Screen and Technology Addiction

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There are more and more claims surfacing that we are addicted to technology. Whether it be an addiction to the internet, social media or video games, the rise in concern has mostly been focused on the combination of smartphones and teenagers. Indeed, over recent years technology has weaved its way into the fabric of our everyday lives at an unprecedented rate. Though most of us would now struggle to imagine life without smartphones, is there a real threat of addiction? Here we’ll take a look at the cases for and against.

Technology Addiction - is it Real? 

There are more and more claims surfacing that we are addicted to technology. Whether it be an addiction to the internet, social media or video games, the rise in concern has mostly been focused on the combination of smartphones and teenagers. Indeed, over recent years technology has weaved its way into the fabric of our everyday lives at an unprecedented rate. Though most of us would now struggle to imagine life without smartphones, is there a real threat of addiction? Here we’ll take a look at the cases for and against.

What Is Technology Addiction?

There are genuinely psychologists proposing that internet or technology addiction is a real problem which can be diagnosed. In China there are even treatment clinics dedicated to aggressive rehabilitation. In medical terms, technology addiction is obsessive tech-related behavior that’s practiced in spite of the associated negative consequences. The bottom line is that it is an addiction when it does the individual more harm than good, and stopping causes withdrawal symptoms.

How can Technology be Addictive?

As has been long known with video games, recreational use of technology can stimulate the reward centers of the brain. Though parallels are sometimes drawn with drug use, comparison with gambling addiction is more realistic. When pleasure hormones such as dopamine and endorphins are released there is the potential for addiction, and this is more likely in teenagers going through significant hormonal changes.

The Problems with Digital Addiction
One reason that teens are vulnerable is that parents never experienced today’s massively interconnected technologies when they were growing up. As a result, it’s believed that there is a general lack of awareness of the risks of posed to teenagers, with technology use rising both dramatically and stealthily.

For instance, several studies now show that teens typically have complicated relationships with their smartphones. 95% of teens having access to them, and somewhat surprisingly, 54% of American teens actually fret that they spend too much time on their phones. 56% report feeling anxious or upset whenever they are cut off from their devices.

Due to the brain’s neuroplasticity, heavy technology use can cause long term changes in neural pathways, affecting attention, emotional processing, and decision-making. Accordingly, some research suggests that levels of attention in youths is actually shortening, year on year.

Other factors include worries over the following.

Mental health - through lack of face to face interactions
Physical health - due to decreased exercise
Sleep problems - from using technology late at night
Educational performance – through reduced commitment to homework
Health problems - due to adopting an increasingly sedentary lifestyle

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