Due to our age, our relationship with technology is increasing day by day. We make phone calls for minutes, we can easily find an address we have never been to, with the program on the phone, we can get information about our school friends from social media, and we can even learn a foreign language with an application without the need for a teacher. The digital world makes daily life easier and makes people happy, but digital addiction can also cause stress and depression.
Maltepe University Hospital Department of Psychiatry and AMATEM Unit Dr. Lecturer Hidayet Ece Çelik says that while people spend more time on digital devices, they unwittingly devote less time to their work, friends and family. Stating that after a while, many psychological and physical symptoms such as a feeling of distress, tension, and irritability can be experienced even if they are away from these digital devices for a short time, Çelik, who draws attention to digital addiction, continues as follows:
“The inability of the person to stop himself from using the internet or digital devices, to lose control of it, therefore to neglect his responsibilities in various areas such as work, school, home, this situation causes social or interpersonal problems, a feeling of distress, tension, irritability when away from technological devices. “Digital addiction is a situation where people experience various withdrawal symptoms such as withdrawal symptoms, have an intense desire to use these devices, spend much longer time on the device or on the Internet than planned, and spend a lot of effort to stay away.”
ALIGNMENT, SLEEP DISORDER
Stating that a person with a technology addiction who exists on social media with a completely virtual identity can get away from reality, Çelik said that some people who tend to spend most of the day on the internet or with digital devices may experience various psychological and physical symptoms such as sleep disorders, body aches, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. emphasizes. Stating that problems or job losses can be seen in interpersonal relations because he cannot spare enough time for his social environment or work, Çelik says that besides the benefits of technological tools, they also cause physical and mental problems in the person. Dr. Çelik describes the process that leads people to digital addiction as follows:
“The increase in cortisol, which is the stress hormone in our body, can be a trigger for many diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. The release of our hormones can be disrupted due to blue light. This causes symptoms such as sleep disturbance, weakness, fatigue, and distraction. Fake identities created on social media can lead to various psychiatric problems such as anxiety and depressive symptoms after a while. It can cause symptoms such as negative identity development, loneliness, alienation, behavioral problems and depersonalization to various social events, especially in children and adolescents.”
DIGITAL CLEANING IS NEEDED
Stating that it is not possible to completely get away from and not using technological devices, Çelik stated that digital detox means that we become aware of the relationship established with technology and that we actively redefine our role in this relationship, and draws attention to the fact that with digital detox, it is aimed to minimize the effects of technological devices in life without cutting the connection completely. Çelik emphasizes that in this way, the time people spend on themselves and those around them increases, they focus better, their sleep is more regular, and their self-esteem increases.
WHAT CAN BE DONE IN DIGITAL DETOX?
Dr. Çelik offers the following suggestions on how to do a digital detox, which can vary according to the needs and wishes of the person:
– It can be applied in the form of leaving a single social media platform or allocating certain periods to this area, or it can be applied in the form of staying away from all technological devices.
– Notifications of social media applications can be turned off, the time spent on these platforms can be controlled with various applications.
– By observing when the person uses technological devices more, devices can be turned off or removed when they think they are unnecessary.
– The free time that emerges as a result of these applications can be filled with various activities.
– Processes underlying technology addiction may also be processes that require pharmacotherapy or psychotherapy. For this reason, it is often necessary to get support from a mental health professional.
Source: (BHA) – Beyaz News Agency
