Some of my loyal followers have asked recently if I was okay or if I had permanently fallen out of the blogosphere. I'm fine and I'm still here. I'm recovering from social networkitis. A fairly new, but common disorder - social networkitis commonly occurs in persons who spend gobs of time in front of the computer engaging in 'social' networking.. AKA Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter, the blogosphere. Perhaps most ironic is that in order to participate in this social networking online, one must sit alone at a computer. But I digress.Reading some 20+ blogs daily, tweeting, blogging on 3 blogs, moderating a Ravlery group, and addressing all manners of requests on Facebook led me down the unhealthy path of social networkitis. (I mean really - how many requests can one gal handle? There is only so much time in the day to accept hugs, drinks, farm animals, animated strawberries, carebears, join causes, take personality tests, find out which SITC character you are...). As I underwent rehab to restore function to my brain and fingers (reading paper books, meeting actual people in person, getting up OFF the couch..), I realized that there needs to be a better way. And that I may actually have an addiction that is fueling this non-social, social networkitis. The thought had occurred to me to start a support group online, but then that wouldn't work now would it?
So I am back to caressing the computer keyboard and talking to my screen as though the person on the other end hears me. Back to accepting requests for chickens and Mardi Gras beads on Facebook. Back to typing about knitting instead of actually knitting... But I have decided to strike a better balance. I have set limits - an online allowance if you will. I think social networkitis is a chronic and potentialy debilitating disorder and I must do everything I can to prevent exaccerbations of it.
Who knows? We may erradicate this illness in my lifetime.
6 comments:
I feel your pain. : )
I am hooked too....
Darla
i've been sticking to strictly blogging. of all the online socializing, bloggings the best. we just gotta pace ourselves! lol
glad youre back!
I think that cartoon sums it all up!
I just read an article about this same thing in Babytalk magazine. The sad thing is some of these women begin to do terrible things to their bodies to be able to stay in front of the computer longer, like drinking massive amounts of caffeine or taking narcotic stimulants. Although, I don't think we have it so bad, the article points out that this is a scary trend beginning to affect moms in general. You never have to apologize for taking a break. There is a real world out there and sometimes we all forget. Thanks for the reminder!
Ha! Love it!
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