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Compassionate Recovery Support for Internet and Screen Addiction

You’re not failing. You’re coping the best way you know how. Healing starts with understanding, not shame.

At TruPaths, we understand that internet use often becomes more than just entertainment. For many individuals and families, screens can become a way to escape stress, ease anxiety, or feel temporarily safe when life feels overwhelming. Our approach addresses these deeper needs with care, not judgment.

Whether you are trying to limit your own screen time, worried about your child or teen’s growing dependence on devices, or simply wondering if it’s become too much, you’re in the right place. There is no shame in seeking help. There’s support, clarity, and a path forward.

Compassionate Recovery Support for Internet and Screen Addiction

What Is Internet Addiction?

Internet addiction (sometimes called compulsive or problematic internet use) happens when a person feels unable to control their screen time, even when it starts to affect relationships, family life, responsibilities, or emotional well-being.

It’s not just about screen time. Often, it’s a way to avoid pain, regulate mood, or cope with underlying struggles like anxiety, trauma, loneliness, or stress.

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Online Dependency

When screen time becomes escape, it's time to pause and reflect.

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Online Dependency

Endless Hours Online

Spending excessive time browsing, gaming, or scrolling to the point it affects sleep or routine.

Emotional Swings When Unplugged

Feeling anxious, irritable, or moody when disconnected from the internet.

Lack of Focus and Sleep Issues

Difficulty concentrating, falling asleep, or keeping up with daily responsibilities.

Shame Around Usage

Hiding how much you're online or feeling embarrassed by your screen habits.

Digital Self-Worth

Believing your value or sense of safety depends on being online or "connected."

Effective Treatment Goes Deeper Than Just Screen Time

Internet addiction is rarely about discipline alone. It’s often rooted in emotional wiring, stress, or trauma. TruPaths connects you and your family to trusted programs that address both the behavior and the deeper causes behind it.

Programs Specializing in Digital Wellness

Programs Specializing in Digital Wellness

Expert-led care focused on internet and tech overuse, designed to restore balance and healthy screen habits.

Therapists Who Understand Tech Dependence

Therapists Who Understand Tech Dependence

Clinicians trained to address the anxiety, stress, and emotional dysregulation that often drive compulsive digital behavior.

Support for Teens, Young Adults, and Families

Support for Teens, Young Adults, and Families

Multigenerational approaches tailored for youth and families navigating screen addiction together.

Outpatient, Intensive, and Retreat-Style Options

Outpatient, Intensive, and Retreat-Style Options

Flexible care levels to fit your lifestyle, from virtual support to immersive in-person retreats.

Trauma-Informed Emotional Healing

Trauma-Informed Emotional Healing

Programs that work through unresolved trauma to help individuals find lasting recovery, not just symptom relief.

Inclusive, Neurodiversity-Respectful Care

Inclusive, Neurodiversity-Respectful Care

Support designed for all brain types, recognizing unique needs and strengths across the spectrum.

See Available Programs

Evidence-Based Therapies for Internet and Technology Addiction

Internet addiction is often a symptom of deeper emotional, psychological, or neurological patterns. These evidence-based therapies address both the surface behaviors and the underlying drivers, helping individuals and families rebuild balance, connection, and long-term resilience.

Group Therapy:

Group Therapy:

Find connection and accountability

Provides shared support, accountability, and relational healing for both individuals and families.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative Therapy

Reframe identity beyond the screen

Helps individuals reframe online identities and rebuild self-worth beyond screen personas.

Somatic Therapy:

Somatic Therapy:

Regulate the nervous system and release physical stress

Calms anxiety, physical tension, and nervous system dysregulation often tied to compulsive use.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

Heal unresolved trauma that fuels digital escape

Processes unresolved trauma and dissociation that may fuel compulsive online behavior.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Build emotional regulation and 
digital self-control

Tools for managing emotional triggers, impulse control, and healthy digital boundaries.

Executive Function Coaching:

Executive Function Coaching:

Strengthen focus and self-management

Builds planning, organization, and attention skills needed to manage screen habits.

How TruPaths Helps With Internet Addiction

We help families and individuals understand online overuse and take meaningful steps toward emotional healing and digital balance.

How TruPaths Helps With Internet Addiction

  • Identify Problematic Online Patterns

    We help families and individuals notice early signs

    Recognize red flags like excessive time spent online, emotional reactivity when offline, or using the internet to avoid real-world stressors.

