Feeling Anxious? Maybe You're Spending Too Much Time Online?
Studies have shown that technology may have an impact on our mental well-being. While technology has given us huge opportunities to advance human experience, it may have also given us more ways to be disconnected in reality, in one way or another.
But caution must be considered though to use the analogy for counseling and therapy as more studies are needed to validate the link between technology and anxiety.
But how could this possibly happen?
These could probably be the reasons why.
Long before Google Maps helped us find the right paths, humans get from Point A to Point B by (a) asking directions from fellow humans (b) using 'real maps' and 'compass' (c) using stars and other landmarks for directionals (d) following their intuition or gutfeel.
All these make human feels more mindful, conversational and social.
Features and apps make our lives easier and more convenient, but one consequence of that convenience is that it lessens our interaction with other people. When we avoid people, our confidence is shaky. We’re not sure how to handle things, think of ourselves as awkward, and step back from future opportunities.
What we’re truly avoiding are the uncomfortable emotions that come with interacting with people like awkwardness, anxiety, boredom, and self-consciousness. Practices like ghosting are the result of bad manners and conflict avoidance. But all the negative emotion you forego ends up dumped on the other person. It’s the worst kind of outsourcing. (Psychology Today)
The persistent beeping, vibrating and flashing of notifications mean that we are constantly distracted and driven to interrupt what we are doing to check our phones. Indeed, a UK study found that smartphone users unlock their phones on average 85 times a day; and use it for about five hours each day. This means we are unable to focus our attention and consolidate things properly into our memory, causing us to feel more and more ‘goldfish-like’, which can be quite distressing in itself. This is backed up by research that is beginning to show correlations between high smartphone and internet use, and poor cognitive skills such as attention, memory, and learning. (OpenLearn)
According to Dr. Igor Pantic, writing in the literature review “Online Social Networking and Mental Health,” published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, there is little doubt that the internet and social media platforms such as Facebook have had a notable impact on the way that individuals communicate.
Pantic proffered some possible reasons for the findings, explaining that social media sites, for some individuals, can trigger feelings of low self-esteem. For example, a social media site user may see other people on the site and assume those individuals are more successful, beautiful, intelligent and so on. Pantic noted that although these feelings are not necessarily linked to depression, there can be a relationship between them, particularly if the individuals in question already experience or are likely to experience mental health problems.
(Source: Bradley University Online)
In 2012, The University of Gothenburg made some interesting findings. "Heavy cell phone use showed an increase in sleep disorders in men and an increase in depressive symptoms in both men and women.
"Sleep has been proven to help us recover from mental as well as physical exertion. It allows our bodies to repair themselves and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information."(Mentalhealth.org.uk)
The nightly exposure to the blue light coming from your smartphones/laptops/any gadgets before you hit the sheets can disrupt your REM sleep cycle. You may wake up feeling exhausted and strained instead of feeling relaxed and calm.
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Some people may have a high tolerance to technology exposure and may get less addicted and distracted, while some people get easily overwhelmed and controlled by technology and form a habit that is difficult to destroy. So while technology can be immensely helpful in making our lives easier, always remember to use it in moderation. Technology is supposed to help us and not control 100% of our life.
But caution must be considered though to use the analogy for counseling and therapy as more studies are needed to validate the link between technology and anxiety.
But how could this possibly happen?
These could probably be the reasons why.
1. People-avoidance
Scenario: I'm lost, I can't find the right way going to the temple, I have Google Maps and the GPS will help me find the best route. Wheew!
Long before Google Maps helped us find the right paths, humans get from Point A to Point B by (a) asking directions from fellow humans (b) using 'real maps' and 'compass' (c) using stars and other landmarks for directionals (d) following their intuition or gutfeel.
All these make human feels more mindful, conversational and social.
Features and apps make our lives easier and more convenient, but one consequence of that convenience is that it lessens our interaction with other people. When we avoid people, our confidence is shaky. We’re not sure how to handle things, think of ourselves as awkward, and step back from future opportunities.
What we’re truly avoiding are the uncomfortable emotions that come with interacting with people like awkwardness, anxiety, boredom, and self-consciousness. Practices like ghosting are the result of bad manners and conflict avoidance. But all the negative emotion you forego ends up dumped on the other person. It’s the worst kind of outsourcing. (Psychology Today)
2. Age of Destruction, we mean 'Distraction'
The persistent beeping, vibrating and flashing of notifications mean that we are constantly distracted and driven to interrupt what we are doing to check our phones. Indeed, a UK study found that smartphone users unlock their phones on average 85 times a day; and use it for about five hours each day. This means we are unable to focus our attention and consolidate things properly into our memory, causing us to feel more and more ‘goldfish-like’, which can be quite distressing in itself. This is backed up by research that is beginning to show correlations between high smartphone and internet use, and poor cognitive skills such as attention, memory, and learning. (OpenLearn)
3. Declining Self-Esteem and social comparison
According to Dr. Igor Pantic, writing in the literature review “Online Social Networking and Mental Health,” published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, there is little doubt that the internet and social media platforms such as Facebook have had a notable impact on the way that individuals communicate.
Pantic proffered some possible reasons for the findings, explaining that social media sites, for some individuals, can trigger feelings of low self-esteem. For example, a social media site user may see other people on the site and assume those individuals are more successful, beautiful, intelligent and so on. Pantic noted that although these feelings are not necessarily linked to depression, there can be a relationship between them, particularly if the individuals in question already experience or are likely to experience mental health problems.
(Source: Bradley University Online)
4. Facebook is Life, but Sleep is Importanter.
In 2012, The University of Gothenburg made some interesting findings. "Heavy cell phone use showed an increase in sleep disorders in men and an increase in depressive symptoms in both men and women.
"Sleep has been proven to help us recover from mental as well as physical exertion. It allows our bodies to repair themselves and our brains to consolidate our memories and process information."(Mentalhealth.org.uk)
The nightly exposure to the blue light coming from your smartphones/laptops/any gadgets before you hit the sheets can disrupt your REM sleep cycle. You may wake up feeling exhausted and strained instead of feeling relaxed and calm.
--------
Some people may have a high tolerance to technology exposure and may get less addicted and distracted, while some people get easily overwhelmed and controlled by technology and form a habit that is difficult to destroy. So while technology can be immensely helpful in making our lives easier, always remember to use it in moderation. Technology is supposed to help us and not control 100% of our life.
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