Are there problems associated with Internet forums?

Answer 1

Problems associated with internet forums arise because participants give personal views and opinions. In the end, the solutions suggested are non-standard, there may be use of vulgar language and replies are not in real time.

Answer 2

Yes they are. They're usually full of trolls.

Addiction to internet forums can result in serious consequences. If you feel you suffer from an addiction to internet forums, read on for more information as well as suggestions on how to identify and overcome your addiction. It has been debated whether one can actually be considered addicted to the internet in general or if a more specific category of activity must be named in identifying the addiction, such as "chat addiction," "blog addiction," or in this case "internet forums addiction." While definitions of addiction may vary, one that fits well here is offered by Aviel Goodman, M.D. of the Minnesota Institute of Psychiatry. In a 2006 article in the journal Addiction, Goodman defines addiction as "a process whereby a behavior, that can function both to produce pleasure and to provide escape from internal discomfort, is employed in a pattern characterized by (1) recurrent failure to control the behavior (powerlessness) and (2) continuation of the behavior despite significant negative consequences (unmanageability)." So apply this definition to the behavior of a potential internet forums addict and you find that the person is unable to control the persistent involvement in internet forums and that even when significant problems arise from the involvement it continues.

Negative consequences will vary from individual to individual. Your primary relationship may suffer as you become more withdrawn and unavailable to your partner. Your job may be in jeopardy as you spend less time focusing on your work and more on how to sneak online to check in on your favorite forums. You may be falling asleep at your desk because you were up all night online. If your life circumstances are such that spending increasing amounts of time in internet forums isn't causing many disruptions (i.e. you live alone, you work from home, etc.), it may be more difficult to identify your addiction and its consequences early on. Do you find yourself thinking about logging on and getting forum updates when you are engaged in other activities (maybe in all other activities)? Do you turn down opportunities to engage with others offline in order to participate in the world online? Do you feel your life is unfulfilling except for your time spent in online forums? Are you unable to organize and prioritize your time to get necessary tasks done because you are constantly in forums? Are bills going unpaid, dishes piling up in the sink, and plants wilting from neglect? If these descriptions sound familiar, you are likely suffering from an unhealthy use of time in internet forums.

Internet forums are not inherently bad or unhealthy. They can provide a wealth of information as well as entertainment. The problem comes when, as mentioned previously, you lose control over the compulsion to engage in the behavior and you continue to do so even in the face of significantly negative consequences. Why shouldn't you spend all your time in internet forums? Because fulfillment will never come from an activity that is at best a way to gather information that is most often useless and at worst a distraction from your actual life. By logging off the internet and logging in to your life, you will find ways to garner true fulfillment and meaning. When we find ourselves flitting away hours at a rather unproductive task, we are most likely distracting ourselves from something we are trying to avoid. It may be painful emotions that you don't want to face. It may be admitting that you haven't found anything fulfilling in your life and aren't sure how to do so. Whatever the reason, it will not disappear just because you ignore it. Just as alcoholics awaken to find that their problems are still there in the morning (along with a headache), yours too face you when you leave the forum.

There are a few different ways to go about overcoming an addiction to internet forums. You can try first to conquer it on your own. Set a time limit for how long you will allow yourself to be online in forums. Also set the hours during which your online sessions will take place and stick to them. Set up accountability by telling your plans to a significant person in your life and ask that person to hold you to it. Such actions will help some addicts by merely restructuring their life and behavior; however, most people will find that there is an underlying reason to why they were spending so much time in such an aimless distracting endeavor and without addressing that reason they will struggle to give up the only way they have found to cope. If your life feels empty, work to find what will give it meaning. Revitalize relationships that you have allowed to stagnate. Engage in activities that you once found fulfilling or find new ones that you always wanted to try. If depression is at the core of the problem, a mental health professional should be sought out for consultation. Truly, it is likely that most people suffering from internet forum addiction could greatly benefit from working with a mental heath professional. It may be useful to find someone who specializes in addictions, but in reality the problems underlying your use are probably the same kinds of general reasons that people seek out therapists on a daily basis. To find a mental health professional in your area, internet searches are useful and Psychology Today provides a link to a therapist finder.