Written by Amorette Correa | Edited by Alexander Alva
Photo by ThisIsEngineering
One usually thinks of pills, a bottle of whiskey, or a shot and a needle when the word addiction comes into mind. Now, what if I told you addiction is not only found in pharmacies but also at the tip of your fingers—in smartphones? Technology addiction is the dependency to engage with technological devices that are excessive and compulsive, causing negative consequences in an individual’s life [1]. Looking beyond the benefits of technology, researchers are noticing the effects of this dependency on the human body and mind with an increased sedentary lifestyle, and a change in our attention span. Having this awareness is crucial to have a healthy balance with technology to maintain our health over everything else.
Researchers highlight society’s neglect of technology addiction’s negative effects compared to substance dependency [2]. The authors note the challenge of combating technology dependency due to public unawareness, despite society’s increasing reliance on technology. With parts of schooling becoming online, careers increasingly utilizing Zoom meetings, and constant streams of emails, it is a big challenge to foster a healthy balance with technology. In a study conducted in China, researchers found a correlation between high internet addictions and high obesity rates in adolescents. When using devices such as computers, smart phones, and tablets, one is usually sitting down [3]. The time spent sitting for Americans between 2001 and 2016 has increased among adolescents and adults. Prolonged sitting increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease [4]. Having a dependency on technology increases time being sedentary, which increases our risk for other health issues.
Researchers are advocating against the creation of distraction technology, or technology that causes the user to have trouble ending interactions. