This can't be healthy, and it needs to stop ASAP.

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My attachment to words on a screen, my hitting the "refresh" button countless times for hours on end looking for new responses or new posts, the way the world goes on around me weekend after weekend while I waste the hours away looking for connections with people with whom I most likely will never meet IRL.....

I am not saying that Internet forums are a bad thing, because they are actually quite good for many people.

In my case, however, I have become obsessive about them, and I am realizing that there is something seriously wrong with this picture.

At this point, while you are ill, this is probably the best thing to do.

When you get better, though, try to find "real life" outlets for your energies.

I can understand your frustrations and no, it's not healthy.

With your illness, it would be best to just relax and let it go, or try to anyway.
Better to just watch films or shows that you like, read some books, do things that don't require the input of others. Check the forums every once in a while and force yourself to stop when you realise there is nothing new to see right now.

When I'm sick, especially when I have a fever, my best thing to do is have the t.v. playing while I try to sleep. If you don't have TV, stream some videos or something. Shift over to a different type of internet addiction; if you normally participate in forums, start doing Youtube, or a music site. Anything low demand.

I know it sucks to feel lousy, but get used to it for a few days at least. Rest and fluids, rest and fluids, should be your mantra.

I'll usually find a series on Netflix or dvd to binge watch so I'm not constantly checking things, especially on this site since it's one of the few places where I get information that might be relevant to my life. Just do that for a couple of hours before checking again and eventually it kind of becomes a habit.

Set a timer on your phone to go off after a certain time, at which point you can move onto another activity whatever that may be.

I sometimes go through something similar, checking and re-checking emails, facebook, forum, etc. It happens when i am overwhelmed and can't think of where to start doing something useful. What helps me is to give myself a time i will check all these things--such as morning and evening--check each thing once and turn the computer off. Or if you are using your phone, put it away unless it rings or you get a txt.

Turning stuff off or putting a phone away where it is not easily accessible helps me to break the perseveration and train my mind on something else. It doesn't usually matter what the "something else" is--as long as it is not rechecking stuff online.

TBH I sort of agreed with you & Raleigh about this but that didn't strike me as reason to write off any of my friends on here. You're all out there in reality somewhere anyway. Without forums I'd be lacking in the story department - most people get sucked into nonsense like FB, I feel exalted to hang out here instead & challenge my mind.

_________________
"Standing on a well-chilled cinder, we see the fading of the suns, and try to recall the vanished brilliance of the origin of the worlds."
-Georges Lemaitre
"I fly through hyperspace, in my green computer interface"
-Gem Tos

Yep...and we see people like you....who write in this wonderfully idiosyncratic style.

Much better than always feeling sad!

I think Len does something very similar but mostly keeps it subconscious - lately I've been trying to brush up on the ergonomics of all my tech interactions. The more organized I get, the better hardware I use and that cuts down on the compulsive thoughts surrounding the internet, I avoid shiny technology. Fast beats shiny any day. That helps me draw a wide, blurry line between internet life & my own, in addition to providing richer context for my immediate reality. Hence, sometimes I relegate WP to my cellphone or a tablet if I've got a good one handy.

_________________
"Standing on a well-chilled cinder, we see the fading of the suns, and try to recall the vanished brilliance of the origin of the worlds."
-Georges Lemaitre
"I fly through hyperspace, in my green computer interface"
-Gem Tos

WP and cellphones just don't do it for me--especially for PMs!

Mobile browsers can be really clunky. Chrome or Safari for example make it tough for me to so much as concentrate on a page, just because of all the eye candy surrounding said page...

_________________
"Standing on a well-chilled cinder, we see the fading of the suns, and try to recall the vanished brilliance of the origin of the worlds."
-Georges Lemaitre
"I fly through hyperspace, in my green computer interface"
-Gem Tos

I emailed my therapist, and my therapist gave me a call.

We talked for about ten minutes. He stated that I am the kind of person who always has a need to obsess about something. For a while, it was porn, for a while, it was cinema, for a while, it was video games, for now, it is Internet forums. He strongly suggested that I apply my obsessive nature to something that will build me up, such as reading literature or going to college part-time after I recover from the pneumonia. He sincerely believes that I can transform my obsessive nature from a hindrance to an asset.

Mate, I know exactly how you feel. The Internet forums are there because nobody is around to comfort you. Yeah. I've gotten too used to that feeling. It just goes on for years.

A lot of neurotypical people never have these problems. I've never quite understood as to why.

You'd be quite surprised how many problems neurotypical people actually have!

Neurotypical people frequently like to earn their living off problems & problems alone.

I agree with Len's last post - case in point my smartphone & hacker forum obsession led into my technology work. Work that exists to build everyone up, & up...

_________________
"Standing on a well-chilled cinder, we see the fading of the suns, and try to recall the vanished brilliance of the origin of the worlds."
-Georges Lemaitre
"I fly through hyperspace, in my green computer interface"
-Gem Tos