Image via Complex Original
In 2013, it should come as no surprise that the Internet is a huge part of our daily lives. We use it for work, to reconnect with friends, to set appointments and confirm plans. However, there are some people who take the Internet to extremes that are far beyond recreational. Millennials, for example, excessively use the Internet on a daily basis. Their lives revolve around the refresh button—and should they ever miss something, they're at risk of having a complete breakdown. If you don't know if you're the latter, we've got you covered. Here are the 20 Signs You're On The Internet Too Much. Unplug before it's too late.
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You're incapable of writing anything longer than 140 characters.
Thanks to Twitter putting a character cap on their micro-blogging site, people get used to expressing themselves in 140 characters. Therefore, if you're having a conversation with a Internet lover, expect to get short replies that are generally to the point.
You've developed carpal tunnel syndrome.
Staring at the Internet all day requires quite a bit of typing. Slowly but surely, your hand might start hurting, but that won't stop you from browsing the Internet, so you'll inevitably develop carpal tunnel thanks to your Internet addiction. Whoops.
You forgot what a real TV looks like because you watch everything online.
Aside from Netflix housing 95 percent of all the movies and shows in the world, if they don't carry it, you can bet the online version of your favorite channel does. If you have a computer, especially a laptop, there really is no need to ever turn on a TV again.
The last time you saw a sunset was on Instagram.
Instagram has pictures of everything you can imagine. Considering Internet addicts don't get outside much, it's highly likely that the last time they saw something cool was on Instagram. Word of advice, get up from behind the computer and go see a real sunset.
You check your phone before you brush your teeth in the morning.
Granted, nobody wants to wake up for work in the morning. For Internet addicts, that part of the day is made slightly better because they instantly grab their phones the second they wake up. If you look at your phone before you even make it to the bathroom, consider that a problem.
The last thing you see before you go to bed is your Newsfeed.
As previously mentioned, for people who use the Internet too much, checking their phone becomes somewhat of a compulsion. So much so, that at times, it's the only way they can go to sleep. Rather than decompressing and relaxing, they constantly click refresh waiting for something new to pop up.
You don't trust people who don't have Facebook.
For Internet addicts, Facebook is the holy grail of social networking. Everything you need to know about a person is right their for your viewing pleasure. So, if you don't have a Facebook account to save some of your privacy, people who love the Internet simply think you're really weird and probably sketchy.
You haven't seen your high school friends in years, but know what they're doing.
The Internet is the ultimate way to stalk people—hopefully not in a creepy way, but it's relatively easy to see what everyone is up to. All you need to do is type in their name into any social networking website and you'll have someone's life story in the matter of seconds.
You respond in GIFs.
GIFs took over the Internet a while ago. They're basically funny moving images that generally reference something from pop culture but usually fit perfectly into everyday conversation. However, that doesn't mean you should respond to your friends messages strictly in GIFs.
You've developed excessive FOMO.
Constantly seeing what all of your friends are up to can result in extreme FOMO. FOMO, for those who don't know, is the "fear of missing out." Meaning, if you're sitting behind your computer and you see your friends out and having fun, panic may certainly ensue.
You use hashtags in your grocery lists.
If you have an Instagram account, you know exactly what hashtags are. If you don't, it's basically a number symbol in front of a phrase that allows your photo to reach more viewers by category. Some people, unfortunately, speak in hashtags in real life. To those of you who do, please don't.
You compulsively check your phone.
Compulsively checking your phone is pratically considered normal behavior. In today's world, checking your phone means constantly being connected. However, some people take it to extremes, to the point where they actually sleep with their phones.
You reference memes in regular conversations.
Memes are funny little pictures that can be seen all over the Internet. To some, memes become somewhat of a second language. If that's the case with you, you're definitely using the Internet too much.
Your friends send you videos you've already seen.
Videos go viral relatively quickly. However, if you're constantly on the Internet, there's a good chance that you've seen a video several days ago that your friends are only discovering now. So, by the time people start buzzing about it, you're kind of over it.
Your biggest fear is a dead zone.
Dead zones can be a pain even for moderate Internet users. But when it comes to people who use the Internet too much, dead zones are the single thing they fear most in life. If you get stuck in a dead zone, you can't connect, meaning you'll miss a few minutes of perfectly good Internet.
You know all of the places that have Wi-Fi in your neighborhood.
Wi-Fi is the thread that links people to their beloved Internet. So, it should come as no surprise that people who love the Internet just a little bit too much know where they catch the best service to keep themselves connected. If you see a person standing awkwardly in a corner staring at their phone, it's probably because that's where they catch the best signal.
You know the 'breaking news' before it goes viral.
Sooner or later, every breaking news story on the Internet goes viral. There is, however, a special class of Internet addicts that know the news before it makes its way through cyberspace. If you're one of those people, you definitely spend way too much time on the Internet.
You hear GChat pings even when you're not on GChat.
Talking to people to through GChat is a convenient way to pass the time during regular work hours. Rather than texting through your phone, it's the optimal way to not get caught wasting time by your boss. The downside, however, is that you probably use it so much that you hear that infamous ping even when you're nowhere near a computer.
You're constantly checking all of your social networks.
Between Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, and everything else out there, it's tough to keep up. Checking all of your social networking websites can be a full-time job. But, if you really, really love the internet, it's probably a job you're happy to have.
You finally put your laptop down only to go on your phone instead.
The problem with being on the Internet is that it gets updated constantly, so there's always an opportunity to miss something. If you're a compulsive Internet user, the fear of missing out on the latest "it" news is enough to keep you glued to any piece of technology you can get your hands on. Most Internet addicts switch off from a computer to a phone. However, if you're that new level Internet follower, you throw in a tablet for good measure.
