Posts Tagged ‘addictions’

Internet Addiction…America’s New Dysfunction

// February 3rd, 2010 // 10 Comments » // My Thoughts

I have heard of bizarre cases of internet addiction in China… and even that there are some pretty harsh boot camps in China to deal with internet addicts.  The odd thing is that the addicts respond in every way exactly like any other addict would when they are deprived of the object of their addiction.   It seems that the reality of internet addiction or “Excessive Internet use” is upon us… and is actually linked to depression.

Excessive Internet use is linked to depression

People who spend a lot of time browsing the net are more likely to show depressive symptoms, according to the first large-scale study of its kind in the West by University of Leeds psychologists.

To me this is a serious wake up call because I spend an incredible amount of time on the internet… (like right now writing this post!)  The reality is that we are slowly trading the personal interactions of the real world for the sterile transactions of the virtual world… No matter how we polish it,  the internet is slowly disconnecting us from the reality of our lives.    As we further disconnect from reality our morals and ethics become less important or even relevant to us because … after all … its not real! right?

In my head it feels like I have somehow looked into the face of advancing technology and seen too far… too far for comfort at least… and all I want to do is walk away… partly because I am beginning to recognize the intrinsic value of  life… inconvenience… and even Oranges… and partly because I have a very real feeling that in the not too far distant future possibly within in the next generation… that we will be struggling to retain our humanity as we become less connected to the physical world around us and more connected to more interesting “virtual” realities.

Getting back to the subject… statistics show that a good majority of our country is clinically depressed and rather than going after the key causes of depression we often choose to continue our lifestyles and sidestep the issue with medication.  I am not condemning the use of medication for the treatment of depression. I actually took Lexapro for a year myself for depression/anxiety.  My point is more that we cannot ignore the drivers that are creating the condition of depression in so many people!

  • How do we move forward as Christians in an increasingly disconnected society where social interaction is so sterile?
  • How can we deal with technology like the internet that is so addictive?

What do you think about this?

Tags: addictions, depression, internet addiction

Related posts

Selfishness

// May 30th, 2009 // No Comments » // My Thoughts

We all struggle with our flaws… addictions… compulsions.  Somehow religion has evolved to promote a sort of self loathing mentality. We have somehow been convinced by modern religion that if we focus on our imperfections then we can somehow root them out.  The sad truth is that the pinnacle of Christianity for some Christians is the very day that they are saved, on that very day they truly believe that salvation is a free gift. After that they begin trying to earn it. Somehow our culture of modern religion begins to convince them to start the life long task of trying to rip their flesh off their soul.  I truly believe that this is not what God intended for us. Jesus constantly corrected the religious leaders of the day because they focused on every little legalistic point and attempted to instruct others to do the same.

Our problem  is selfishness, pure unfettered unchecked selfishness. Addictions… selfishness. The sooner we realize that selfishness is the problem the better! from that point all we need to do is to focus on “loving the Lord your GOD with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself”   I know it sounds elementary and simple but that is the single solitary cure for all of the dissatisfied, angry, addicted, perverted, horrible, sad, etc. etc… people in the world.

Tags: addictions, Art, christian, Christianity, christians, depression, failure, God, jesus, Love, modern religion, Religion, righeousness vs. self righteousness, self loathing, selfishness, sin, truth

Related posts

About Me

// April 19th, 2009 // No Comments » //

jasonthebaldguyI am a man that has truly lived my life, for better or worse I have stumbled, tramped, ran, slid, walked and flown through more incredible, horrible, amazing, scary, wonderful, sorrowful, awe inspiring moments than many might experience in two lifetimes. I am learning patience, wisdom, faith, perception, meekness, and love by living and depending on Jesus Christ whom I met soon after meeting the girl of my dreams in a nightclub. If you want to know more about me… you should check out my blog… http:\\jasonthebaldguy.com

Tags: addictions, blog, Faith, jesus, jesus christ, Love, nightclub, patience, perception, porn, pornography, wisdom

Related posts

Stress… killing me softly

// January 26th, 2009 // 6 Comments » // My Confessions, My Thoughts

America lives on anti-depressants, the streets are littered with junkies, the high rises are packed with addicts. Movie theaters crowded with zombies, living-rooms and basements scattered with twitching bodies plugged into wireless xbox headsets, the malls are teeming with card swiping kleptomaniacs. Everyone trying to get their fix… is reality so bad that we must at every chance attempt to escape it?

About a year ago I experienced a panic attack and I have to say… stress definitely does not fight fair. I quickly got to a doctor thinking I had heart problems… after 5 weeks of tests.. I found out I was having panic attacks. I quickly evaluated the situation and decided to make some hard choices.

#1 get medicated
#2 find out what was causing the stress

One thing I have learned to do is not lie to myself because

  1. taking an honest look at your life has its benefits…
  2. evaluating yourself is cheaper than a psychiatrist
  3. I already know what the answers are I just need to admit them!

