Maybe you arent that much online as I am (6-12 hours a day)?
Im on the computer that much.. probably more as I cant be on my feet too long and the computer gives me something to do (otherwise I'd be just laying in bed watching DVDS).
Maybe you use the internet mostly for for useful stuff like medical research and connecting to friends and dont waste so much time online googling stupid things, other people and so on?
I do use the computer for researching stuff but there is only so much research one can do.. its not like a study comes out everyday. I google all kinds of things, it keeps me entertained.. nothing is worst then being BORED (ive found that boredom leads me to depression.. the computer keeps me happy, it also helps to keep me within my pacing limits).
Maybe you dont feel using the internet too much is affecting your health negatively as I do?
At times Ive certainly become concerned about the amount I use the computer but have ended up rationizing it as I can see now what Im doing is okay as it isnt like its causing me to miss out on other things. (Its my health which causes me to miss out on other things).
There was a point where I could say I WAS addicted to it but my addiction wasnt to the computer as such.. it was to a computer GAME (a game Ive stopped playing cause I know I was addicted to that game.. I wouldnt even leave the computer to eat at times due to that game). I knew that game was unhealthy for me, the only way I could stop myself from playing it all the time was to completely ban myself from the game, the old version of "Evony"
Maybe its not that hard for you to shut down the computer because you feel the need to continue?
I used to get that with the game I was addicted too..
I still at times do have trouble turning it off when I should do so but only if Im right in the middle of something (eg talking to someone or responding to a post) when it is really the time I should be going to bed but will then get off within the hour.
If you are doing things which are really unhealthy for you.... you may be actually addicted but it isnt the time spent online itself which shows if you are addicted but rather what else is going on eg is it really interfering with your life? (only you can know that)
If you are obsessing about it (I obsessed about it tons when I had that game addiction.. if I was doing something else, I was still thinking about the game).. you probably are addicted.
(for me.. going COLD TURKEY (eg not doing it at all), was the only way to fix my Evony game addiction.. trying to play in short amounts didnt work as I couldnt control my game playing well and was like torture).
You said you are spending hours looking up health stuff.. that may just be an obsession in wanting to know more about your illness and getting better... If you havent had this illness as long as some of us, it wouldnt be unusual to want to know all about it as you can.