Digital addiction
Is there a way out?
Studies show that long and uncontrolled use of the network may result in changes in the state of consciousness and in the functioning of the brain (1,2).
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association classified Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a mental disorder, which shares many similarities in both physical and psychosocial manifestations with substance use, including cerebral changes on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Very interesting that Among the gaming population, compared to females, adolescent and adult males demonstrate far more addictive internet gaming use in terms of screen hours, craving, and negative impacts on health, which have, in isolated incidents, also caused death (3). Such addictive behaviour can cause serious impairment of daily functions, personal relationships, education, and careers.
In 2013, the American Psychiatric Association classified Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) as a mental disorder, which shares many similarities in both physical and psychosocial manifestations with substance use, including cerebral changes on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Very interesting that Among the gaming population, compared to females, adolescent and adult males demonstrate far more addictive internet gaming use in terms of screen hours, craving, and negative impacts on health, which have, in isolated incidents, also caused death (3). Such addictive behaviour can cause serious impairment of daily functions, personal relationships, education, and careers.
But most importantly it is negatively affecting so-called masculinity. According to Kimmel et al, internet addiction and gaming in particular, extend young men’s “guyland” phase, comprising hedonistic practices that delay development of habits traditionally associated with adulthood.
Today, the majority of young men into their 30s focus on leisure and recreation time in contrast to previous generations that were getting ready to marry, purchase a home, start a family, and pursue a career in their second and third decades (4).
Young men nowadays instead of practising masculine practices of stoicism and self-reliance, often rely on coping strategies such as excessive alcohol consumption or drug use to self-manage emotional distress, anxiety, depression, or suicide tendency (5, 6, 7).
Today, the majority of young men into their 30s focus on leisure and recreation time in contrast to previous generations that were getting ready to marry, purchase a home, start a family, and pursue a career in their second and third decades (4).
Young men nowadays instead of practising masculine practices of stoicism and self-reliance, often rely on coping strategies such as excessive alcohol consumption or drug use to self-manage emotional distress, anxiety, depression, or suicide tendency (5, 6, 7).
Internet addiction gradually leads to a loss of the ability to learn and think deeply (8). But most importantly, in addition to mental disorders, Internet addiction may result in the change of physical health, accompanied by a sedentary lifestyle, leads to various diseases of the spine and joints (scoliosis, osteochondrosis, arthrosis, etc.), cardiovascular pathologies (tachycardia, arrhythmia, arterial hypertension, varicose veins of the lower extremities, etc.) and many other diseases.
One of the specific forms of internet addiction is scrolling.
Infinite scrolling is a mechanism that allows users to view a massive stream of content as a whole, with no visible finish line, loading new data as the user scrolls down the page.
According to studies, scrolling can affect everyone in different ways. On the one hand, it can give positive effect. Especially nowadays, when majority of us experiencing anxiety after anxiety. In this case, social networks help us forget and get through this difficult I period. Communication with other people, even on the Internet, funny videos, useful posts contribute to the release of serotonin and dopamine into the body.
But unfortunately, there is another side also.
In 2017, Professor Hyun Suk Seo conducted the first comprehensive study of patients with digital addiction, which proved that it has similarities with drug addiction Scientists gathered two groups of volunteers: one group was represented by adolescents suffering from digital addiction, the second group was addicted to drugs and alcohol Further tests conducted using magnetic resonance imaging showed that digital addiction leads to the same changes as drug addiction (9).
Infinite scrolling is a mechanism that allows users to view a massive stream of content as a whole, with no visible finish line, loading new data as the user scrolls down the page.
According to studies, scrolling can affect everyone in different ways. On the one hand, it can give positive effect. Especially nowadays, when majority of us experiencing anxiety after anxiety. In this case, social networks help us forget and get through this difficult I period. Communication with other people, even on the Internet, funny videos, useful posts contribute to the release of serotonin and dopamine into the body.
But unfortunately, there is another side also.
In 2017, Professor Hyun Suk Seo conducted the first comprehensive study of patients with digital addiction, which proved that it has similarities with drug addiction Scientists gathered two groups of volunteers: one group was represented by adolescents suffering from digital addiction, the second group was addicted to drugs and alcohol Further tests conducted using magnetic resonance imaging showed that digital addiction leads to the same changes as drug addiction (9).
Neurophysiological and biochemical changes in the brain are no joke. Our normal activities with Applications, scrolling the feed and similar routine activities physically change our brain.
It was found that in digitally dependent people, the brain loses in volume (shrinking!), excessive screen time alter grey matter and white volumes in the brain, increase the risk of mental disorders, and impair acquisition of memories and learning which are known risk factors for dementia (10)
Usually the frontal lobe is involved in the process of atrophy, it regulates such important functions as planning, setting priority goals, provides control of impulses; in addition, areas of atrophy were diagnosed in the so-called striatum, which affects a person's ability to resist temptation and suppress socially unacceptable impulses.
