Is Tech Addiction Taking Over Our Lives !!??

Technology has entered into our lives in many forms. Movies to social media networks and countless electronic devices, everything demands our attention whenever we turn to them. The level of this temptation is so high that sometimes we are even ready to neglect our family and friends just to join a group chat on WhatsApp or video call on Facebook. We check our Facebook and our friend’s latest updates and life events, we check Twitter for the sake of our favorite celebrities’ tweets, we don’t even miss Instagram many times a day. [pull_quote_left]It is worth knowing that how these tech-industrialists and App developers design their gadgets and Apps and help in increasing our addiction level [/pull_quote_left]

Interestingly when we are done, we start this whole process once again, a habit commonly found in all of us today. If reading this has triggered your mind then you are also a technology addicted person. With all great technological advancements we are not only attracted but in reality we are addicted to it.

Recognizing and admitting about your tech-addiction isn’t a bad thing actually. This also doesn’t mean ending your use of technology rather it implies that doing whatever you need to do so that the technology can improve the quality of your life without letting it take the control. Hence, overcoming this tech-addiction is something that needs to be focused on these days as the way the world is getting globalized it is also disconnecting actual relationships.

Due to the advancements in internet after 1990s, “internet addiction” has actually evolved; which even led to mental disorders. One of recent such disorder is “Social Media Anxiety Disorder”. It is a syndrome that relates to generalized social anxiety, and is developed when any activity of social media affects the mental and physical well-being of an individual.

[pull_quote_right]We check our Facebook and our friend’s latest updates and life events, we check Twitter for the sake of our favorite celebrities’ tweets, we don’t even miss Instagram many times a day[/pull_quote_right]

Individuals who engage in social media discussions fear that interaction with people will bring feelings of judgement, self-consciousness, evaluation and inferiority. Often it leads to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment and depression.

Behavioral research has already proved that activities like checking your phone, Facebook, Twitter all the time or even browsing the Internet for interesting information and discovering a fascinating article, all these activities trigger the reward center of our brain, hence increasing dopamine levels.

[pull_quote_left]The reason technology is designed in this always-on, always-connected, constantly notified manner is simply because that’s exactly what users desire, the tech industry is simply giving us what we want[/pull_quote_left]

This increased dopamine (a hormone) then initiates a compulsive desire to obtain pleasure and this desire after a while becomes impossible for many people to ignore.

Tech Industry Capitalizes our Addiction     

It is worth knowing that how these tech-industrialists and App developers design their gadgets and Apps and help in increasing our addiction level.  It’s the very nature of how smartphone apps are designed that encourage  the constant stream of dopamine-inducing notifications.

Observing the other side of picture, we cannot solely blame the tech-industry for enslaving us all the time and occupying our minds and daily life activities. The reason technology is designed in this always-on, always-connected, constantly notified manner is simply because that’s exactly what users desire. The tech industry is simply giving us what we want.

The fear of “missing out” is principal to human nature from decades. This fear drove people for decades, to try to do what everyone else is doing — to follow what everyone else is following.

[pull_quote_right]Whether you deny or accept it but all of us do such silly things just in order to keep an eye over our fear of “missing out” or something which is done by others[/pull_quote_right]

It actually energizes people to check text messages while driving, to answer call during a family dinner, to post on Facebook/Twitter even going through a medical emergency. Whether you deny or accept it but all of us do such silly things just in order to keep an eye over our fear of “missing out” or something which is done by others.

[pull_quote_left]Let’s reevaluate ourselves and start enjoying the real colors of life and remain in-touch with social media but in a more balanced way[/pull_quote_left]

Now that we have a better understanding and appreciation of what the problem is, it’s time to look at different ways that we can configure our mobile phone, browser or computer so that these compelling notifications and other distractions don’t take over our entire life. Let’s reevaluate ourselves and start enjoying the real colors of life and remain in-touch with social media but in a more balanced way.

Overcoming this tech-addiction is something that needs to be focused on these days as the way the world is getting globalized it is also disconnecting actual relationships.