By- Vartika Arora
It is a well-known fact that the advent of smartphones and social media platforms turned out to be life altering events in human history. Seemingly indispensable to the facilitation of our fast-paced lives, it has proved to be a double edged sword over time. In a world where children pick up a smartphone alongside a book, pencil, crayon or a toy, there is an evident and pressing need to prioritise both digital literacy and well-being. Recently, I met a very young child who is yet to grasp the concept of reading and writing in any language but knows how to voice search for videos on YouTube!
Because of my field of study, I have had the chance to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Specifically, I have seen that for many children and adolescents with behavioural issues, screen time is often considered as the root cause by their caregivers. They believe that their children are being sucked into a world which stifles their imagination, innocence and inquisitiveness. Their concerns, of course, are not unwarranted- an acquaintance of mine once heard a psychiatrist friend sarcastically remark that he should put up a framed picture of a smartphone in his clinic. He quipped that it could be considered the major ‘source’ of his income since, needless to say, many clients came to him with mental health difficulties linked to or exacerbated by excessive smartphone use.
The ill effects of inordinate screen time and social media use on overall health in general and mental health in particular (including but not limited to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, shortened attention span, heightened boredom, memory problems, disturbed sleep, body image issues, impaired social skills and increased irritability) have been well documented over the years. There have also been studies detailing the adverse impact of increased screen time on school and college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In my training experience too, many parents have complained that their children’s ‘problem behaviours’, especially centering around restlessness, interpersonal problems or learning difficulties (due to lack of motivation/interest or an inability to concentrate among other reasons) began since the onset of online classes during the pandemic, which involved lack of social interaction, increased screen time, low engagement, limited hands on-learning and extracurricular activities.
The irony of collective disengagement in an increasingly connected world is not lost on most people. Loneliness is seen as a massive epidemic plaguing our ‘global village’. Social media has majorly contributed to this global health threat (as declared by the World Health Organization) since it leads to dissatisfaction by fueling social comparison, creating unrealistic beauty standards, reducing in-person interaction and fostering a constant need for approval and validation.
A few days ago, I came across a song by a musician who goes by the stage name egg. Titled Sorry Haha I Fell Asleep (2019), the song’s lyrics seem to resonate with many adolescents and young adults, highlighting their collective feelings of insecurity and attempts at impression management: “Sorry I left you on read for the day/ I couldn’t think of anything worthwhile to say/ I don’t know just yet who you take me to be/ And I don’t wanna spoil your impression of me/ Sorry I never quite seem like myself/ It’s just the low confidence cards I’ve been dealt/ I’m willing to sway to any point of view/ That’ll make me a bit more appealing to you/ I hate feeling so fake/ Always hiding my feelings/ For someone else’s sake/ I’m just afraid that the more that I’m known/ The higher the chance that I’ll end up alone.”
In my opinion, the most detrimental impact of social media platforms and instant messaging services is the reduced ability to be fully present in the moment. In the words of American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, “The phone is an experience blocker. You spend a lot less time in the presence of other people. You’re not with your friends. You’re sleeping less, you’re in nature less, you read fewer books, you don’t have time for anything else, you have less of almost everything.” In short, we are experiencing less of life.
While the magnitude of this problem seems to be common knowledge, trying to find a balance between digital engagement and real-world experiences is often elusive for people caught in the midst of it. “Digital detox” and “JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)” are no longer just buzzwords, but the need of the hour. It might be challenging but it is definitely not impossible to set consistent boundaries- knowing when to “switch off’ can be achieved with discipline. Intentional use of social media (for example, as an educational tool or connecting with friends) can lead to more mindful consumption, while limiting screen time at least an hour or two before bed can significantly improve one’s quality of sleep, which in turn can have positive effects on overall functioning. Additionally, day-to-day monitoring of screen time using technology itself (screen time tracking apps) can help limit it to a specific duration and time of the day (for instance, no screens during meals). Resisting the temptation to constantly consume ‘content’ can be achieved by disabling notifications, engaging in offline hobbies and participating in group activities with friends and family members. Lastly, parents and caregivers must enforce restricted internet and smartphone access for their children before teenage years and monitor their use of social media (as far as possible) during adolescence to foster healthy physical and socio-emotional development.
Author Bio: I am from Kolkata and hold a Master’s degree in Applied Psychology (Specialisation: Clinical Psychology). Developmental, Social and Positive Psychology fascinate me. My interests include painting, reading, writing, sports and photography. In my spare time, I can also be found trying my hands at cooking, apart from watching different shows and movies.
REFERENCES
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