If you’re looking for information regarding your GEHA Health Plans Internet addiction coverage, you may be considered about the amount of time you or a loved one is spending on the Internet. While the increased availability of smartphones, tablets, and laptops has made connecting to the World Wide Web easier than ever, and for some people the temptation to remain “plugged in” around the clock is simply too much.
A 2012 study showed that Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD), an affliction associated with neurological complications, social problems, and psychological disturbances as a result of excessive Internet use, may exist in as much as 8.2 percent of the U.S. and European population. For these people, the simple act of signing and surfing for Web is no longer fun but rather an uncontrollable compulsion that can damage their physical and mental health and have negative repercussion on both their personal and professional lives.
Symptoms of Internet Addiction
Internet addiction can manifest itself in a number of ways. Possible physical and behavioral symptoms include:
- Losing track of time when playing, chatting, or surfing online
- Failing to complete real-world responsibilities due to excessive Internet usage
- Feeling guilty about Internet use
- Lying about or hiding the amount of time spent on the Internet
- Finding that Internet use is compromising your ability to uphold work, school, or social obligations
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Using the Internet as a way to cope with stress, anger, or anxiety
- Needing more and more time on the Internet in order to feel the same sense of happiness or euphoria
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or hand/wrist pain due to excessive typing
- Eye strain
- Back and neck aches
- Sleep disturbances such as insomnia
- Either weight gain (due to sedentary lifestyle) or weight loss (due to lack of nutrition/forgetting to eat)
If any of these symptoms ring true for either you or a loved one, it’s essential that you explore your GEHA Health Plans Internet addiction coverage now so that you can get the help you need.
Treating Internet Addiction
Your GEHA Health Plans Internet addiction coverage may or may not specifically provide for the treatment of addiction coverage, as it is a relatively new diagnosis, but treatment guidelines generally follow the same structure as treatment for other behavior-based disorders like gambling addiction or video game addiction. Treatment will focus on identifying and working to resolve underlying issues like obsessive compulsive disorder, stress, or emotional disturbances. You’ll also learn how to recognize your triggers and rechannel those compulsions into more positive behaviors. Recovery isn’t easy, but with the help of friends, families, and experienced professionals, it’s completely achievable.