Resources

Over the years, hundreds of cyber-addicted folks have trusted me with their stories.  I am sure that one of the big factors in such trust being placed in me comes from my willingness to share my sordid tales of cyber madness.  I am not just someone who helps cyber junkies; I am one myself.

I have always enjoyed video games, even back in the days when they required an endless supply of quarter…

Every participant in my cyber recovery groups shares one thing in common: escapism. Video games, online social networking, and the Internet provide us with alternate realities, different worlds that allow us to avoid the unpleasantness and dissatisfaction of the world we inhabit. The extent to which we avoid our problems mirrors, in many respects, our risk for becoming cyber addicts.

Alex, a me…

When I was ten years old, a group of outlaw bikers stopped for a few hours in my grandparents’ idyllic lake shore community: Port Sanilac, Michigan. Close to a hundred bikers, many with a female companion in tow, milled around the town on that Saturday afternoon, striking panic into passers-by. None of the terror-stricken townspeople ventured so much as “hello” to the unwelcome hellions…

Cyber activities can enhance our ability to pay attention.  One study found, for example, that surgeons who play video games make fewer mistakes in certain laparoscopic procedures than their non-gaming colleagues.  But the video-gaming doctors who participated in the above study only played three hours per week, paling in comparison to the screen time logged by the majority of America’s childr…

I am a cyber junkie in recovery, but Alex, a 23-year old friend, is in a decidedly different league. Most of his favorite music comes from video game theme songs. Not only does he play video games incessantly, but he watches simulcasts of video game tournaments online! He thinks of little else. He has trouble holding down a job and has had to frequently move. Video games have eclipsed relationship…