The last few days I have been using online Chat Rooms for the past few days, and have been going on the sex section. At first it was a laugh, something curious, but now I talk to strangers about a lot of different things. I know how to be safe online, and have never given away anything close to my real age or name, or something like that. Nor have I ever done anything anyone asked me to do. I would never dream of actually doing anything these people ask me to do, and anytime it gets dangerous and uncomfortable I close the tab. I think there is something wrong with me, and I think I am addicted to this site. Please tell me how to break this horrible habit. I would like to think that I'm a good person, and I don't want this to ruin anything. Please help me,
Lilia
Sam
Hi there
Being curious about sex is natural and it’s okay to want to find out more. Talking about sex may leave you with feelings you haven’t experienced before. You may also read about things you don’t understand. But there are dangers to talking to people online, especially when the chat room is focussed on sex.
Most sex chat rooms are meant for adults and the people in there might think you're an adult yourself. The way people talk to you may be very different to what you’re used to. This might be part of what makes it exciting for you but it does come with some danger.
Even if you're careful to hide your identity there are still ways you might get into unsafe situations. It could also be hard to know who the people you're talking to in the chat room are. Some people may even use these chat rooms to pressure you into doing things you’re not ready for.
Staying safe online is something that is really important and there are a few ways that you can make sure you’re not in danger when you use the internet. Things like avoiding giving clues around where you live, checking your privacy settings and thinking about what should be shared in public and what shouldn’t can help.
Addiction is when you want to do something so much that you can start to lose control and it can start to feel like it is taking over your life. People can become addicted to anything and if you feel you may be addicted there are things you can do to try to gain control.
Often when people are trying to stop doing something they are able to distract themselves by doing other things that they enjoy. Try finding a new hobby or spending time with others so you have less time by yourself. This may help with the temptation to go back to the chat rooms.
You can always get support from our counsellors to talk more about this. They're here to listen and support you whenever you feel you need to talk.
Thanks for your letter.
Take care,
Sam
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