So I took an honest evaluation.. and found out some interesting things about myself…

  • I am more stressed when I don’t get enough sleep
  • I am more stressed when I don’t get everything done that I should have
  • I am more stressed when I worry about money
  • I am more stressed when I gripe at my wife
  • I am more stressed when I fuss at my kids
  • When I am stressed I like to “relax” – watch TV, play video games, surf the internet, and go shopping.
  • When I “relax” I am always fussing at my kids for interrupting me
  • When I “relax” I gripe at my wife for asking me to help her
  • When I “relax” I tend to spend money
  • When I “relax” I rarely take care of my responsibilities.
  • When I “relax” I often find myself staying up late and losing sleep.

this leads me to a formula that specifically describes why I have stress in my life..

S = N x T

Stress = (Number of Idols) x (Time spent satisfying my idols)

you may disagree with my formula… and you are welcome to! but hear me out.

Idolatry is the simple act of placing something at a higher priority than God. While we may often croon about how God is the most important thing in our life our actions betray us… He often is so far down on the list that it is hard to find him amongst all the other “important” things.

so the simple rule is… if you expend yourself more on something than you do on God… That, my friend …. is an idol.

If you look at Idolatry it has always been pretty stressful! look at the prophets of Baal when they had a showdown with Elijah… they danced around like idiots and and cut themselves… hoping that somehow the empty skies would rain fire on their altar. This went on for so long Elijah started making fun of them!…

Then he saunters over to God’s altar and says… ‘hey can you light this?’ (I know it is highly paraphrased) and God brought down a column of fire so hot that it evaporated all the water and turned everything else to ashes!

So I guess I need to spend less time with my Idols so I am not so stressed!

Tags: addictions, Art, choice, choices, Fun, games, God, idolatry, Kids, one thing, sin, stress, The Prophet, worry

Related posts

Why do I Exist!???

// November 20th, 2008 // 3 Comments » // My God

The question has been posed over and over again… in too many ways to count. “why am I here” “what is my purpose” “who am I”

The reason for our existence is an important question to answer, It governs how we look at the world. I would even venture to say that every single decision we make is governed by our understanding of why we are here. Sooo… Why are we here?
First we need to go back to the beginning….
God… 
John said “God is Love” this is very possibly a gross understatement but we get the point.
So what is love?  
Love by definition requires an “object” a “focal point” a “recipient”
Love by definition also requires that the “giver” expend themselves for the “recipient”
So if God is Love, Then it is easy to understand that he wanted a “recipient” to expend himself on, It is his nature to do so. 
So, God created us so that he could love us?  - makes sense
what else?
Absolutely nothing… I know.. it seems stupid. but hear me out.
Why do you have kids?.. so that they can do something for you? so that they can have more kids? so that you can punish them?  what is their purpose?
Children are a product of  Love,  and they are an object of love. They exist to be Loved!
Let’s apply this to the real world and see if it lines up with what the bible teaches.
  1. Love the Lord God with all your might.
  2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
Jesus specifically stated that the entire spirit of what God wanted was all wrapped up in those two “commandments”  
Well what about “Sin” and “Spreading the Gospel” … all of those things.
We tend to objectify so much these days that we lose sight of what matters. Sin has never been the “issue” it is a symptom of free will – and the knowledge of good and evil.  
Every time that we sin, we are choosing to love ourselves, over either God or someone else,  The reason that God even gave the “Love Commandments” is to reveal his nature. He wants us to be like him because he loves us. Just as we hope that our children will be like us and do everything in our power to teach them.
So when we choose to love ourselves more than God or others, we get caught up and injure others. The consequences of our actions are then very visible leading us to repent from our selfishness and learning once again that Love is the only solution.
here are a few quick bullet points.
  • how does this apply to habitual sinners ?

What is the reason for habitual sin?    - a selfish person chooses to put themselves above God and continue to injure others.  If they allow God to love them and learn to love others then their habitual behavior will go away- Including addictions!

  • how does this apply to being a good christian?
well,  since being a christian is little more than choosing to allow God to  love us and accepting the gift of Jesus.  - you are pretty much done!
  • But what about doing good works

you are still missing it here… if you love people,  you take care of them!  what’s so hard to understand about that?

  • what about “Spreading the Gospel”  Don’t I have to “Do something”?

Well… again,  You fell in love, and you are not telling anybody about it? … I find that hard to beleive!

More on this soon!!!
Tags: addictions, beleive, christian, consequence, consequences, God, jesus, Kids, Love, purpose of existence, selfishness, sin, spirit, why am I here

Related posts

The Vacuum

// September 30th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // My Thoughts

You  know what it is… its the point that all of the things that  you are used to… inspiration, perception, your personal sense of connection with God, even just the things that you like doing. somehow they feel.. well… a little weird? disconnected almost. The dreaded Vacuum!! 

100% lack of everything.. no air.. no anything!  
I found myself there in the past few months, the place where no matter how hard you struggle you are not gonna go anywhere.
So when I end up like that. I typically evaluate everything- my job, my hobbies, my addictions, my passions, my relationships- like I said “everything”.  Once I take stock of the situation I try to step back to the “last known good” settings. Not always a favorite thing to do, but very necessary. And slowly… as I step away from the things that I should, and refocus. I can finally breathe again!
…deep breath… alright lets try this again!
Tags: addictions, dread, God, perception, relationships, the past

Related posts

Web Analytics