We've talked about the various symptoms of computer addictions and its potential for devastating people's lives, but there's also another type of computer addiction that's been identified, which has been labeled "positive addiction." It may sound like a contradiction of terms, but having a positive addiction is defined as obsessive behavior in which the benefits received outweigh the cost of the addiction.
When thought of in that way, the lines between obsession and addiction begin to blur, especially when there are many tradeoffs that need to be taken into consideration. For instance, it's a given that when computer usage begins to affect a person's daily life, including their work and personal relationships, causing financial and emotion hardships on themselves and those who love them, that’s a negative addiction. In fact, computer addiction is becoming one of the most often seen factors by marriage counselors across the country today. Spouses are increasingly turning to their computers rather than each other, and virtual infidelity is a rapidly growing problem among couples.
However, there are also many ways in which immersing oneself into the computer can actually help make a person a better, healthier, more aware human being. Not all the stuff on the Internet is bad, by any means. There's an incredible wealth of valuable, enriching material available in an endless variety in cyberspace, as well. For example, people with reduced social skills can actually become more self-confident when interacting with others on the Net, often to the point where they're able to get out more and face the real world with a renewed sense of self-worth. They can find friends, lovers, and even marital partners through the Internet, all of which can be life-changing and enhancing experiences.
In fact, there are a growing number of researchers who contend that meeting someone online may actually be a more intimate and revealing experience than face to face contact, because you're communicating your thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a more real way, free of the game playing and posturing that often accompanies real world dating. You get to know the inner person in a more direct, spontaneous way without worrying about facial expressions or inflections of the other person's voice. In a very real way, couples who made their first contact online often know each other in a deeper, more intimate way than couples who meet in the outside world.
In the end, it's important to remember that even if a person spends a significant amount of time on their computer every day, that doesn't necessarily mean that they're negatively addicted. Spending a considerable amount of time online doesn't always ruin a person's life or the lives of the other people about them. There are those who use their computers to reach out to others in a meaningful way and use the awesome power and positive aspects of the Internet to learn and grow in every area of their lives and to become better people as a result.
Jeanette Fisher helps home makers create homes for healing and happy living. In her research on happiness, she found that many people today suffer from depression and one big recent problem is computer addiction.
More information about Design Psychology Expert Jeanette Fisher
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Life Beyond Computer Addiction
