March 26, 2012

Schedule your Internet access

QUESTION

Hi Kim. My wife is struggling to get off the Internet at a reasonable time, frequently coming to bed at 2 or 3 a.m. and sleeping late the next day. She is open to a software program that would automatically disable the Internet at night. We have a MacBook Pro, iMac, and the new iPad. Can you recommend a solution? This is really starting to affect our home life.
-Dan from San Antonio, TX, listens to my national radio show on WOAI 1200 AM.

ANSWER

I'm not a professional, Dan, but I'd say your wife is showing signs of Internet addiction. It's a very real problem that I've addressed before for children and teens.

A good source of information on Internet Addiction is reSTART. The website includes a test to help you decide whether or not you are too dependent on technology.

It also includes lists of symptoms and criteria that may be a tip-off for addiction. If it does look like your wife is at risk, you will want to bring in a trained and licensed psychologist.

Before you head down that road, however, setting up time-based Internet access is definitely worth a shot.

Read on to learn some practical ways for controlling when the Internet is accessible. >>

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