How might I feel during the first few weeks of treatment?

You may feel stressed and anxious. Upon arrival into the program, you may start to notice that you feel very anxious, irritated, and frustrated that you will not be able to Skype, surf the net, text your friends, or play video games. This is a natural part of the withdrawal process. Your brain has been conditioned to engage in activities that are biologically rewarding. When they are removed, the brain needs time to adapt and adjust to the changes. You may feel angry While you were using technology excessively, you likely developed certain patterns of behavior which sustain your activity of choice. For instance, you may have gotten into a pattern of staying up late to game with your friends, eat in the middle of the night before you fell into bed, or slept in until noon. You may have neglected to treat your body well, fed it poorly, or ignored requests to join in family meal time. The program is structured to help your body adjust and return to healthier patterns of relating. You may feel relieved Some participants actually report feeling relieved that they are finally getting some help for their problematic use. For instance, some participants report that when they get behind in their school work, instead of limiting their time online to get their assignments done, they actually spend more time gaming to escape the negative feelings associated with falling behind in school. Research suggests there is a correlation between excessive technology use and depression. You may actually find that your symptoms of depression lesson as your stay progresses.