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'Digital retreats' offered to internet burnouts

Even the Westin Hotel in Dublin offers visitors a ‘detox pack’ in return for their smartphones and tablets for their stay.

TIRED OF CHECKING your smartphone every few minutes for new emails, likes or retweets?

Do you spend more time looking at your device than chatting to your date? Are you close to a digital burn-out? (Apart from checking TheJournal.ie, of course…)

Fear not, an increasing number of options are available for those seeking to detox from technology, from wallpaper that blocks wi-fi to Internet-free holidays and software that forces you off addictive sites.

“People connect all the time, everywhere, in every position – lying down on their bed, at the restaurant, in the waiting room,” says Remy Oudghiri, a director at French polling firm Ipsos and author of a book on the subject.

More and more people own devices that allow this, smartphones and tablets.

Oudghiri said:

This sudden surge in connection possibilities, after the initial period of enthusiasm, prompts every user to reflect on how to continue to enjoy life while taking advantage of their connection. How to avoid becoming dependent.

Wallpaper that blocks wifi

French researchers have come up with one solution, creating a special type of wallpaper that blocks wifi, which materials company Ahlstrom is busy developing further with the aim of putting it on the market next year.

Spokesman Robin Guillaud says there has already been significant interest in the invention. Schools in particular have made enquiries, keen to prevent students from spending too much time hooked to their smartphones.

According to an Ipsos survey, nearly a third of French people now feel the need to disconnect, with similar trends recorded in other countries.

Separate research from the same firm found that in 2006, 54 per cent of the French population felt people spent less time together due to the advent of new technologies, a figure that leapt to 71 per cent last year.

Companies have latched onto this lassitude, particularly in the tourism industry where some hotels and resorts offer digital detox packages.

Westin hotel in Dublin gives detox pack

The upmarket Westin hotel in Dublin, for instance, gives guests the option to surrender their smartphones and tablets on check-in and provides them with a detox pack that includes a tree planting kit and a board game.

But it comes at a price – €175 euros per person per night.

Other firms are offering more in-depth packages to really get away from it all. The US-based Digital Detox organises tech-free retreats to remote places in the United States or escape destinations such as Cambodia.

“Some of it is marketing”, said Thierry Crouzet, a blogger who went cold turkey and disconnected for six months.

“There are loads of places that are tranquil. No need to book a tour operator that takes you to the North Pole.”

Craving technology

The 49-year-old wrote a book about his experience called “I unplugged”, after suffering from a digital burn-out that saw him so craving technology that he would sometimes check his email, blogs and Twitter at night.

I see a lot of blogger friends who are easing off. Nearly everyone gradually takes breaks. We’re realising that at the end of the day, it (technology) doesn’t nourish us.

But Crouzet admits that as a blogger who was going to write a book about his experience, it was easier for him to disconnect than it is for thousands of people who rely on email for work.

As a result, some companies are implementing measures to try and relieve employees from being contactable 24/7.

Work email

German car maker Volkswagen, for instance, in 2011 decided to stop sending emails to thousands of employees’ Blackberrys between 6.15pm and 7am.

And for those who just cannot resist Facebook, Twitter or Google+, the website anti-social.cc offers software that disables a list of distracting sites provided by the customer for a specified time period.

When all else fails, Internet rehabs are starting to spring up, such as reSTART, which bills itself as the first retreat centre programme in the United States.

According to its website, most of those they treat are between 18 and 28, and have checked in because they have had difficulty finishing college due to their Internet use, or establishing and maintaining off-line relationships.

The programme aims to teach participants about healthy eating, getting good sleep and how to address difficult emotions head-on rather than escape online.

Addiction or dependence?

The jury is out, however, as to whether those hooked on technology suffer from an actual addiction.

“I wouldn’t use the word addiction, I’d use the word dependence,” said Oudghiri.

“And it’s not the same dependence as drug dependence as you can free yourself of it more easily.”

- © AFP, 2013

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    Mute Alan McBride
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 5:30 PM

    He shouldn’t get out at all but at least its a fairly long sentence. Not as long as the victims though. RIP. If it were here he’d probably be sentenced to 12 years with 9 suspended and be out in 18 months with good behaviour. Only a slight exaggeration!

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    Mute Aoife McFadden
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:08 PM

    Easy words for you to spit of your righteous mouth but I’m afraid Alan that it is God who makes the final judgement and we are ALL God’s children, even those who stray and commit horrendous crimes like rape and murder. The question to ask is how can a child of God stray so far from the righteous path? Simple… Without the sanctity of Christ in your heart and without the moral integrity which comes from The Church, any of can and do stray. Unfortunately for Mr. Whant, he crossed a line which is near impossible to recover from. Still, through the grace of God and through confession he can come to let Christ enter his heart and be fully absolved. I pray for him.

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    Mute Adrian De Cleir
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:42 PM

    That sounds like a pretty cool story aofie, please tell us more.

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    Mute Chris Fogarty
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:48 PM

    Where was God when he committed those crimes? Nowhere to be found.

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    Mute Brian Ó Dálaigh
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:52 PM

    @ Aoife – where was your merciful God for poor Nikitta?

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    Mute Declan O'Neill
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 8:32 PM

    Ugh, Aoife can you pass me a bucket!

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    Mute Sheila Murphy
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 8:35 PM

    Hi Aoife; after much reflection and thought over a long time period, I realised that I could no longer consider myself Catholic and would opt out if the option was available to me, so therefore I would be a person that you (from your comment) would consider does not “have Jesus in my heart”. However there is absolutely no way I would commit a deed like this or even anything less than or like it. Jesus in one’s heart (or not) has nothing to do with this type of terrible atrocity that the perpetrator committed. Therefore to me your comment has absolutely no logic.

