Facing Internet Technology and Gaming Addiction: A Gentle Path to Beginning Recovery from Internet and Video Game Addiction

by Hilarie Cash, Cosette Rae, Patrick J. Carnes

Overview

International technology addiction experts, Cash, Rae, and Carnes collaborate in a cutting-edge workbook designed for individuals with problematic technology use such as gaming addiction, compulsive internet, and social media use.

Some of the country’s leading experts in technology addiction have adapted the groundbreaking "Thirty Task Model" used by thousands of therapists worldwide to treat technology and internet addiction. Using innovative tasks and exercises, the reader can engage in a plan designed to defeat addiction and restore lifestyle balance. This book is designed to be used as an adjunct to therapy, and works well with the twelve step programs, or other programs such as SMART recovery.

Accessing the online world provides new, exciting, and disturbing things. You probably discovered porn, gaming, social media, and endless information on any subject that interests you. Soon you learned that with a smartphone in hand, you were granted Internet access 24/7, anytime, anywhere.With all this saturation of digital media, it is not surprising that people get hooked so easily. When we are overexposed to anything that overstimulates the pleasure centers of the brain, there is great risk for addiction. Many people do not think about activities as being potentially addictive, but they can be.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781732067332
Publisher:	Gentle Path Press
Publication date:	10/19/2021
Pages:	250
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Dr. Hilarie Cash and Cosette Rae, MSW co-founded reSTA RT Life, PLLC, the first residential and transition program in the USA and Canada to treat adult Internet and video game addicts. Dr. Patrick Carnes is the founder of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP) and Gentle Path Press. He is regarded as the foremost expert on sexual addiction in the United States.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Introduction 1

A Growing Problem 2

Journaling and Why We Do It 3

Don't Wait Too Long to Seek Help 4

Chapter 1 Who… Me? 5

All in the Family 8

Different Family Systems 9

Are Digital Devices a New Drug? 10

Distorting Reality 12

Getting Out of Denial and Into Reality 13

Exercise 1.1 The Problem Tree 14

Exercise 1.2 Digging Up Secrets and Lies 16

Exercise 1.3 Denial as a Shield 19

Exercise 1.4 Consequences Inventory 26

Accountability Helps You Break Through Denial 31

Exercise 1.5 Facing Reality 32

In Denial, You Are Not Alone 33

Chapter 2 What Does Addictive Behavior Look Like? 35

The Addiction Cycle 36

Your Own Addictive Cycle 38

The Addictive System 39

Belief System 39

Exercise 2.1 Your Beliefs 41

Addictive Thinking 42

Exercise 2.2 Rationalizing Your Addictive Behavior 43

Addictive Cycle 44

Unmanageability 44

Exercise 2.3 Unmanageability 45

How Do Professionals Know When to Call It an Addiction? 46

Exercise 2.4 Do You Meet the Criteria? 47

Exercise 2.5 Collateral indicators 49

Exercise 2.6 Risk Taking and Unmanageability 51

How Did I Get to Be This Way? 53

Exercise 2.7 Taking a Device Inventory 54

Exercise 2.8 Digital Media Activities 56

Is There Hope? 57

Chapter 3 Ensure Physical Integrity 59

Exercise 3.1 Sleep Patterns 61

Physical Movement 62

Exercise 3.2 Your Lack of Movement 63

Diet (Poor Eating Habits) 64

Exercise 3.3 Examining Your Eating Habits 65

Hygiene 66

Exercise 3.4 Your Hygiene Inventory 67

Stress and Addiction 68

Exercise 3.5 Online Hunting 69

Risk or Danger 70

Exercise 3.6 Risk, Danger, and Fear 72

Chaos 73

Exercise 3.7 Is Your Life in Chaos 74

Living in the Bubble 75

Exercise 3.8 Do You Live on the Holodeck? 76

Toxic Stress 77

Exercise 3.9 Examining Trauma, Threat, Anxiety, and Stress 78

Living In Consultation 79

Chapter 4 Problems with Social Intimacy: The Friendship Factor 81

Exercise 4.1 Online Social Experiences 84

The Internet and Antisocial Behavior 86

Exercise 4.2 Exploring Your Antisocial Beliefs and Behaviors 87

Chapter 5 Problems with Sexual and Romantic Intimacy 93

Healthy Child Development 94

Unhealthy Child Development 95

Exercise 5.1 Today's World 96

Exercise 5.2 Internet Porn Use 100

Exercise 5.3 PATHOS 104

Exercise 5.4 Beliefs about Men and Women 106

Finding the Messages in Your Internet Fantasies 110

Cravings as Communication 110

Exercise 5.5 Mirror of Desire 112

Exercise 5.6 The Wounds that Drive Your Desires 114

Chapter 6 What Is a First Step? Accepting the Problem 117

Exercise 6.1 Your Internet Addiction History 119

Exercise 6.2 Powerlessness Inventory 125

Exercise 6.3 Unmanageability Inventory 126

Exercise 6.4 Financial Costs 127

Exercise 6.5 Denial and Delusion inventory 129

Exercise 6.6 Five Worst Moments 131

Exercise 6.7 Putting It All Together 133

Preventing Self-Sabotage 135

Chapter 7 Responding to Change and Crisis: You Need to Change the Way You Think 137

Exercise 7.1 Current Problem List 139

Damage Control Worksheets 141

Exercise 7.2 Damage Control Worksheet 1 142

Damage Control Worksheet 2 146

Damage Control Worksheet 3 149

Chapter 8 Sobriety-It's a Hero's Journey 153

Addiction is a Boundary Problem 153

Exercise 8.1 How to Avoid Boundary Failure 155

Recovery Essentials 169

Establishing Balance 169

Your Recovery Statement 170

Completing Your Recovery Statement 170

Exercise 8.2

Chapter 9 Preventing Relapse-A return to addictive behaviors 177

Claiming Your Recovery Zone: The Personal Chaos Index (PCI) 178

Exercise 9.1 Creating Your Personal Chaos Index 180

Relapse Scenario Worksheets 186

Sample Relapse Scenario Worksheet 188

Exercise 9.2 Relapse Scenario Worksheet 1 190

Exercise 9.3 Relapse Scenario Worksheet 2 191

Exercise 9.4 Relapse Scenario Worksheet 3 192

Exercise 9.5 Fire Drill Planning 193

Exercise 9.6 A Letter from You to Yourself 195

Exercise 9.7 Emergency Self-Care Kit 197

Exercise 9.8 Relapse Contract 198

Chapter 10 What Makes for Long-Term Success? Deepening Recovery for Profound Life Change 201

Exercise 10.1 Celebrate 205

Appendix A The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous 207

Appendix B The Twelve Steps for Sex Addicts 209

Appendix C Twelve Steps and Principles for Internet & Technology Addiction Recovery 211

Appendix D Twelve Steps and Principles for Internet & Technology Addiction Recovery (For Agnostics and Atheists) 213