It’s a disease of our times. Sara-Jayne Makwala King chats to a member of the self-help group ‘Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous’ (ITAA).
How many of us just can’t bear to be parted from our phones, laptops or other favourite technical devices?
Well, it seems that addiction to the Internet and technology is a disease of our times.
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Sara-Jayne Makwala King finds out what it’s like to be unable to function properly because of an obsession with things like gaming or streaming or social media.
She chats to addict “Olivia” who joined self-help group Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous (ITAA) to regain control of her life.
Olivia’s particular manifestation of this kind of addiction turned out to be binge-watching TV series and movies.
Listening to podcasts and audiobooks ran a close second.
When this really unusual behaviour first started happening it didn’t cross my mind that it might be an addiction. I just thought I must be really lazy, I must be a bad person… Why can’t I just pull myself together and stop watching TV when everyone around me can just watch an hour and then stop.
Olivia’, Member of Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous
So there is a lot of shame, and I didn’t understand what I was dealing with was actually a neurological condition, a disease.
Olivia’, Member of Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous
ITAA describes itself as a Twelve-Step fellowship of individuals who support each other in recovering from Internet and technology addiction.
“This includes addiction to social media, smartphones, streaming video or audio content, games, news, pornography, dating apps, online research, online shopping, or any other digital activity that becomes compulsive and problematic.”
Olivia found the programme during the COVID lockdown when she say she was at a point of desperation and hopelessness after years of struggling with her addiction.
It was really impacting my daily life and my ability to take care of my basic needs, especially sleep, but also hygiene and eating… I couldn’t watch just one movie like most people can.
Olivia’, Member of Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous
One tool used by ITAA that Olivia found particularly useful is the concept of top, middle and bottom lines.
It is similar to the “three circles” model used by many fellowships to identify those things that once you start, you can’t stop she says
Once I start watching YouTube or any kind of TV show or movies I just cant stop, so those things I do actually completely abstain from as if I were an alcoholic abstaining from alcohol.
Olivia’, Member of Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous
She also completely abstains from listening to podcasts and audiobooks.
These are things she’s proven to herself that she is unable to use in moderation, Olivia says.
I tried everything I could think – setting boundaries, setting timers, using blocker apps. I tried keeping my laptop at a friend’s house, I’ve been in therapy for this… It’s just become clear that if I cant use in moderation the solution is not to use them at all, and to find healing from the things that make me want to use.
Olivia’, Member of Internet and Tech Addicts Anonymous
The “middle lines” Olivia describes as those things which are triggering and can lead you down a slippery slope.
“There are certain areas of the Internet for me which contain lots of content to do with the things that i would then binge on, so I try my best to avoid those… If I do have a good reason to enter into those I just need to be really aware that I’m getting into a dangerous zone.”
The “top lines” include things like working on her programme of recovery, getting enough sleep, eating healthily and also doing exercise.
Listen to the first part of this fascinating conversation in the audio clip below:
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