The Internet offers such a wide variety of information, fun, games and more. But it also offers a new addiction for mankind: Internet addiction. Symptoms can include excessive checking of email throughout the day; excessive use of the Internet; participation in illegal, unethical, immoral and / or unhealthy activities online like gambling, excessive gaming, porn, etc.

But there's hope! Just like other addictions, there are 12 step groups and plenty of other support for Internet addicts. And here are helpful tips, too.

Break for Offline Time

First of all get help by checking with your doctor for referrals and any 12-step recovery programs in your area. Even if you don't have a group specifically targeted for Internet recovery yet, you can easily adapt most 12-step programs to suit your own addiction.

As you can, enlist the help and support of healthy people offline in the real world to help, too. Discuss the issue with people who will hold our confidence and offer support and encouragement, but it's not wise, at least at the beginning, to share with people you don't trust much or who have been known to not hold confidences. You need to feel safe to disclose info, to let it out and get past it with people who are mature enough to handle it.

Alternatives to Online Fun

A wonderful way to overcome a bad habit is to replace it with a new and good habit. So get creative, grab a notebook and write out alternatives to being on the Internet.

* Replace Internet time with extra work at a part time job earning money to donate to a worthy cause and to put towards a dream trip with your mate or best friend or mom, etc.

* Replace Internet time with a list of reading to catch up on: non-fiction, health, fitness, fiction, finance, business, etc.

* Replace Internet time with fun activities offline like walking to the park, walking with a friend and / or dog, biking, exercising, participating in a fitness class, enrolling in a local college, volunteering at any number of places that need help, etc.

And last but very important, each day, log when you get on the net, what you do there and why, and then log when you shut down, so you can monitor yourself and be responsible for your time online. Show your logs to a friend in confidence, if you like, to be held accountable for your actions. And make a date to do that once a week.

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