Email Addiction

I read an article yesterday that said there is now a 12 step program for email addicts. It gave examples of people who couldn’t pass a computer without checking their email regardless if it was their computer or someone else’s machine. One guy had to check his Blackberry after every hole on the golf course. At that time he was out with a client and it became over the top and almost cost him business. What is it about us humans? What is it that makes us extreme at times? Most of us have some sort of addiction whether any one else knows it or not. Many times they are harmless and don’t hurt anyone. I got to thinking about this specific email addiction. I won’t lie to you I’ve had an email addiction before. I was addicted to the little red icon that said new message. I’d wake up in the middle of the night and just check to see if it was there. It was a total rush. That almost seems silly to me now, but it’s true. I guess at times we all get lonely and knowing that someone is thinking of us some how fills a void. The flip side of being addicted is when the red icon goes away. Figuring out how to move on without it can be a somewhat bitter and painful experience just like the end of any relationship. It can hurt. The whole online community has made it possible to connect with people all over the world. In a few clicks you can see their smiling face, know some of their interests and actually have a written communication. It’s hard to find a true connection to people in the world today. Relationships can be so surface, artificial and forced at times. My whole email addiction was with someone I had known for a long time so I never felt weird about it. As for an email addiction with a stranger, I have a whole other blog I’m saving for that. I guess waiting to get an email has replaced the whole waiting by the phone for someone to call or checking your answering machine. I guess some of us are just hungry for something real and meaningful. The thing is that I actually did learn something from my red icon addiction. I learned that sometimes a relationship even an online one can bring you back to life. I also realized you have to be careful not to get so consumed with having someone fill your cup all the time. You have to be happy with your own self truly. That takes the pressure off the other person. Even though I don’t wake up in the middle of the night any more looking for a message I secretly would have to admit I miss it, yet sometimes you have to move on and realize that you are fabulous regardless if you have a message waiting for you or not.