My name is John, I am 22 years old and I have been an internet addict throughout most of my teenage years. I had enveloped into the internet world as a means to escape from the real world. As my grades in school were getting from bad to worse, my depression left unresolved, and having moved homes for the 4th time, the internet was the perfect get away. I would spend twelve to fourteen hours a day on the internet, and then sleep again for another twelve  hours as my internet addiction progressed. On a daily basis I would have have one to two meals daily consisting mainly of fast food (Mcdonald’s, Pizzahut, Dominos, Kfc).

 

The hardest part of being addicted was not the occasional headaches, nausea, back aches, or losing touch with reality and a sense of time. No, it was the repeated days of staring into a screen and only having your own thoughts to ponder in. Mentally it was the most torturing feeling I had ever experienced in the entire 22 years of my life. It was like being in an endless wormhole and never knowing when you will reach the end. Thankfully through years of spiritual guidance, and a willingness to give myself a chance at life again; I managed to break free from the prison of addiction, shame, guilt, and a mindset of being “not good enough.” 

 

Once I came out from my years of being addicted, I have learned that truly nothing is impossible. I have grown to have a deeper appreciation for life and my loved ones around me. I am eager to learn and take back all that I had lost during my internet addiction. Even though the road may get rough and the storms lie in wait for me, I am confident that I will not give up on life without a fight.