How to get rid of the computer forever. Ways to get out of computer addiction. Most addicted to gadgets

Universal computerization is a real scourge of the 21st century. These machines have entered our lives so densely and everywhere that the plots of science fiction films about the capture of the world by machines no longer seem so fictional. Today, every 3rd inhabitant of the planet suffers from computer addiction. How to overcome a bad habit - this article will tell.

Signs of computer addiction

Virtual reality is gaining more and more fans. Especially many of them are teenagers. What is especially dangerous, because the psycho-emotional development of the child is in full swing. So, how to understand that your child suffers from a computer addiction:

decline in physical activity;
constant bad mood;
severe anxiety and nervousness;
lack of interest in reality;
the desire to finish any business as soon as possible and return to the gadget;
aggression;
irritability when trying to distract the child from the game;
cannot complete the game on time, spends days and nights at the computer;
spending money on upgrading equipment;
skipping meals, eating fast food while playing;
neglect of hygiene;
during games, the child becomes happy;
abuses coffee and other stimulants.

For your information, addiction manifests itself much faster than alcoholism or drug addiction. It takes 4-6 months of frequent "freezing" in the virtual world for the craving to form.

The main reasons to spend time at the computer:

communication in social networks;
games.

Addiction to computer games

The most dangerous is the addiction to games. "Sitting" on sites for communication does not have the same attractiveness and destructiveness as going into a parallel reality.

What is dangerous gambling:

destruction of a person's social ties, his degradation in terms of communication;
deviation of behavior, aggressive attitude towards the world around;
decrease in brain activity, transition to communication in short phrases from the game;
health problems.

Damage to health caused by prolonged pastime at the computer:

sleep disturbance, chronic fatigue;
lack of physical activity affects the whole body and, first of all, a lack of oxygen;
the development of psychological problems - hallucinations, the initial stages of schizophrenia;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - gastritis, ulcers, constipation;
haemorrhoids;
drying of the mucous membrane of the eye;
wrist pain;
scoliosis and other problems with the spine;

Computer addiction in teenagers

And what in general motivates a child to concentrate his life around this smart machine? “They are all now obsessed with their phones, set-top boxes,” you say, and you will be right. Because even a mild form of addiction suffers from every teenager today. This is due to the fact that communication is gradually replacing live conversation. Virtual dialogue is convenient because:

no need to leave the house;
you can combine communication with your personal affairs;
there is time to carefully consider the answer and make a better impression than in reality;
fashionable to communicate through social. networks.

And here are the factors that initially push the teenager into the tenacious paws of the computer:

an attempt to relieve nervous tension;
departure from reality, in which there are only constant conflicts with everyone around;
the desire to assert oneself - in the game it is much easier to achieve something;
dissatisfaction with one's appearance, oneself in general;
the need for communication and for the qualitative construction of a dialogue in life;
desire to avoid increasing responsibility;
broken system of values;
alienation from the family, strengthening the authority of peers;
desire to escape from parental care;
an attempt to demonstrate autonomy and independence;
an attempt to find friends when in life relationships with peers do not add up.

Treatment of computer addiction

The therapy of this addiction is based on demonstrating to the child the beauty of ordinary life, the very one from which he seeks to escape.

Much in this matter depends on the parents, but it is impossible to do without the help of specialists. The psychotherapist will analyze the personality, identify what needs the child was forced to leave for the virtual world and suggest the best methods of struggle.

Parents are required to:

give the teenager enough time;
set a block on unwanted resources - category 18+, scenes of violence, etc.;
demonstrate absolute parental love, unwillingness to control and crush a teenager, namely, experience;
to organize a quality child, to inspire him as much as possible with optimism and a desire to live in reality;
be sure to send the child to a circle or section, this will help him find like-minded people, which will already put the computer in the background.

Take your teenager to nature, play ball, go to a concert with him. Learn to listen to your child and find compromises.

Prevention of computer addiction

As a prevention of gambling addiction, it is recommended to devote more time to the child. Of course, in the modern world, working parents do this quite difficult. However, everyone can find at least 10 minutes a day and have a heart-to-heart talk with a child.

