Internet Addiction Withdrawal DTs (Delirium Tremens)

Today is the tenth annual National Day of Unplugging. This is a fun exercise that triggers an onset of addiction withdrawal symptoms known as the "DTs" or "delerium tremens" (typically associated with alcohol addiction):

"The main symptoms of delirium tremens are nightmares, agitation, global confusion, disorientation, visual and auditory hallucinations, tactile hallucinations, fever, high blood pressure, heavy sweating, and other signs of autonomic hyperactivity (fast heart rate and high blood pressure)."

"Mortality without treatment is between 15% and 40%.[4] Currently death occurs in about 1% to 4% of cases.[2]"

-- Wikipedia

Willfully boarding the DT roller coaster is a useful way to transition away from low-productivity screen-refreshing spirals, and into deep work. It helps to know that DTs will hit you, and to recognize them when they arrive. Properly labeling them DTs instead of, say, a personal anxiety disorder, reduces the terror of unplugging.





This work by AJ Fish is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.