Internet Addiction Rehab Centers: Inpatient vs Outpatient Online Treatment Programs
Outpatient and inpatient internet addiction rehab centers can be the savior for those looking to beat their online and computer addiction.?
Internet addiction rehab centers aim is to help people with addiction issues to get help and go back to their normal lives.
The internet is one of the most impressive inventions, especially because of how networking is facilitated.
Communication has become so much easier today, however, sometimes using the internet can become rather compulsive and can get out of hand.
The internet is quite rewarding and it may be due to this that the issue is cropping up so quickly.
Addictions end up activating some brain areas that are associated with pleasure.
When these areas become activated, the brain produces more dopamine as well as other kinds of neurochemicals which leads to internet addiction.
Computer addiction treatment can be very helpful in battling internet addiction, especially for someone who is determined to get over it and lead a normal and productive life again.
What are computer and internet addiction?
Computer and internet addiction is the compulsive use of the computer and internet and the inability to stop.
This is a global problem and it brings about serious issues to one’s life. It is made worse because of how tablets, laptops, and computers have become so common.
Researchers Weinstein and Lejoyeux report that in the United States and Europe, internet addiction has a prevalence of between 1.5% and 8.2%.
According to the Standford University School of Medicine, it is believed that those who are addicted to the internet spend about 30 hours a week on non-important computer use.
Everyone uses and experiences the internet differently.
There are those of us who need to use the internet because of the jobs they do.
There are yet others who use it to socialize with friends and relatives who live far away.
The problem arises when the internet starts to make you neglect some of the most important things and responsibilities in your life, this can cause a negative impact on relationships, work, and school.
And when this becomes an addiction that causes the above issues, the best solution is to seek the right internet addiction treatment center for you or a loved one.
Internet addiction symptoms/signs
There are some indicators that could tell you that there is an addiction problem.
- Feeling euphoric if you are doing online activities
- Feeling guilty or defensive about how much you are using the internet
- Isolating yourself from family and friends
- Experiencing great levels of difficulty when it comes to handling tasks at work and at home
- Getting lost online and not being aware of how much time you have spent
Physical symptoms could include:
- Severe headaches
- Gain or loss of weight
- Carpal tunnel; syndrome
- Sleep issues
- Strained bison
- Behavior patterns aimed at avoiding withdrawal
The good news is that internet addiction treatment centers with their rehab programs can help one deal with the above issues.
Internet addiction health implications
There are many health implications that are brought about by internet addiction. Some are short term while others can be long-term. They include:
- Loss of weight: this especially if the person neglects eating due to the addiction. This can lead to the development of malnutrition and other related ailments
- The gain of weight: this is especially if the person binge eats as they surf the internet for long hours, lack of exercise makes things worse. In the long-term, ailments related to obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, aching joints, and heart problems can arise
- Vision issues: this arises because of the long hours staring at the screen
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Neck pain’
- Backache and wrist pain
- Getting addicted to pornography
Internet use and substance abuse
Sometimes those with internet addiction also have substance abuse problems such as alcohol, drugs, and nicotine like cigarettes.
When this is the case it is important that both are addressed and treated at the same time.
So when deciding on which computer addictions treatment facility to use for your rehabilitation, make sure that they address and set up programs to deal with both substance use and computer use problems.
Residential/inpatient online addiction rehab centers
It is important to get help when you are dealing with any computer addiction problem.
Internet addiction can be very serious and may need inpatient admission.
Sometimes getting help at a center is highly recommended since the addict gets access to round the clock care surrounded by professionals who are trained to handle such cases.
It is important to recover in an environment that is controlled and supervised. Taking advantage of such programs can be very helpful to patients.
You can choose a rehab center in any environment that you feel works for you.
Residential/inpatient internet addiction rehab centers have many benefits. Because of how freely we can access the internet today, controlling the usage can be very tricky especially for someone who is already hooked.
This is especially true for people with jobs that dictate the use of a computer that is already connected to the internet.
There are also those who work online.
When you attend such a residential program, you have the chance to step from that environment and train yourself to cope with the addiction.
During such treatment, other health issues that one may have or addictions can also be detected and treated. Some of these issues can affect the recovery journey, but when detected, things may get much easier for the patient.
Outpatient online addiction rehab centers
Outpatient internet addiction rehab centers programs are also available.
This is where the addict is required to attend several sessions in a week while still going on with their responsibilities at home and at work.
Such programs are flexible. In some cases, the inpatient addict switches to outpatient programs after leaving rehab so as to avoid a relapse.
Available payment options for your treatment programs
There are a lot of issues affecting the world today.
One of them is the many cases of internet addictions and this is why many rehab centers have become very flexible so as to allow as many people as possible to attend sessions.
Private health insurance companies are also coming through for their clients and helping them cover such costs.
Most rehab centers are also accepting this kind of payment.
Others have designed in house payment plans such as affordable payment installments that their clients can use.
Financing such as care credit is also accepted in most internet addiction treatment facilities.
It is time to consult with someone for help
Getting help is a very important part of computer addiction rehabilitation.
If you establish that you or someone close to you is dealing with internet addiction, it is important to seek help as soon as possible.
Without rehabilitation, the issue does not go away and indeed becomes worse.
It is important to get in touch with internet addiction rehab centers where you can get a free consultation and a help plan for your particular issue. Internet addiction should not be taken lightly.