Not all of these may apply, but if more than two describe you and your current blogging lifestyle it could be a red flag that blogging is impacting your life in a negative manner.
To sort this out, ask yourself the following questions:
- Have you ever lost time from work because of blogging?
- Does blogging create problems for you with other people in your life?
- Do you blog because you feel shy and uncomfortable around others?
- Have you ever felt guilty about blogging?
- Have you ever argued with someone significant in your life about blogging and the time constraints involved?
- Are you more careless in other areas of your life because of blogging?
- Have you lost interest in other areas of your life since beginning to blog?
- Do you blog to escape anything in your life?
- Do you use blogging as a replacement for social interactions in the real world?
- Do you feel compelled to blog and then feel a sense of elation once the blog entry is published - yet the high is short-lived and you feel compelled to begin again?
- Do you feel restless if you do not blog?
If you answered “Yes” to two or more of those questions, blogging could be taking over your life.
Finally, let’s consider the characteristics of an addictive personality in general.
- Impatience with self and others.
- Anxiety in an exaggerated form. It is normal to feel anxious, but in addicts it is constant and chronic. Using the substance of choice, whether it be alcohol, substances, or the Internet, brings momentary relief.
- Grandiosity - feelings of deep worthlessness and low self-esteem covered by haughtiness or pretending to "have It all together."
- Perfectionism - setting impossible and improbable goals for oneself. Perceived failures result in guilt and self-deprecation.
- Rationalizations - Addicts of any sort are pros at this. Finding justifications for doing what one wants and making it all seem reasonable and plausible.
- Isolation - Blogging is so consuming that it prohibits you from forming deep and lasting relationships outside the Internet world. You becomes a loner in the real world.
- Sensitivity - to criticisms from others related to blogging behaviors.
- Impulsivity - Having a great idea for a blog post and feeling the need to address it and write about it immediately. Becoming irritated if you are unable to blog when the idea presents itself.
- Dependence - A strong dependence on others' reactions and responses to what was posted. A need to be affirmed.
Article comments
1 - Joanne Huspek
Oh, my! We've all got a problem, don't we?
2 - Irene Wagner
This isn't likely to be a very popular article, given the audience, but I took it to heart.
-Have I been message boarding today because I'm responding to something I feel passionately about?
-Is Saturday laundry day?
Um. Yes. And yes.
3 - Dr. Juliann Mitchell, PhD
Joanne and Irene,
Thanks for commenting. It's fine if it isn't too popular. Just had the thoughts rattling around in my brain and decide to put it to paper, well put it to the computer screen. I myself am a big fan of chocolate and yes I have been known to eat chocolate while I blog.
4 - Stephanie
I have friends that have so many blogs and are members of twitter and gather and this and that. Basically, I've been replaced by online buddies. It's sad.