It is recommended, if possible, to limit the child's stay with gadgets in their hands. But not by force! Find him an interesting hobby in real life, pick up a hobby that will be really interesting to him. Interested in shooters? Please, to the shooting lessons and to the shooting range. Do you like fighting games? And let him learn to do these tricks himself, in any interesting section of hand-to-hand combat. Do you like planes or cars? There are also a bunch of options for models from various materials that can be assembled, glued and painted. Any person can find something to their liking, it is only important to awaken in him the desire to do it.

Love your child and be attentive to his life. Today, there are a lot of different dangers on the Internet - cruel videos, perverts disguised as peers, propaganda of drugs and suicide. The best way to prevent all this is to be your child's friend and have a strong trusting relationship. Be aware of all the events of his life.

It is also important to be a good example for the child. If a child is allowed to spend no more than 2 hours a day with a gadget, then adults do the same. Think about whether the child turned to the computer following your example.

Almost every family has a computer. With it, you can communicate with friends, participate in entertainment programs, conduct business while working remotely. Both children and adults fall under the power of technological progress. Along with the benefits, it carries a destructive tendency - highly addictive.

Therefore, the question is relevant: how to get rid of computer addiction? Dependence on a computer and the Internet is defined through a set of symptoms:

Free time is completely devoted to studying at the computer.
The constant need to check email, communicate through social networks, sit at computer toys, etc.
The virtual world is of great importance. Outings with loved ones and interaction with real people are kept to a minimum.
The computer, games, the World Wide Web are the main or only stable hobby.
Turning off the Internet or breaking a laptop causes irritation, anger, and leads to stress.

The presence of three (or more) signs indicates the formed pathological computer addiction. Understanding the existence of this problem is the first step to getting rid of it.

Possible Causes of Computer Addiction

The phenomenon of dependence has serious reasons. Its occurrence is associated with factors:

Infantilism and laziness

These qualities characterize a weak personality. The individual does not want to deal with everyday affairs, real work, take responsibility for his life.

The desire for quick and easy accumulation, which is not realized in real life, leads to the desire to receive points, points, money in computer games.

introvertism and loneliness

Closure in the inner world can lead to limited external contacts, but the need for communication remains. There is a hypercompensation of this desire in virtual communication with the players.

Pathological development of the psyche

Assumes a general tendency towards dependence on people, phenomena, and ways of acting. Internet addiction is a private option.

The concept of computer toys

Gambling is directly related to the pathological addiction to the computer. From a medical point of view, gambling addiction (dependence on computer games) is considered a disease. It is necessary to understand why adolescents develop computer addiction. One of the reasons: the child has a lot of free time, nothing to do, and the computer is an affordable way to entertain himself.

On the other hand, there may be a conscious departure from an unsatisfactory reality. Toys are able to give a person what he is deprived of in reality. Teenagers feel powerful, significant, endowed with talent and special, get the necessary dose of communication with like-minded people when they are in the game.

The role of social networks in the formation of dependence

The information component is manifested in Internet addiction: the need to know the latest news, to search for information on various issues, thus obtaining various knowledge. The addiction to social media has a strong emotional element.

Communicating with the help of online services, an adult or teenager satisfies his desire, first of all, in interaction with people, emotions and feelings. It is in the virtual world that it is easier to get what you want and build relationships. From a distance, it is convenient and safe to do this. The successful realization of personal needs through the computer and the World Wide Web reinforces and strengthens computer addiction.

Ways to get out of computer addiction

How is computer addiction treated?

A recent, unstable computer addiction can be easily corrected. At the initial stages, you can try to solve this problem yourself, in difficult cases, a specialist who has experience and knowledge of how to treat computer addiction should intervene. The following tips will help reduce the impact of your computer.

Getting rid of addictions takes time, it is unproductive to give up the computer right away. But every day you can gradually reduce the number of hours that a person spends behind him.

To make the exit from the state of addiction less painful, you need to pay attention to other hobbies or come up with a new hobby. To compensate for a sedentary lifestyle, walking and playing sports are ideal.

