What Is Excessive Internet Use?

Excessive computer use can cause headaches.

Many people go on the Internet daily to communicate with others or to get information. Computer users spend time online playing games, chatting with friends, doing research, watching videos, listening to music, looking at social media pages, reading news stories, buying or selling items, writing on blogs or forums, talking with romantic partners or taking classes. People can spend hours surfing the Internet, but some individuals spend too much time online. Their Internet use becomes excessive when they are on the Web so much that they neglect important duties and tasks.

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Internet Addiction
- Internet use becomes excessive when people become addicted to using the Internet. When people begin to go online more and more, experience physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms from refraining from using the Internet and spend so much time on the Internet that they neglect to do important everyday tasks, they have an addiction to the Web, according to the Virginia Tech Chemistry Department website. There is not set number of hours when Internet use becomes excessive, as it is different for contrasting people, according to Helpguide. Some people may have to be online for long periods of time for work or school, but computers users' Internet use becomes extreme when it causes them to develop other addictions, such as an addiction to porn, and starts to be an unproductive use of their time, according to the website.
Work, Home and School Issues
- Internet use becomes obsessive when people are no longer able to function normally. They don't get work, homework or chores done because they are spending too much time online; when they are on the Internet, they are engaging activities that aren't helping them to get important tasks finished. Spending too much time online looking at porn, gambling or chatting with strangers can be dangerous for individuals because it can cause them to develop financial or relationship problems. Sometimes, spending long periods of time online leads people to miss out on opportunities at school or work or fun time with others.
Interpersonal Issues
- Excessive Internet use is often characterized by the inability to communicate with others or maintain friendships or relationships with other people outside of an online environment. People who are on the Internet too much sometimes start to no longer spend time with or talk to people in person; they instead opt to use chat rooms, social media websites, email accounts or other online tools to talk with others. Spending too much time online often puts a strain on people's relationships with significant others, friends and family members because they aren't having meaningful face-to-face conversations and experiences with them. Computer use also becomes excessive when people don't develop the social skills to communicate with others in a non-virtual environment, according to the Future of Children, a collaboration between Princeton University and the Brookings Institution.
Health Issues
- People can develop major and minor health problems from surfing the Web for long periods of time daily. When they are sitting at their computers, they put strain on their eyes and back. They could develop back problems if they don't use correct posture. Sometimes, people who use computers excessively also develop headaches, neck problems, carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis in their wrists or hands. Excessive computer use can also be one of the factors that leads to heart problems because people spending a lot of time at computers aren't being active, according to "CBS News."

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What Is Excessive Internet Use?

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Internet Addiction

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