Today, Sherry Gaba (of Celebrity Rehab 2, 3, and Sober House fame) is sharing with us:
“A friend of mine today was helping me on the computer and we took a break to look at some of the beautiful hiking pictures she had taken over the weekend. As I was looking at the pictures, I realized it had been a long time since I had viewed anything remotely close to nature. I mean really looked. Yes, I drive back and forth to work each day, go to the market, run errands, and so on, but have I even taken the time to notice what surrounds me. I literally live across the street from one of the largest public parks with tons of hiking trails, and I am embarrassed to say I have never even hiked one of those trails. It hit me; I have become addicted to the very thing that keeps me away from nature, the internet. If I am not tweeting, emailing, face booking, or blogging, I am working with a client, driving, eating, sleeping, and yes, watching Celebrity Rehab I must confess. I even just recently took a class on social media. Yes, all this is good for business and can be entertaining, but it cannot replace god’s country (nature).
I had learned recently that there may even be a new diagnosis for Internet addiction in the The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which is published by the American Psychiatric Association and is the go to place for psychiatrists and psychotherapists to diagnose their clients.
As a psychotherapist, I understand that one of the criteria for something being labeled an addiction is whether or not there has been negative consequences linked to that addictive behavior. Well, if I haven’t looked at a sunset lately, a snow capped mountain, or a park in my own backyard, maybe I am addicted to the internet. The consequences are that I am missing out on not only the beauty that surrounds me but by also not being present. By not noticing what is around me, I miss out on the inner stillness and the inner wisdom that comes from being present. I don’t know if there needs to be a diagnosis or not for internet addiction, but today was certainly a wakeup call to take my head out of the computer and to once again smell the roses.”
Sherry Gaba, LCSW, is a Psychotherapist and Life Coach in Agoura Hills, CA. She specializes in addictions, trauma (Post-traumatic stress Disorder), Depression, and Anxiety Disorders. She also works with adolescents and couples. She is the Life Coach and Psychotherapist on Celebrity Rehab 2, 3, and Sober House with Dr. Drew on VH1. She also is a contributing author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tough Times, Tough People.” She can be reached athttp://sgabatherapy.com/AgouraHillsPsychotherapy.en.html
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