Today, things are a lot less complicated (or so we think). With the click of an app on our smart devices, most tasks can be accomplished quickly, or even without having to do them ourselves. Technology can order our groceries, play our music, lock our doors, display our photos, organize lists etc. This may seem glamourous and simplified…but it can also have a negative impact on our mental health. Here are some of the ways living in a digital age affects our mental health:
We Are No Longer Present
The thought of being alone in a coffee shop without your phone might make you uncomfortable. When you go out for lunch with a friend, you might check your emails, Facebook and Instagram mid-conversation and hardly absorb the information your friend is giving to you. This has become the norm in our society. Mentally, we feel so attached to our phones, that the thought of not checking them or having a phone in our hand seems impossible. We are no longer present in society or completely conscious of our surroundings because we must be attached to our smart devices at all times.
Poor Social Skills
Prior to smart devices, we would visit a friend, call them and have actual conversations. Now, conversations can be read through text messages. This simple act completely eliminates the practice of social skills, which for younger generations can cause anxiety and poor social skills which can affect their careers and life in general. It’s easier to be brave behind a text message, but when you need to have a difficult conversation with someone in person, it suddenly becomes frightening and creates anxiety. Smart devices have caused our society to be less social.
Anxiety and Fear
Technology has created anxiety and fear in so many ways. It’s a negative impact on our mental health. For one, we rely on technology for socializing, planning and for simple everyday tasks so much, that if for some reason it fails us, we go into a chaotic situation of not knowing what to do and become anxious. There is also the issue of comparison on social media, worrying about likes and social validation. We also develop a fear of missing out when we see others posting exciting things. A great way to test this theory is to consider going off social media – many people end up deciding against it because they are worried they will miss out on something.
Distraction
Our phones and computers are constantly ‘dinging’, flashing, buzzing and getting pop-ups that create easy distractions from our lives offline. Because of this, our focus on tasks offline is extremely poor and we are much less efficient. We are constantly unlocking our phones to check notifications on our phones.
Sleep Deprivation
Good mental health relies on many elements including proper sleep. Our intention to actually go to sleep is often interrupted by technology. Whether we lay in bed on our phones or with our laptops/tablets on our laps or we are interrupted by notifications. Looking at our phones before we go to sleep over-stimulates our brains, making it very difficult to wind down. Lack of
sleep can make us less resilient to anxiety and stress.