Signs of Addiction to Online Social Networking

Online social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace have become a big part of many people's lives. These online networks can be useful tools for staying in touch with friends and family. They give us the opportunity to share photos, videos, news, stories and daily minutia with our friends and loved ones. They help us to reconnect with old friends we haven't seen in years.

Signs of Social Network Addiction
Social networking sites are particularly popular with teens, who have a seemingly unending need to share every detail with their friends. But when is it too much? How can you tell if your child has crossed the line from using social networking sites in an appropriate way to abusing them? Here are some warning signs of social networking addiction.

1. Your child spends less face-to-face time with friends and family as a result of spending too much time on the computer.
2. Your child routinely loses track of time, spending hours on social networking sites.
3. Your child routinely stays up much later than his usual bedtime, perusing social networking sites.
4. Your child feels anxious if she isn't near a computer to check her pages and updates.
5. Hobbies and activities your child used to enjoy are ignored because he's spending so much time online.
6. Important tasks and homework go undone, while your child spends hours online.
7. Your child thinks about social networking sites, even when she's not near a computer.

If your child is exhibiting even a couple of these warning signs, you may want to reevaluate the time he spends online. This type of addiction can have serious detrimental affects, such as failed relationships and poor school performance. It's normal for kids to be obsessively enamored with something new, but when that love drags on for weeks, it's time to take action.

Cutting Back on Online Social Networking
Simply taking the computer away won't solve the problem; it only postpones it. Your child needs to find a healthy balance between social networking and everyday life. There are steps you can take to help your child find that balance. 

1. Spending more quality time with the family. It is quite common for an addict to be spending hours online while siblings are right in the next room. Have your child turn off the computer, and go spend some time with the family. Instead of logging on after school, make plans to meet up with friends in person.
2. Use the reward system. Make a deal with your child to complete schoolwork first, then allow a little time to check Facebook or Myspace.
3. Set a timer. Allow your child 20 minutes or so, then turn the computer off.
4. Make an effort to be totally unplugged. Leave the computer at home on family vacations. If you're planning a family trip to the beach or a park, insist that cell phones be left in the car, so there are no distractions.

If your child is still finding ways to spend hours online, you need to take a more aggressive approach. Parental filtering software can ban certain Web sites, or you can ground your child from using the computer. If the problem is this extreme, you should treat it like any other addiction. Find out why your child is so hooked on social networking, then look for other ways that your child can meet those same needs.