  • Understand the Emotional Root

    We help families and individuals explore underlying causes

    Internet addiction is often a coping strategy for anxiety, depression, or trauma. We guide families in understanding what’s beneath the behavior.

  • Connect With Trusted Recovery Support

    We help families and individuals take the next step

    Our network of verified professionals and recovery programs addresses both digital behavior and the emotional struggles that fuel it.

  • Empower Change With Compassion

    We help families and individuals heal together

    Whether you’re seeking help for yourself or someone you love, we offer tools and support that build healthy tech habits, without shame or blame.

Featured Programs for Internet Recovery

TruPaths only lists recovery centers that are carefully vetted for individuals and families seeking trusted care:

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Compassionate and trauma-informed care

Focused on healing, not blame or shame, creating a safe space for individuals and families to begin recovery together.

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Evidence-based treatment for digital behaviors

Grounded in proven clinical approaches that address the emotional and neurological patterns driving internet overuse.

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Emotional healing at the core

Helping individuals rebuild confidence, healthy boundaries, and relational connection rather than simply limiting screen time.

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Inclusive and personalized for every stage of life

Serving children, teens, adults, and families across all backgrounds and life experiences.

Top Internet Recovery Centers

Explore More Centers
centers
Santa Monica, California

Solace Sober Living

  • (1.5k)
  • Burnout Recovery
  • Mindfulness
  • Shield Insurance Accepted
  • Verified National Alliance for Recovery Residences
$7,387-12,089
View Center
centers
Santa Monica, California

Solace Sober Living

  • (1.5k)
  • Burnout Recovery
  • Mindfulness
  • Shield Insurance Accepted
  • Verified National Alliance for Recovery Residences
$7,387-12,089
View Center
centers
Santa Monica, California

Solace Sober Living

  • (1.5k)
  • Burnout Recovery
  • Mindfulness
  • Shield Insurance Accepted
  • Verified National Alliance for Recovery Residences
$7,387-12,089
View Center
centers
Santa Monica, California

Solace Sober Living

  • (1.5k)
  • Burnout Recovery
  • Mindfulness
  • Shield Insurance Accepted
  • Verified National Alliance for Recovery Residences
$7,387-12,089
View Center

From the TruPaths Community

Frequently Asked Questions

Internet addiction involves compulsive online behavior that interferes with daily life, relationships, or emotional well-being. Signs include spending excessive time online, feeling anxious when disconnected, neglecting real-life responsibilities, and using the internet to escape stress or negative emotions.
Yes. While not officially listed in all diagnostic manuals, internet addiction is widely recognized by mental health professionals as a behavioral addiction. It shares many features with other compulsive behaviors and can seriously impact mental, emotional, and social health.
Internet addiction often begins as a way to manage stress, boredom, or loneliness. The endless content, social connection, and instant gratification found online can become emotionally soothing, making it easy to lose control over time and develop a dependency.
Overuse of the internet can lead to increased anxiety, depression, emotional numbness, irritability, and low self-esteem. Many individuals also report sleep problems, reduced motivation, and difficulty connecting with others in real life.
Support may include individual therapy, group therapy, digital detox programs, or structured recovery communities. Many people also benefit from behavioral strategies like screen time limits, scheduled offline activities, and mindfulness practices to rebuild focus and emotional regulation.
Yes. With the right support and self-awareness, people can create a healthy, balanced relationship with technology. Recovery often involves understanding the emotional needs driving the behavior, replacing compulsive use with healthier habits, and building a support system for long-term growth.

You’re Not Broken. You’re Searching for Connection and Balance

At TruPaths, we understand that compulsive internet use often reflects deeper emotional needs. For many individuals and families, it can be a way to cope with stress, loneliness, or disconnection. Healing starts by addressing those needs with compassion, not restriction.

  • To meet you or your loved one with compassion and real understanding
  • To guide you toward trusted care that rebuilds balance for the whole family
  • To address the underlying reasons behind screen overuse and support lasting healing
“It’s never too late to reconnect with yourself, your loved ones, and the world around you.

Take the First Step Toward Lasting Change

Whether you’re a parent, partner, or person just trying to feel better—you don’t have to fix it all today. You just have to take the next right step. TruPaths is here to take it with you.

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About TruPath's Recommendations

Recommendations are based on your location and recovery needs, including the programs you've explored, the services you've saved, and the filters you've used. We use this information to highlight similar treatment options so you never miss a trusted path forward.