Usually the frontal lobe is involved in the process of atrophy, it regulates such important functions as planning, setting priority goals, provides control of impulses; in addition, areas of atrophy were diagnosed in the so-called striatum, which affects a person's ability to resist temptation and suppress socially unacceptable impulses.
Coming back to scrolling. One of variation of it is doomscrolling, which is devoted to the absorption of negative news.
Increased consumption of predominantly negative news may result in harmful psychophysiological responses.
Doomscrollers may experience witness trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, or a severe psychosomatic condition. This can lead to severe depression.
The person experiences the same symptoms as the War witness.
Increased consumption of predominantly negative news may result in harmful psychophysiological responses.
Doomscrollers may experience witness trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, or a severe psychosomatic condition. This can lead to severe depression.
The person experiences the same symptoms as the War witness.
We live in an age of distracted people.
Crazy speed of information traffic does not allow us to concentrate, does not give us the opportunity to read complex books and, most importantly, to effectively analyze and store information.
Our brain is designed in such a way that in order translate information into long-term memory, it needs TIME (another scarce resource).
Info poisoning of our brain is not a myth. If we don't go deep into neurophysiology, but put it in simple words: the brain, due to an overabundance of information, not only stops fixing it in long-term memory, but it also cannot keep it in a short terms, since one piece of news is immediately replaced by another.
Very often non - stop information stream can be the cause of existential crisis experienced as human being.
Crazy speed of information traffic does not allow us to concentrate, does not give us the opportunity to read complex books and, most importantly, to effectively analyze and store information.
Our brain is designed in such a way that in order translate information into long-term memory, it needs TIME (another scarce resource).
Info poisoning of our brain is not a myth. If we don't go deep into neurophysiology, but put it in simple words: the brain, due to an overabundance of information, not only stops fixing it in long-term memory, but it also cannot keep it in a short terms, since one piece of news is immediately replaced by another.
Very often non - stop information stream can be the cause of existential crisis experienced as human being.
THE NEED TO MULTITASK WORSEN INTERNET DEPENDENCE CONSEQUENCES.
It turned out that the more and more often a person spends time in media multitasking, the more his memory abilities and concentration decrease.
Simply working with PC plus surfing in several social networks reduces episodic memory and a person easily forgets the images and events that he encountered a few minutes ago (11).
Memory is a very unique thing.
It keeps the information but get rid of it if there is no demand. Memory is energy dependent process. If there is no energy-then no memory. The consequence of lack of energy is instability of the contents of the memory. It may be to such degree that memories of past events can be false or completly inadequate (12).
If a person receives a lot of information, he begins to perceive it worse. Now many of us practicing "doomscrolling" – compulsive, uncontrolled viewing of scary news. It must be clearly understood that this is an illusion. The constant scrolling of the feed does not give you control over the ongoing process. And the imaginary expectation of good news is also scary and traumatic, so you are even more disappointed if you do not
receive it.
Simply working with PC plus surfing in several social networks reduces episodic memory and a person easily forgets the images and events that he encountered a few minutes ago (11).
Memory is a very unique thing.
It keeps the information but get rid of it if there is no demand. Memory is energy dependent process. If there is no energy-then no memory. The consequence of lack of energy is instability of the contents of the memory. It may be to such degree that memories of past events can be false or completly inadequate (12).
If a person receives a lot of information, he begins to perceive it worse. Now many of us practicing "doomscrolling" – compulsive, uncontrolled viewing of scary news. It must be clearly understood that this is an illusion. The constant scrolling of the feed does not give you control over the ongoing process. And the imaginary expectation of good news is also scary and traumatic, so you are even more disappointed if you do not
receive it.
David Lewis coined the term "information fatigue syndrome" for what he expects will soon be a recognized medical condition. "Having too much information can be as dangerous as having too little" The main symptom is an inability to concentrate, caused by an overload of short-term memory (13).
Another name for the same phenomenon has been suggested by David Mikics, the author of Slow Reading in a Hurried Age, who calls it "prolonged partial attention". Mikics writes that "children who grew up in the digital age suffer more than previous generations from constantly distracted attention." (14)
Another name for the same phenomenon has been suggested by David Mikics, the author of Slow Reading in a Hurried Age, who calls it "prolonged partial attention". Mikics writes that "children who grew up in the digital age suffer more than previous generations from constantly distracted attention." (14)
Causes and symptoms of information overload:
1. We strive to be specialists in many, often distant from each other, areas. We are faced with many diverse tasks at the same time, and in order to solve them, we have to constantly search for information.
2. We do not know how to rest and recover, often replacing these processes with the absorption of new information, for example, reading the news or scrolling through social networks to relax.
3. We do not know how to organize the work process and separate it from personal life. We get used to having fun without putting much effort into it - just swipe your finger across the smartphone screen or click the mouse. In addition to the reasons that are due to our behaviour.
There are external conditions that cannot always be influenced (like work related to internet etc).
1. We strive to be specialists in many, often distant from each other, areas. We are faced with many diverse tasks at the same time, and in order to solve them, we have to constantly search for information.
