Do you constantly check your phone? Are you anxious and irritable when you're away from your digital devices? Are you too engrossed in the screens of your gadgets?
If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you may suffer from digital addiction. In today's world, we depend increasingly on digital devices, but the consequences of this dependence can be dire. Digital addiction is a growing trend, and the numbers are staggering. According to a recent survey, people spend 6 hours and 42 minutes online daily on average. The number of internet users has increased by 1. Personally, I have seen my friends and family members become increasingly addicted to their digital devices.
Their phones are always within arm's reach, and they check their notifications constantly, even during conversations. I am especially concerned about future generations, such as my grandkids, adolescents, and young adults, who are growing up in an environment where digital devices are the norm. In the US alone, over half of teenagers have smartphones and spend 8 hours or more on their phones daily.
Even more concerning is the fact that this trend is becoming increasingly commonβto where it is now considered socially acceptable behavior. Digital addiction can be defined as excessive use of digital devices to the point where it interferes with daily life. Symptoms of digital addiction can include insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even physical issues like eye strain and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Scientific research has shown that digital addiction affects the same parts of the brain as substance abuse, and the withdrawal symptoms can be similar too. Digital addiction does not just manifest as a straightforward dependence on devices β it extends to specific activities on these platforms, such as social media usage, online gaming, and constant streaming of digital content.