Collective pastime - meetings with friends, events for the whole family - will not only strengthen family ties and improve the psychological atmosphere at home, but will form the right priorities for the child.

Technology is more than just a computer. Informative programs can be found on TV, and an e-book will also be a useful purchase.

In the course of excommunication from the virtual world, the appearance of negativism and "breaking" is often noted. Close relatives need to go through this difficult stage together with the addict in order to return him to normal life. Here, the assistants will not be assertiveness and retaliatory aggression, but benevolence, participation and a sincere desire to share the problem with and come to a solution.

Negative consequences

Computer addiction is especially dangerous for teenagers and schoolchildren. Their fragile psyche quickly gets used to a new hobby, the child soon “sits down”, dependence begins to appear.

There is a whole range of negative consequences of the passion for the Internet and computer games:

appetite disorder (irregular, malnutrition);
sleep disturbance;
rachiocampsis;
decreased visual acuity;
headache;
emotional difficulties: irritability, nervousness, anger;
inadequate assessment of reality, misunderstanding of one's destiny in the world;
, lack of communication with real people, isolation, passivity;
deterioration of relations with parents and relatives (the psychological atmosphere in the family becomes tense).

Today, when a computer has ceased to be a luxury, and connecting to the Internet has become almost a severe necessity, doctors often face such a diagnosis in their practice as the situation is getting worse day by day, because the number of Internet addicts is growing at a breakneck pace. Many psychologists are even beginning to put this disease on a par with addiction to nicotine and alcohol, which, in principle, is not surprising, because those who sit at monitors with manic attachment have problems with their psychological state and health from the point of view of physiology. Again, the treatment of computer addiction is complicated by the fact that those suffering from it often trigger the disease, simply not considering themselves sick, as well as alcoholics.

One of the first warning signs is that you have stopped keeping track of the time you spend on the computer. You can not always immediately find out what time it is. There is fatigue, both physical and emotional. You do. Perhaps even the onset of a depressive state, from which it is by no means so easy to get out. Any free minute you strive to “hang” behind the monitor again. You can even randomly open links and read information that you absolutely do not need, as long as it is on the other side of the screen. Like other addicts, you will experience withdrawal during those periods when access to the computer is closed due to its breakdown, power outages in the apartment, etc.

Watch yourself or your loved ones - maybe it's time to diagnose such an ailment of our time as computer addiction. You can try to treat it on your own first. If the disease is not very advanced, then in this way you can avoid seeking help from professionals.

How to get rid of computer addiction: dose your time!

This step, in principle, is the main thing in the question of getting rid of such an ailment. You are unlikely to be able to completely eliminate the time spent at the computer, so just try to dose it for now. Start gradually reducing the amount of time you usually spend in front of a monitor. Do only those things on the computer that you have planned, and then immediately disconnect the machine from the network so that your hand does not accidentally make a couple of unnecessary mouse clicks.

Make a schedule for yourself, which will indicate what time you will sit down at the computer and how much time you will spend on it. As soon as your time is up, get up from the table immediately. At first, it will be difficult to get used to keeping track of the time, so you can use an alarm clock. Soon you will be able to get used to this routine, and after a longer period of time in order to sit at the computer, you will not need to. If necessary, you can make adjustments to your schedule, reducing or increasing the time frame for sitting at the computer. It will not be superfluous to detail your schedule, indicating in it specifically what things you have to do for your PC on a given day.

How to get rid of computer addiction: find a replacement!

Think about it, because the computer is essentially nothing special, therefore, it is quite possible to replace it with something. You can listen to music in the player or on the music center. The playback quality will not be worse, but it will distract you from the monitor. You can watch films on a DVD player, and if you have a modern LCD TV at your disposal, then you can be envied in general. No desire to buy CDs with music and movies? It doesn't matter, just download everything you need from the same Internet to disks or flash drives, turn off your PC and use the above technique to view and listen.