2. We do not know how to rest and recover, often replacing these processes with the absorption of new information, for example, reading the news or scrolling through social networks to relax.
3. We do not know how to organize the work process and separate it from personal life. We get used to having fun without putting much effort into it - just swipe your finger across the smartphone screen or click the mouse. In addition to the reasons that are due to our behaviour.
There are external conditions that cannot always be influenced (like work related to internet etc).
Overload symptoms:
1. A person does not remember the information received well or simply partially does not notice it.
2. It becomes difficult to make decisions, because there is too much information or it is contradictory.
3. It is difficult to focus on one lesson for a long time, a person grabs onto different things, but does not bring them to the end.
4. Due to constant distractions, it is difficult to work, switching reduces the quality and speed of work. This affects the feeling of self-efficacy and can lower self- esteem.
5. There is a feeling of hopelessness or despair due to the fact that there is a lot to do or be in time, but you can't get off the ground.
6. A person becomes irritable, gets tired quickly, does not feel rested even on weekends or on vacation.
7. There is a background feeling of anxiety, fear, difficulty falling asleep, tension and stiffness in the body. In fact, a person is in a state of constant stress.
8. A person seeks new information, constantly checks the facts.
Today, everyone faces information overload, but not everyone is able to process it
And most vulnerable are our children, who have their gadgets in front of their face all day long.
1. A person does not remember the information received well or simply partially does not notice it.
2. It becomes difficult to make decisions, because there is too much information or it is contradictory.
3. It is difficult to focus on one lesson for a long time, a person grabs onto different things, but does not bring them to the end.
4. Due to constant distractions, it is difficult to work, switching reduces the quality and speed of work. This affects the feeling of self-efficacy and can lower self- esteem.
5. There is a feeling of hopelessness or despair due to the fact that there is a lot to do or be in time, but you can't get off the ground.
6. A person becomes irritable, gets tired quickly, does not feel rested even on weekends or on vacation.
7. There is a background feeling of anxiety, fear, difficulty falling asleep, tension and stiffness in the body. In fact, a person is in a state of constant stress.
8. A person seeks new information, constantly checks the facts.
Today, everyone faces information overload, but not everyone is able to process it
And most vulnerable are our children, who have their gadgets in front of their face all day long.
What can we do to fight with informational fatigue?
1. Identify sources of overload. It can be study, work, or just surfing the Internet.
2. Plan your activities. Schedule time for information (work) and time for rest. Try to work or receive information only at scheduled times. Do not try to do all the work at once - true multitasking is available to very few. Set priorities and do everything gradually!
3. Set an informational diet. Arrange unloading hours or even days!! Read only what is in your area of interest. Use only the most useful sources.
Eliminate those that take up a lot of your time and do not
bring benefits. For example, don't go to news sites if you know you won't be able to stop. Turn off notifications for new videos or new messages.
4. Rest and recover. The same principle works here as in sports: if you want to increase your efficiency, fully recover between workouts. Remember, hanging out in social networks and scrolling through the news feed is not a vacation. You still keep getting a bunch of useless information. Sleep, long walks in the nature (do you remember shinrin voku?- forest bathing )- that's your best friends in the recovery from information overload
5. Face a life realities. Often, we replace with internet a lack of something in real life.
-We play games to get fun.
-We communicate on forums to compensate the lack of real communication.
-We sit on entertainment sites to distract ourselves from troubles.
But such a departure from reality is just an illusion. Problems cannot be solved that way. And additionally, a sedentary lifestyle and constant stress are harmful to overall health.
#internetaddiction #addiction #digitaladdiction #health #healthylifestile
1. Identify sources of overload. It can be study, work, or just surfing the Internet.
2. Plan your activities. Schedule time for information (work) and time for rest. Try to work or receive information only at scheduled times. Do not try to do all the work at once - true multitasking is available to very few. Set priorities and do everything gradually!
3. Set an informational diet. Arrange unloading hours or even days!! Read only what is in your area of interest. Use only the most useful sources.
Eliminate those that take up a lot of your time and do not
bring benefits. For example, don't go to news sites if you know you won't be able to stop. Turn off notifications for new videos or new messages.
4. Rest and recover. The same principle works here as in sports: if you want to increase your efficiency, fully recover between workouts. Remember, hanging out in social networks and scrolling through the news feed is not a vacation. You still keep getting a bunch of useless information. Sleep, long walks in the nature (do you remember shinrin voku?- forest bathing )- that's your best friends in the recovery from information overload
5. Face a life realities. Often, we replace with internet a lack of something in real life.
-We play games to get fun.
-We communicate on forums to compensate the lack of real communication.
-We sit on entertainment sites to distract ourselves from troubles.
But such a departure from reality is just an illusion. Problems cannot be solved that way. And additionally, a sedentary lifestyle and constant stress are harmful to overall health.
#internetaddiction #addiction #digitaladdiction #health #healthylifestile