve mood or escape problems.
5. Staying online longer than intended..
6. Lying. Lies to hide his or her gambling habit.
7. Loss of control. He/She has unsuccessfully attempted to reduce Internet usage..
8. Risked significant relationship. Spending time online despite risking or losing a relationship, job, or other significant opportunity.

How to Prevent or Curb Internet Addiction?

If you suspect a loved one has a problem, it is best to try to talk about it first. You can do a lot to help them. Their Internet access needs to be managed by someone they trust. There is no need to get rid of the family computer or cancel the Internet connection.
If your loved one admits to a problem and wants your help to overcome the addiction, you can agree together to start by limiting the open access they have to the Web. Simply by installing an effective web filter, you can easily set up the precise Internet environment that you need. -block out certain sites or categories of content, control the activities that can be done online and set a precise online schedule to limit when and how much time the Internet can be accessed. A web filter , such as Optenet PC can be easily installed on your computer. It is an easy way to curb an Internet addiction problem.