The Deadliest Addiction
By: Parvati Gopakumar
In a world where most people are transferring their entire lives to be digital a new pandemic has arisen. It has discrete symptoms, and is usually unnoticed, yet it’s spreading rapidly. Unlike Covid-19 or SARS this pandemic is much worse because no one is attempting to ‘cure’ it. In fact the person reading this right now may have fallen under this illness, completely unaware. Some call it an illness, a pandemic, or an addiction. Despite the logo you put on it, the effects of this severe condition are heavy. The pandemic of being “chronically online”. Most of us have heard the saying being “chronically online” or “terminally online”, but many people don't actually know why being online so much can be incredibly harmful to an individual's health.
Recently numbers have jumped by 21 percent from 2015 in the amount of adults constantly online, and this number will only continue to rise because newer generations are being exposed to these addicting technologies from a young age. Although when scrolling through social media you may see one or two funny cat memes and crack a smile, this enjoyment created from screens is temporary. This is because prolonged time on computers, phones, tablets all prompt sedentary behavior which in high levels can link to depression. Not only does it lead to lower moods but also can cause sleep deprivation. I'm sure we have all had restless nights mindlessly scrolling through instagram or tiktok, and although at the time it may seem like a get away, it can actually have lots of negative impacts. Using screens before night can suppress melatonin, which makes it harder for one to fall asleep. Sleep deprivation and depression can lead to feeling less happy, being less productive, becoming more irritated, and many other side effects. When these symptoms arise, what really becomes more worth it, on more videos and a couple more mindless swipes scrolling through social media, or feeling energized and lively in your life.
If social media and screen time is so damaging to our lives, why do we keep it around? Well we can't forget about the positive parts about social media. The obvious one being connections, social media is unlike any other form of communication because it allows you to communicate with others and build relationships that you may have otherwise never created. These conversations and friends made over technology can bring complexity, and much needed socialization to an individual's life that can leave a strong positive impact. So where do we draw the line? We can't enable communication without including the addictive components of technology (unless you have really good self control). There have been some modern solutions such as screen time but as of now that is only really applied if you yourself take the initiative to prioritize yourself over mindlessly scrolling. When constantly online, you can miss out on the opportunities presented in real life. We tend to lean to technology instead of tangible things in the real world. Instead of creating that in real life, people find it easier to punch sentences and make convos online. Technology has permanently altered our way of communicating, turning a natural extroverted species into a reserved species comfortable only when talking through a glowing box. The most important thing is that even if you do allow yourself to indulge in the wonderful world of technology, you must also remember balance, don't let your phone distract you from enjoying the real world.
The big decider in this whole situation is you. You decide whether you want to fall into this pandemic or break free. Self control is the biggest hero in this story but is often forgotten. You can choose to place screen time limits, say no to the one extra scroll on social media, and put your phone on airplane mode when you want to focus. At the end of the day it is your choice, will you fall victim to this addiction, or be the one to stand up, take control of your life and walk towards a new path?
Sources:
How the Internet Affects Your Mental Wellbeing (healthline.com)