What’s the Impact of Technology on Mental Health?

Whether we like it or not, technology is becoming more important in our lives. Even though there are many amazing things about modern technology, living in a society that is open 24/7 can be hard on people.

Some people can't handle being connected all the time because it makes them expect things to happen immediately, get distracted, become narcissistic, have trouble sleeping, feel stressed, or even anxious or depressed.

How many of you worry when you don't get a quick answer to your most recent WhatsApp or text message? Or do you always check Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat to see what your friends are doing and how many people liked your last post?

Because of this and other things, technological innovation is starting to change the way our brains are wired, which can lead to cognitive disorders. 

What are these disorders, and how will the internet affect us? So that we could find out, we did a study. 

The Mental Health Effects Of Technology

Several mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep problems, have been linked to the use of technology. We can feel overwhelmed and burned out by the constant stream of notifications and the need to stay in touch.

Internet use has also been linked to a higher risk of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and problems with the body's appearance. Spending longer on social media and less time on face-to-face interactions can make you feel lonely, which can be bad for your mental health.

But technology can also be good for mental health in some ways. It can make people feel like they are part of a group and give them social support, especially if they wouldn't have those things otherwise.

During the pandemic, teletherapy has been a significant asset for people needing mental health help. It has also made it easier for people in rural areas to get mental health services.

Anxiety and Depression

If you misunderstand someone's feelings or take a thing out of its context, or if another person does the same thing to you, it may cause you to feel anxious.

This happens more online than in person because text speaks, Facebook posts and other forms of online communication don't show the subtleties of human communication, like the tone of voice or facial expressions.

Anxiety can happen if you think and worry too much about what you wrote or who has or hasn't commented or liked your post.

Social media can also show disrespect in different ways, which may result in low self-esteem, lack of trust, anxiety, and depression.

Behaviour Change

A report from 2022 said technology is changing the way kids and preteens act, making it harder for them to establish and keep friends, giving them anger and behavioural problems, and making them less social and less able to pay attention.

A survey shows that people in Australia check their phones an average of 344 times daily. This is more than just a problem with kids.

You've probably seen people using their cell phones at a red light, party, or anywhere else people get together. People sometimes need to pay more attention to what they need to do now and keep using their phones, binge-watching their favourite shows, or playing online games instead, wasting their time and energy. In the long run, these common things lead to lost time, weakened relationships, low productivity, and anxiety.

Impulsivity and Impatience

Posting something online, like on Facebook, makes us want instant, positive feedback even more. In the real world, this doesn't happen, so we become more impatient, frustrated, and worried.

Addiction

The internet has made our work easier and helped us in many ways we can't keep track of. At the same time, though, many people have become dependent on it.

In 2022, a report will say that internet addiction causes psychiatric symptoms that match those of obsessive-compulsive disorder, a long-term condition in which a person feels compelled to do the same thing repeatedly.

Sleep Issues

In a clinic, the doctor sees many people having trouble sleeping. After talking to them, it's clear that the impact of technology is adding to their problems.

When someone keeps their phone close to them while they sleep, they unconsciously wait for texts or social media alerts, which makes them sleep less deeply.

So this state causes a heightened state of vigilance, marked by alertness, tension, and a feeling of being on guard, even though sleep is supposed to make you feel relaxed.

Also, the light that phones give off is a cause for concern because it throws off the body's natural sleep-wake cycle and stops it from making melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. This makes the body stay awake, even though it is natural to go to sleep.

Decreased Empathy

To empathise with someone, you have to know how they feel and see things. This is hard to do when you're talking to them online. Because of this, technology is also making people less empathetic. 

If you say the same thing to someone in person and then text them the same thing, their reaction will be different. Most of the time, you can't pick up on social cues. People's minds also tend to wander when they spend too much time online, which hurts their ability to focus and makes them less empathetic.

How Technology Harms Mental Health

We all understand that using the internet can have risks. We have access to so much information that getting lost on all the websites, social media articles, and videos is easy.

Some people can have problems with their brains and other parts of their mental health because they spend too much time online. According to our study, the five worst things that technology has done to our lives are: 

• Social problems
• Trouble sleeping 
• Trouble concentrating 
• Having trouble making friends in real life
• Problems with people's minds 

Psychological problems are the most important thing that people notice.

The people who took part in our study saw the following as the most common tech-related cognitive problems in themselves:

• Having habits on the internet that are mechanical, routine, and repetitive 
• Using their time on gadgets when they are with their loved ones and pay more attention to the device than to the people 
• The need to use a smartphone to kill time whenever you're bored
• 34% of people who read sad news online have no emotional or psychological reaction or effect.

