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AWARNESS POST
WHAT IS TECHNOLOGICAL ADDICTION?
Technological addiction is identified as a behavioral addiction characterized by a progressive inability to control or limit the use of technology in general. According to psychologists, it is often noticed to have a few similar symptoms with OCD. The addictive behavior triggers a release of dopamine in our brains which is a chemical which deals with pleasure and emotions like happiness in our body. With time, more and more of this chemical release is required to induce the same level of pleasure. This creates a situation of dependency where there is a need to do more and more of the activity in order to get the needed pleasure and happiness. This ultimately leads to behavioral addiction. According to many studies, technological addiction is one of the growing challenges of health complications in all age groups of people.
An average smartphone user checks their phone approximately 2617 times a day. Close to 90% of smartphone users check their phone within an hour before sleeping and around 70% check their phone within 5 minutes of waking up. The inability to control this usage is what leads to addiction. That is the inability to put your phone or device away and concentrate on bigger priorities which leads to not being able to be productive and finish your work or sacrificing your sleep schedule for using your phone or other electronic devices to relax. This is when you need the help of a professional who will help you divide and manage your time according to your needs.
Overuse of technology can also lead to psychological conditions like social anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, loneliness etc. The ability to socially interact in a real life situation can often decrease due to imbalance in the online interactions along with real conversations.
Social media addiction which often follows technological addiction can trigger issues like body dysmorphia. Peer pressure and bullying still exists and the fear of missing out (FOMO) often triggers anxiety and stress. All this ultimately leads to poor mental health which later can lead to physical ailments as well.
TECHNOLOGY AS A PART OF THE DAILY LIFE OF GEN Z.
Technology is a part of our daily lives and something that is extremely difficult to avoid in the present age. Almost all our daily activities are connected to technology and electronic devices. From conversations with our friends to attending online classes, the Covid-19 pandemic has made us more dependent on technology. Work from home and online classes has created an environment where everyone is needed to use the different technological devices in order to move on with life. The popular term ‘When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade’ is the perfect explanation for this situation. The need to use technology has grown so much that we are no longer able to identify the technological addiction that lies hidden behind the facade of needing to use technology. Social media in particular is quite easy to get addicted to and at the same time can trigger issues like social anxiety, body dysmorphia due to constant comparison between people on the internet and you. The logical side that images are often edited and not natural goes to deaf ears. This again leads to mental health issues that can continue throughout a person’s lifetime if not properly tended to by a professional.
HOW TO IDENTIFY WHETHER YOU’RE TECH DEPENDENT?
The term tech dependent refers to a situation where a person is not able to function or behave properly in daily life due to using the different technological devices. This can often be the beginning of a long-term technological addiction. However, using technological devices a lot is not all about technological addiction, it only becomes an addiction when your use of such technologies start interfering in your daily life. If you’re not able to get any work done because of your constant checking of social media or any electronic device, then there is certainly a question of whether you’re able to manage your time productively or not. It is recommended to reach out to a professional in case of uncontrollable addictive symptoms.
Some of the symptoms of technological addiction may include the following -
Depression
Feelings of guilt
Anxiety
Feeling euphoric while using any tech devices
Inability to prioritize or keep a schedule for completing works
Feeling a need to be isolated
Losing sense of time
Mood swings and gets agitated easily
Continuous procrastination
Insomnia due to using your phones or binge-watching repeatedly
Body Aches such as headache and backaches
Dry eyes or any other problems with your vision.
Weight loss or gain.
HOW TO OVERCOME TECH DEPENDENCY?
A popular method to keep a check on your screen time is to use different digital wellness applications which are often available by default on phones. This will help you to understand the amount of time you spend on social media and the time which you actually use for work and studies. It’ll help you to make decisions in managing your time according to priorities and avoid reaching the stage of being tech dependent.
Another method to overcome the excessive use of technology is to find different tech-free hobbies to relax instead of binge watching or scrolling through your social media. This can help you reduce the amount of time that you spend on different electronic devices and at the same time help us improve our skills. You can also have no-tech days in a week or month, during which you do not use any sort of technological devices but rather spend time doing things that you love or with your loved ones. This time can also be used to get connected with nature, you can go on walks or connect with nature in your own way which will in turn help you relax and reduce your tech-use at the same time.
Creating a daily schedule can also help you avoid getting distracted by technology while completing your work. You can plan your schedule in such a way that you allot your time for all the activities you need to complete along with a time for relaxing through technological devices. Another popular method to avoid getting distracted through technology is by creating a reward system where your electronic devices can be used as a reward. For example, try studying for one hour without a phone or laptop near you and then you can use your phone or listen to music for the next 15 minutes. This will help you complete your work without any stress or strain. This however tends to work more for individuals who are ready to take responsibility and also have the willpower to avoid the said device while working or studying. Tech addiction is also often the result of another underlying mental health issue. So, the addiction can only be tackled after the underlying issue is solved. The addiction is often the only solace for people suffering from different issues like ADHD or even depression. Such cases should be handled with the help of a professional.
At the same time, if you’re not able to overcome your technological addiction it is strongly recommended that you seek help from a professional. This will greatly help you in moving forward with your lives. Technological addiction is not something that should be brushed off easily or not taken proper care of. If left unattended it can cause grievous side effects which can last a lifetime.
SOURCES -
Fig. 1 was taken from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3696236/
Fig. 2 was taken from https://www.statista.com/chart/15450/teens-phones-get-smarter-and-more-addictive/
Written By - P.S.Niranjana ( interned at just a teen )