Technology is an everyday part of our lives, According to studies it has both positive and negative effects on our mental health. It is unavoidable so what we need to do is use it correctly and benefit from it for our mental well-being’s sake.
Technology is a solid part of our lives. Whether it’s for getting the right information at the right time or just interacting with people, we deeply know we can’t just live without it. Its importance makes it affect every area of our lives while using it uncontrollably can affect our mental health.
Negative Effects of Technology in our Lives
Sleep Problems
Sleep besides relaxing the mind and body, it removes toxins that build up while we are awake. Poor sleep affects your mood, causes anxiety and overall weakens your immune system. Excessive exposure to bright (and often blue) lights from your smartphone, tablet, computer blocks the secretion of the hormone that helps you sleep. Setting a bedtime and putting all technology that could interfere with your sleep away is the wise thing to do.
Emotional Problems
Social media’s positive aspect is that it connects you to the world. Unfortunately, it also comes along with a negative side. Using it longer than advised, disconnects you from people in your real life. Feelings of inadequacy and dissatisfaction make occur while comparing your life to others based on what you see online. Automatic negative thoughts cause negative emotions, making you feel stressed and anxious. This situation will increase your social media use as it becomes a vicious cycle before you finally opt for a healthy use. If social media is making you angry, aggressive, or distracted, it’s the time to control your time spent online.
Digital Eye Strain
When you use digital screens for a long time do your eyes start bothering you? You may be having digital eye strain. Symptoms of digital eye strain include dry and itchy eyes, blurry vision, headaches, difficulty in concentrating when reading, and increased sensitivity to light. You might want to consider whether your screen lighting is bad or the distance from which your viewing is not suitable. Poor vision can affect your daily life in a social and mental level. Reducing your screen time and adjusting the lighting around you will relieve your eyes.
Musculoskeletal Problems
Extended smartphone use can cause problems in the nerves, joints, tendons around the shoulders and arms and even musculoskeletal disorders. A wrong posture while using a smartphone can stress your neck, spine, and shoulders. Experiencing repetitive stress injuries around the wrist and arms is also common as a result of stressing the same muscles. Symptoms include swelling, stiffness, weakness, numbness, and pain ranging from mild to severe. A musculoskeletal disorder can make carrying out daily activities a struggle. In case you experience pain from the use of technology, maintaining a proper posture while working and taking frequent breaks to stretch will reduce these issues but if symptoms persist, see a physician.
Children and Technology
Children are also affected from the use of technology. Spending a lot of time watching television, playing video games, and using tech toys can cause sleep and behavioral problems. Technology overuse can lead to low academic performance and lack of creativity.
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ screen time recommendation as a guide suggests:
-Reducing the amount of time spent watching educational programs for children between 18 – 24 months.
-For children between ages 2-5 years, reducing non-educational programs to 1 hour per weekday and 3 hours during weekends.
-Incorporating healthy screen habits for children between ages 6 and older.
-Using the screen to build creativity and togetherness with family and friends.
-Helping your child learn other activities like music, arts, and sports that do not involve a screen.
Positive Effects of Technology in our Lives
A world without technology isn’t what we are looking to achieve. Especially in a time like this with various lockdown restrictions, technology helps us feel closer to people we care about. Technology has overall been more positive than negative to human evolution. Mental health apps are one of those examples. They provide you with valuable insights on how to feel better whenever you’re down. Give them a try!
Online treatment has also become a thing. Living in areas where your primary care providers are not reachable can no longer deprive you from professional insight. Smartphone apps cannot be compared to doctor-to-patient physical consultation but can help you find vital information from mental health professionals.
As years go by, technology will continue changing the world. Rather than exploit it to the point where it becomes harmful to your health, you can explore new ways to maximize its power to improve your health. This can be achieved by using wearable devices, telehealth, and health apps while you enjoy the bond that comes with spending time with real-life friends.
With information from this source: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/the-effects-of-technology-on-mental-health/