Most of these problems happen to young people because they spend more time online than older people. From what we learned in our study, we can see that.

People in Gen Z who use the internet were 20% less likely than people in other future generations to say that technological innovation improves our lives.

Finding a Good Balance

Finding a balance between technology's good and bad effects on psychological wellness is the key to dealing with its effects. Here are some suggestions:

• Unplug: Take breaks from technology regularly to reduce anxiety and improve your ability to think clearly. Find things to do without technology, like walking or reading a book.
• Set Boundaries: Limit the time you spend in front of a screen, especially before bed, to get better sleep.
• When you need it, ask for help. If your use of technology is affecting your mental health, talk to a mental health professional.
• Try to meet people in person: Prioritise face-to-face time with friends, family, and coworkers. Do things with other people that don't involve technology.
• Use technology with purpose. Be aware of how you use technology. Set goals for your time online, like only checking your email or social media at certain times.

Positive impacts of technology

Most people who answered (80%) say that technology has made our lives better or a mix of good and bad things. Only about 10% of the people who participated in our study think technology worsens our lives. 

According to the people who took part in our research, technological advances have made our lives better because we can get information quickly (61%), talk to each other more easily (55%) and work from anywhere (48%).

Some mental disorders can also be helped by technology, which may or may not be a big surprise. A study found that social media is a very important way for young people with depression to get help. It lets them be creative and get ideas from other people. It also makes them feel less lonely.

What Is The Circadian Rhythm?

Simply put, each person's brain has a 24-hour clock that controls when they are awake and when they should be sleeping.

While this typical circadian rhythm is thrown off, it can cause serious problems with sleep.

Here are some helpful tips to help you clean up your online presence:

• If someone changes their Facebook profile picture often or gets upset when they don't get 50 likes on Instagram, it might be time to look inward and think about what they're doing.
• If people think the amount of time they spend on social networking sites and technology is bad for their sleep patterns or mental health, they might benefit from a "digital decluttering" project.
• Taking part in this process means you can continue using technology completely. Instead, the goal could be to use it less or be more aware and thoughtful about online activities.

Differences Between Generations

When you talk to your grandparents, it's easy to see that different generations have different ideas about technology. 

That's because we're all born knowing how to use technology. It all depends on where technology is when we come into the world. This is one reason younger people are usually better at using technology than older people. They don't know any other way to see the world.

The younger generations were born with technology, while the older generations had to learn how to use it. Because of this, your parents are less likely to want you to do things online. 

About 24% of Baby Boomers use their phones for under forty minutes daily, but only 7% of Millennials practise the same.

Conclusion

Technology is becoming more and more important in our lives, but it can also hurt our mental health in some ways. As people get used to instant notifications and constant contact, they may start to feel anxious, depressed, or have trouble sleeping.

People who use the Internet more often are more likely to have sadness, anxiety, low self-esteem, and problems with how their bodies look. But technology can also help people make friends and feel like they belong to a group.

People can cause anxiety and sadness when they misunderstand someone else's feelings or take things out of context. Respect can also be shown on social media, which can lead to low self-esteem, a lack of trust, and worry.

Changes in behaviour are also a problem, as technology can make it harder for kids and preteens to make and keep friends. It can also make them less social and less able to pay attention.

People check their phones an average of 344 times a day, which wastes time, hurts relationships, slows down work, and makes people anxious.

Posting things online can also make people more impulsive and impatient, as well as more upset and worried. Obsessive-compulsive disorder-like signs can come from being addicted to the Internet.

Sleep problems can also be made worse by unknowingly waiting for texts or social media notifications, which can make you more alert and keep you from getting enough sleep.

Another problem is less empathy because it's hard to understand someone's thoughts and feelings when talking online. When people spend too much time online, their thoughts tend to wander, which makes it harder for them to pay attention and understand other people.

Technology can be bad for your mental health. The most common problems are social problems, trouble sleeping, focusing, and making friends in real life.

A study found that social problems, trouble sleeping, trouble focusing, and trouble making friends in real life are the five worst things that technology has done to our lives.

People notice psychological problems the most, and 34% of those who read sad news online have no emotional or mental reaction or effect.

Most of these problems happen to young people because they spend more time online than older people do. People in Gen Z are 20% less likely to say that new technology makes our lives better.

People should unplug, set limits, ask for help when they need it, put face-to-face time with friends, family, and coworkers first, and use technology with a purpose. Most people (80%) say that technology has made our lives better or has done both good and bad things.

Young people with depression can get help from social media because it lets them be artistic and get ideas from other people.