    I’m glad for you if you find your faith a comfort and a support.But just because someone has jesus in their heart does not preclude them from carrying out terrible deeds.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 8:39 PM

    Aoife, why not give up preaching for Lent?

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    Mute William Grogan
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 10:01 PM

    Aoife, you are bonkers. It’s that simple.

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    Mute ponythegringo
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 11:29 PM

    @ Adrian De Cleir , i have a pain in me belly from your comment, laughing so much , thank you

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    Mute Randy savage
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 12:27 AM

    aoife you make me sick to my stomach, what a wicked thing for you to say.

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    Mute Stadler Waldorf
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 2:50 AM

    @Aoife Please crawl back under your rock and bring your sanctimonious preaching with you

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    Mute Michael Russell
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 5:32 PM

    Only 35 years? Why can’t these judges hand out “for the reminder of life” sentences?

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    Mute Brendan Crowe
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:22 PM

    @Aoife I think for you to link morality and the church is absurd. I don’t believe in God. but being a good person is my Religion. the guy is obviously a psychopath and no amount of praying will change that. He deserves to be locked up for 35 years, He chose to do what he did. We are all responsible for our actions

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    Mute Nora Butler
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:34 PM

    Aoife are you for real? That girl (RIP) parents got to see their unborn grandchild (RIP) on a mortuary slab and you are praying for him…. I think I’m going to have to pray for you!!!!

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    Mute Ciaro
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 6:15 PM

    He picked the wrong country, if he was convicted in Ireland he would be released in 12 years at the most.

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    Mute Opinion Ated
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 7:33 PM

    I’d pray for the dead mother and her unborn baby myself Aoife. He’ll have plenty of time to pray for himself in the next 35 years.

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    Mute Red Ed
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 6:18 PM

    35 years should mean 35 years even if he dies in prison they should bury him there until his time is served. That would help prevent crimes this gruesome from occurring.

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    Mute Shanners
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 8:04 PM

    Aoife had found a very successful trolling tactic.

    35 years is a proper sentence. not enough, but much better than the ridiculous sentences handed out here.

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    Mute James Halford
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 8:56 PM

    Deserves the death penalty if you ask me. Sick bastard. Hope he rots in prison.

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 9:02 PM

    Relax Aoife is a troll, she couldn’t be for real!!!!

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    Mute Mary Cullinane
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 9:32 PM

    @aoife I’m afraid your thinking totally defies logic, I know very many people who do not believe in God and who most definitely are not part of any specific Church & they are all very good living people who’s main aim in life is to treat others as they would like to be treated. I believe in a Spiritual Being, call it God or whatever but I also know that I have a choice in life of making up my own mind as to what path I take…..that’s what free will is, we all have a conscience and it is up to each of us to follow our conscience as we see fit & a person who commits a crime of this nature to me is totally evil true & true. You can contemplate forever about what made him that way but to say that it is because he doesn’t go the path of being part of a Church or that he doesn’t have God in his heart is rubbish, if as you say we are all God’s children is true, then why didn’t God intervene & prevent this man doing this terrible deed? free will & the freedom to follow our own conscience is the reason & like all things in life we all have to take responsibility for our own actions.

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    Mute Sean Mc Avinue
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 8:53 PM

    The penalty is not 35 years, that is judged by the prisoners as they have their own court. That’s his main fear

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    Mute Randy savage
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 12:31 AM

    This utter guttertrash subhuman scumbag should ride the lighting for what he has done. Man i get so p…d off when i read this stuff and then the likes of Aoife bleeding heart liberal dancing at the cross roads with the parish priest wants to pray for this piece of crap. Id love to meet this guy and knock seven maybe even eight shades of shite out of him. apologies for the minor bad language but im so angry at this story.

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    Mute Helen Clinton
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 12:56 AM

    Well said Randy. I couldn’t agree more.

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    Mute Lin Waring
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:51 PM

    Well said…….Maybe, Aoife wouldnt be so quick to forgive this awful scum if it was his family that had been affected……xx

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    Mute jimmy
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    Feb 24th 2012, 12:24 AM

    here here ! comment of the day randy !

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    Mute Adam Cullen
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 12:27 AM

    Funny considering how some of the worst atrocities known to man have been committed in the name of God!

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    Mute Eoin Hennebry
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    Feb 22nd 2012, 11:53 PM

    Aoife???? Actually like???? I hope somebody out there is praying for you!! Crazy logic!!

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    Mute SirRichie Van Piimpp
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:03 AM

    It is amazing, with a dreadful story like above… everyone focuses on a comment made my a troll (I think)

    Get off yer high horses and loose the religious stance…. this murder/rape is a terrible act and we should all rally around in support rather than blasting a troll…

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    Mute Deirdre Forde
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 10:32 AM

    Couldn’t agree more. My thoughts are with her family.

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    Mute Francis Hoban
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 6:56 AM

    This women is as cracked as an egg but that’s not the point all thoughts should for that poor family

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    Mute Séa Graham
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 8:51 AM

    @Aoife. get help. I pity your children and the brainwashing they must be going through.

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    Mute Jessica Armstrong
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    Feb 24th 2012, 2:22 AM

    how can some1 do that and NOT get a death sentence whats wrong with the justice system it amazes me sumtimes

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    Mute Pa McGarry
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    Feb 23rd 2012, 9:12 AM

    The troll is moon

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