Replace virtual communication with real ones. If you have a friend who lives in the same city as you, go visit him or arrange a meeting in some interesting place, and do not write endless messages on a social network. You will immediately understand how much live communication is more pleasant and interesting than correspondence in ICQ, etc. And if you are a sociable person, then sit down at the computer, go to your chat and organize a meeting of your comrades in some cafe, where you can also have fun and chat together. So there will be much more emotions, and real ones, which can never replace short phrases and soulless emoticons.

Find a hobby that has nothing to do with computers. Such classes are sure to be found, you just need to think a little.

If you disappear on dating sites in search of a soulmate, then this activity can be completely replaced by walks around your city. So, you do not have to conduct many hours of correspondence with a virtual interlocutor, who may end up not at all who he claims to be. Throw away your complexes, boldly approach the people you like, get to know each other, take / give your phone number, arrange the next meeting.

Adrenaline, which computer game lovers are looking for, can be replaced by extreme sports, going to an amusement park or a cycle track, sailing on a yacht, visiting caves, skydiving, etc.

Now you know how to get rid of computer addiction. So, the only thing left is to realize that you need to change your life. At the same time, remember that it will definitely change for a much better side for you!

Computer addiction is a relatively new phenomenon that has come into our lives along with the ubiquity of personal computer technology. Until then, while computers were bulky and not very user-friendly machines, designed primarily for work tasks, there was no question of dependence on them. Well, who would think of sitting for hours in front of a machine capable of only numerical miscalculations and giving out dry factual information? But everything has changed with the evolution of PCs (personal computers), making them compact, intuitive and affordable devices. And the emergence of the worldwide computer network completely decided the fate of both the computers themselves and their users.

It is with Internet access that there is a surge of concern about the so-called computer addiction and the desire to get rid of it. Although most people who really devote most of their lives to the electronic "brain" do not consider themselves addicted and do not see the need to get rid of something. Panic seizes their relatives and close friends, who believe that they are losing their man. Instead of filling his free time with communication with them, walks in the fresh air and other socially useful activities, a "computer addict" person does not leave the room in which a desktop computer is installed, and if necessary, he takes with him a laptop. Is it addiction? Or a conscious desire not to part with familiar things? We will try to figure this out, at the same time answering the question of how to get rid of computer addiction and whether it should be done.

The essence and causes of computer addiction
Representatives of all age categories tend to spend a lot of time in front of the monitor: teenagers, schoolchildren, young people, and even owners of solid life experience. Computer addiction also does not differ by gender. And all because in the virtual information space, literally everyone can find something that will be interesting and exciting for him. I would also like to add “useful”, but this parameter is not always respected. Although both learning and earning a livelihood are also included in the spectrum of computer functions. And they even occupy quite popular positions. In general, there are several reasons to stay at the computer, and here is what the first five look like:

Communication. The computer provides a lot of opportunities for communication, replacing and offering an alternative to other means of communication. First of all, it is convenient for people who are at a great distance from each other. Special programs that allow you to see and hear the interlocutor, no matter where in the world each of you is, of course, are in great demand. In addition to them, there are a huge number of simpler and easier systems for text correspondence, exchange of images and files of any other content and format.
Once communication using a PC was limited to e-mail, then chats, forums and messenger programs appeared, faster and more convenient. The most popular type of exchange with the world of information about yourself today has become social networks. They are rightfully considered leaders in absorbing users' time. The most numerous and advanced of them combine the functions of all previous means of communication, including text correspondence, voice conversations and messages, the transfer of photos, videos and music files.
Games. They seized the attention and time of users even before the spread of the global computer network, but with the help of the Internet they have improved so much that it is really difficult to refuse them. Even the very first samples, which assumed an autonomous game against a programmed scenario, depending on the complexity of the graphic design, aroused the admiration of both children and adults. But with the advent of the possibility of multi-user connection, they broke all records of popularity. The game has become for a person sitting in front of a monitor not only a way to relax and take leisure time, but also to compete with others, prove their own skills to everyone and to themselves, measure their strength and even earn money.
Although more often computer games do not bring, but take away financial resources. To successfully complete virtual tasks, they require the purchase of certain items, painted weapons, and character abilities. Sale inside the game world takes place with the help of fictitious conventional monetary units. Formally, they can be earned if you do well at the game, but in practice it is so difficult that most players exchange completely real money for virtual ones. On the basis of that system, entire companies were formed that receive considerable income from people addicted to computer games.
Internet surfing. Computer databases contain a literally unlimited amount of information on any topic, and this is their characteristic contradiction. On the one hand, a computer connected to the World Wide Web can provide an answer to almost any question that can come to mind. On the other hand, such an opportunity is very addictive, especially for people who are inquisitive and interested in certain data. The information on the web is linked by a comprehensive system of reciprocal and cross-references. Following them, you can endlessly go from page to page, from site to site.
Even such a seemingly constructive process takes a lot of time and ultimately brings little benefit. The human brain is not able to remember everything read, but it is very difficult to stop there. Especially when you get on the pages of a virtual encyclopedia, pointing at each other and promising to discover all the new secrets of the world. A lot of intellectual quests are built on this dependence. Passing them, people really spend their time more productively than in ordinary games, but at the same time they are in a state of illusory usefulness of this process.
Working with a computer– response to the requirements of the new time and the use of modern technologies for the benefit. The computer stores and transmits huge amounts of information, easily calculates the amount of data inaccessible to human intelligence, and does all this very quickly. In addition, it is a closed system that serves itself and creates new ways and means of computers and with computers. With this in mind, it is difficult to characterize work addiction as a negative characterization.
However, it is possible. You can work at a computer around the clock, and this is detrimental to health. And since the machine does not get tired, then a person, carried away, can sit for days on the solution of an actual production problem. This is especially true for creative individuals whose work is associated with surging inspiration or vice versa, its absence. Doing work with the help of a computer at first relaxes, allows you to postpone it for the future. And then it forces you to make up for lost time, not sparing your body. In addition, the computer often distracts from work, not allowing you to concentrate.
Studies. Here the dependence manifests itself rather not from the very acquisition of new knowledge, but from the seductive possibility of a significant simplification of this process. The computer replaces huge libraries and museums in terms of the amount of information. But at the same time, it eliminates the need to spend time and effort on its study. If earlier, to do homework or prepare an essay, it was necessary to spend several hours in the reading room, searching the pages and outlining the necessary data bit by bit, now it is enough to download a file containing both texts and illustrations for them in a compiled and compressed form.
In finished form, anything is downloaded from the Internet: term papers, answers to tasks of control and tests, even graduation projects and dissertations. But in fact, this is plagiarism, because the schoolboy and / or student did not think and did not master these works, someone else did them for him. Yes, and purely psychologically, information obtained without much effort is absorbed poorly. Although the computer provides an opportunity for learning, attending virtual workshops and courses remotely is a plus. But only on condition that the student consciously approaches the studied material and really delves into its content.

We have given all these features and varieties of computer addiction with the aim that you can not only identify your own ailment, but also realize its depth. Because, depending on it, the dependent person is threatened with certain consequences. In the case of computer addiction, their danger lies in the fact that they can simultaneously be both a cause and a consequence of a painful attachment to the electronic mind. So, in one way or another, people who spend the lion's share of their leisure time in front of the monitor show:

physical inactivity, loss of motor activity, health problems of the musculoskeletal system, digestive system, vision;
psychological isolation, loss of communication skills outside the computer and the need for them;
loss of social status, real social circle, deterioration of relations with relatives and family members;
financial problems, debts;
infantilism, intellectual underdevelopment and / or obsession with a limited range of topics.

All these signs should not be underestimated and left to chance. And, if you see their obvious manifestation in yourself or a loved one, then do not waste time and take measures as soon as possible to get rid of computer addiction before it causes too much damage to health and normal life.

