Contact: Joni Sullivan Baker, Buoyancy PR, 513-319-3231, jbaker@buoyancypr.com
CINCINNATI, Nov. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- To many people, constant Internet use is the "new normal," but author Jan Kern challenges this, asserting that too much Internet use is an addiction just like many others.
While affirming that "God isn't anti-Internet," Kern argues that God wants more for us, wants us to have a real life and relationships, not just virtual ones.
"The Internet can offer a really great experience, and for many people, this is not a problem. Most of us use the Internet for research, news, communication--and fun," said author Jan Kern.
"But for some, it can easily become an obsession. Without realizing it, we get sucked into activities that rob us of the amazing identity, resources, and relationships God has in mind for us," she continued.
"We can become so drawn in by the virtual satisfaction of our wants and desires that we miss the opportunity to see how God might meet those needs more fully in real life.
While experts still debate whether these behaviors constitute an addiction, an organization called the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery estimates that 5-10% of the population has internet addictions, more than half of them sexually-related.
And although stopping short of calling the behaviors an addiction, results of a survey by Stanford University's Impulse Control Disorders Clinic suggest there are clear similarities between extreme Internet use and other addictions.
In her new book for young adults, Eyes Online: Eyes On Life (Standard Publishing) Kern introduces readers to Colin, a real person whose teen years were marked by pornography use, obsessive internet gaming, and escape into chat rooms that kept his real life on hold. The book is the latest offering in Kern's "LIVE FREE" series which is designed to help young adults overcome struggles and addictions.
At times reading like a novel and at other times written directly to teens, Kern tells us Colin's story from junior high on, alternating chapters of Colin's unfolding story with chapters addressed to the teens struggling with similar issues. Heavily laced with encouraging scripture and thoughtful questions, she also includes side notes to friends and leaders who want to know how to help.
She interviewed many teenagers and shares their experiences and advice as well.
"People like Colin and others I interviewed have found that along with all the positive experiences, being online has also been a downfall for them - big time," Kern says.
"When they're really being honest, they talk about lines they've crossed. Sometimes without even realizing it, they've been consumed by being online with simple activities like e-mail and blogging. But some have also discovered games or activities they can't stop thinking about even when away from the computer. Others have ventured into X-rated sites and found themselves lured by sexual traps that turned into secret addictions."
"God isn't anti-Internet. He's just got a whole lot more in mind for our lives - freedom from the traps, but also excitement, energy and fullness beyond our online existence."
Colin agrees.
"The problem with Internet obsession is that you can look completely normal and nobody knows you are in so much pain," he said. "That was true for me. When I was obsessed by the Internet in junior high and high school, I was so depressed and nobody ever knew why. They didn't even begin to think it has anything to do with the computer.
"As I grew older and was able to look back on my life, I could see that the Internet was a big reason why I was depressed. It just continued to feed my miserable feelings, never letting me breathe for a moment."
Eyes Online: Eyes On Life is the third book in Kern's "LIVE FREE" series. The first book in the series about cutting and other types of self-injury, Scars that Wound: Scars that Heal, was published in 2007 and introduces us to Jackie. The second book in the series, Seduced by Sex: Saved by Love, discusses false intimacy through the life of Suzy.
For more than 25 years, Kern has served at a residential ministry for at risk youth. She has also worked on a church staff and with a variety of ministries where she has mentored and encouraged teens, young adults, and parents. Many of her writing and speaking topics give hope to teens and young adults, especially those who are deeply wounded and struggling.
"Colin has an honest story to tell, an honest perspective," Kern says. "Being connected online is still part of his daily world, but not in the same way it used to be. He's not afraid to admit where his Internet use took him or the depths of the battles he fought.
"It takes courage to look at the reality of anything we do that might be harmful and be open about how it impacts us on the different levels of who we are. Colin has that courage," she concluded.
Since 1866, Standard Publishing has been providing true-to-the-Bible resources that inspire, educate, and motivate Christians to a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Standard creates a wide array of Christian products and resources for churches and families. For more information, visit www.standardpub.com.
