Cyber Addiction and Suicide

What is cyber addiction?

Cyber addiction is excessive use of the internet or digital technology that is difficult to control and that causes distress or negative consequences in your daily life. 

internet-addiction-suicide

What forms can cyber addiction take?

​​​​​​
  • Online games: 
    • Videogames (like Fornite, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, etc.) 
    • Gambling and online transactions (poker, stock market transactions, online purchases, etc.) 
  • Social media (like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitch, Tiktok, etc.): 
    • Continual scrolling 
    • Frequent notification checking 
  • Sexual activity online: 
    • Watching and downloading pornographic material 
    • Looking for sexual partners online 
  • Navigating the internet: 
    • Looking things up constantly 
    • Watching content online for long periods of time (like videos, streaming, etc.)

How to recognize cyber addiction? 

Cyber addiction can manifest with: 

  • Irritability or anxiety when unable to connect to the internet 
  • Difficulty reducing time spent online or inability to reduce time spent online 
  • A need to spend more and more time online
  • Neglecting sleep, nutrition, schoolwork, work, or relationships because of time spent online
  • Lying or minimizing time spent online

What are the consequences associated with cyber addiction? 

Cyber addiction can affect many facets of your life: 

  • Physical: fatigue, muscle tension, neglecting basic needs (e.g. eating, hygiene, etc.)
  • Relational and social: conflicts, social withdrawal, isolation, loss of interest for offline activities (hobbies, sports, outings, etc.)
  • Psychological: academic or professional difficulties, irritability, depressive symptoms, guilt, lowered self-esteem, suicidal thoughts

You are experiencing cyber addiction and have suicidal thoughts? 

Cyber addiction can be very difficult to live with. For some people, the distress associated with it can lead to suicidal thoughts. If that is your case, it’s important to talk about it. 

We encourage you to visit the following sections: 

01 Taking stock of your mental health

The first step toward taking back control is identifying what’s causing your suicidal thoughts.

02 Taking care of yourself

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and regain your balance when you’re having suicidal thoughts.

03 Talking about it with your loved ones

Asking for help from your family and friends isn’t always easy. There are different ways of going about it.

04 Finding support services

Every day, all sorts of people contact support services to get the help they need.

What to do if you have symptoms of cyber addiction? 

If you have one or more symptoms associated with cyber addiction, first call 811 option 2 (Info-Social) to discuss the situation with a counsellor and be oriented to local resources that can help support you as needed. 

To receive an assessment or follow-up with a health professional, see a general practitioner (like a family doctor), a psychologist or contact your local CLSC.

Other resources can also help people who are living with a cyber addiction. 

Find resources

Some tips that can help if you’re experiencing cyber addiction 

What I'm going through...