Ways to treat computer addiction
Since we have recognized the dependence on the computer as not quite healthy, then decisive action should be taken to get rid of it. It can be considered luck if it is about you personally, and you yourself are ready to change yourself and your lifestyle for the better. But to convince, and even more so to force, to change another person is much more difficult. Especially when it comes to an adult man or a ruffy teenager. Then you will need all the patience, tolerance and diplomatic skills to do the following step by step:
In addition to these practical recommendations, a small psychological incident can help you get rid of computer addiction. Please note: in search of a recipe for getting rid of the computer, you turned to ... the computer. On the one hand, we are glad to be able to help you with advice and support your useful undertaking. On the other hand, such a situational oxymoron is very symbolic: it confirms the impartiality of the computer. Virtual reality is neither bad nor good - it is what you see it. And it gives you exactly what - information, activities, ideas - that you are looking for in it. So, nothing can prevent you from using it in a dosed way and for your own good. Like any tool invented by mankind with a creative purpose and transformed in the process of use. It is in your power to understand this and return everything to normal.

Although computers are very useful and convenient devices, they are often addictive. Nowadays, many children spend too much time on the computer. If this problem has affected your child, it is probably frustrating for you as a parent. Computer addiction is so strong that it is compared to drug addiction, and excessive computer use can lead to serious problems in the future. Help your child overcome computer addiction by setting a limit on computer time, talk to your child and together find an alternative activity that will be of interest to him.

Steps

Limit your computer time

Set a password on your computer that only you will know. The child will have to ask you for permission to turn on the computer and spend time on it. This method is especially good if the child is still small and does not need a computer for homework. But for older children, this method is also useful, especially if the child has a strong computer addiction.

If you are not at home, you can simply change the password on the computer every day and send it to the child (for example, by SMS) when he can spend time at the computer.

Install a parental control program on your computer. Perhaps you are worried about the fact that the child can sit at the computer while you are not at home. But you can install a parental control program (or mode) on your computer, thereby restricting access to websites. These options can be set on the router, in Windows settings, or through a website (such as Norton).

Allow your child to sit at the computer only after he finishes the rest of the business. Teach your child to prioritize by requiring them to do homework and chores before using the computer. Make a checklist of all the chores and tasks your child needs to complete each day, and hang this list on the refrigerator. Teach your child to treat computer time as a privilege, not a right.
- In addition, you can organize some activity - a family evening or some interesting family game - that must be completed before sitting down at the computer.
- Tell your child that before sitting down to play at the computer, he must complete the tasks from the list. When you get home from work, check to see if your child has completed all your tasks. If the tasks from the list are not completed, come up with some kind of small punishment.
- It is important to agree with all relatives (including the second parent or guardian) about these rules, as well as discuss the system of rewards and punishments for the child.
Try creating zones without a computer. Allow your child to use the computer only in shared rooms (such as a break room or living room). Do not allow your child to sit at the computer in their room or during dinner, or when the family is spending time together.
- If possible, make sure your child has one computer for homework (if necessary) and another for relaxing and playing. Thus, you will be sure that the child does not deceive you and really does his homework. On the “working” computer, all gaming sites, social networks, and so on should be blocked.
- If you're worried about your child using a laptop in their room when you're not home, take away or hide the charger or battery and give it to your child only when you get home.
Set a limit on the use of the computer. Limit computer time by setting a limit of no more than two hours per day (if the child is over two years old). Children under two years of age should not spend much time in front of a computer monitor or TV. This rule may apply if the child spends time at the computer for non-educational purposes. Set a timer so your child knows how much more time they can play on the computer.
- At first, you can try to warn the child in 15 minutes, announcing to him that time is gradually coming to an end.

Find alternative activities

Offer your child alternative activities. Play board games with him, go to the library or visit friends to chat. If a child has become addicted to a computer, prepare for a difficult time (a few days or weeks) because the child's brain is no longer responding to your calls and you will have to re-educate him. Even if you offer your child alternative activities, he may simply not respond to them.
- Allow the child to choose a game or express his ideas about what he would like to do.
- Remember that it is quite normal for a child to feel bored, it is even useful, because it encourages the child to be creative and develop himself.
Spend time with your family and put away your phones and computers. Spend time together every day, at which time all family members should stop using electronic devices. These include phones, computers and televisions. Have regular family dinners so that you can chat with your family, relax and laugh a lot.