The Circadian Rhythm, which tells people when they should be awake and when they should be asleep, can make it hard to sleep. People should clean up their online appearance by changing their profile pictures or getting mad when they don't get 50 likes on Instagram. A project called "digital decluttering" can help people clean up their online lives and sleep better.

The way people are born with technology shows how different generations use it differently. Younger generations are better at using technology than older generations. Parents are less likely to encourage internet activities, and only 7% of Millennials do the same as 24% of Baby Boomers, who use their phones for less than 40 minutes a day.

Content Summary

• Technology is increasingly prevalent in our lives, influencing both positive and negative aspects.
• The constant connection can cause expectations for instant results, leading to distractions, narcissism, sleep issues, and stress.
• Social media engagement can cause anxiety and depression if responses or likes are not immediate.
• Technological innovation is altering brain wiring, potentially leading to cognitive disorders.
• Mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and sleep problems have been linked to technology use.
• Constant notifications can overwhelm people, causing burnout and the need to constantly stay in touch.
• Increased internet use is associated with a higher risk of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and body image issues.
• Prolonged social media engagement and reduced face-to-face interaction can lead to loneliness.
• Technology has benefits for mental health, such as social support and enabling remote mental health services like teletherapy.
• Misunderstanding feelings online can lead to anxiety due to the absence of tone or facial expressions.
• Social media may foster disrespect, leading to low self-esteem, mistrust, anxiety, and depression.
• A 2022 report highlighted technology's role in changing children's behaviour, leading to anger, social difficulties, and attention problems.
• An Australian survey showed people check their phones an average of 344 times daily, extending beyond a youth problem.
• Constant phone usage may lead to lost time, weakened relationships, low productivity, and anxiety.
• Social media's need for immediate feedback can increase impatience, frustration, and worry.
• Internet addiction has been linked to psychiatric symptoms resembling obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• Sleep issues are exacerbated by keeping phones nearby during sleep and the light emitted from devices.
• The use of phones near bedtime disrupts the body's natural sleep-wake cycle and inhibits melatonin production.
• Technology is believed to decrease empathy as online communication often lacks social cues.
• Mind wandering caused by excessive online time diminishes focus and empathy.
• Internet usage can lead to cognitive problems, social issues, and various mental health problems.
• The five worst impacts of technology include social problems, sleep troubles, concentration issues, friend-making difficulties, and mental issues.
• Studies revealed common tech-related cognitive problems include mechanical habits, neglect of loved ones, and smartphone usage out of boredom.
• 34% of people reportedly have no reaction to reading sad news online.
• Younger generations are more affected by these problems due to higher online engagement.
• Gen Z respondents were 20% less likely to see technology as improving lives compared to other generations.
• Strategies for managing technology's impact include unplugging, setting boundaries, seeking help, prioritising in-person meetings, and purposeful usage.
• 80% of study participants thought technology has mostly positive or mixed impacts.
• Technological advances are praised for faster information access, easier communication, and remote work capabilities.
• Technology can aid mental disorders, such as depression, through social media interaction and creativity.
• Cell phone usage for social connection has been linked to increased charitable involvement.
• Disruption of the natural 24-hour circadian rhythm in the brain can lead to serious sleep problems.
• Excessive social media engagement and concerns for likes may indicate a need for self-reflection.
• Digital decluttering projects might help those struggling with sleep or mental health due to technology overuse.
• Generational differences in technology usage are evident, with younger generations typically more adept.
• Younger generations are born into technology, while older generations must learn to adapt.
• Parents are often less inclined to support online activities compared to their children.
• Only 24% of Baby Boomers use their phones for under forty minutes daily, compared to 7% of Millennials.
• During the pandemic, teletherapy emerged as a vital mental health tool, especially for rural areas.
• Technology has enhanced feelings of community and provided support for those otherwise isolated.
• Internet addiction's effects have been likened to long-term conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• People's overreliance on their smartphones can lead to weakened relationships and lower productivity.
• Technology's harmful effects on mental health range from social difficulties to significant psychological problems.
• Unplugging technology and setting boundaries can aid in reducing anxiety and improving sleep.
• Positive use of technology can help in managing mental disorders and increasing charitable involvement.
• The need for instant, positive feedback on social media leads to growing real-world impatience and frustration.
• Constant exposure to phone screens disrupts natural sleep patterns and hinders relaxation.
• Lack of face-to-face interaction and reliance on online communication is diminishing empathy.
• Younger people are more vulnerable to the negative effects of technology due to increased exposure.
• Finding a balance between technology's benefits and drawbacks is key to maintaining psychological wellness.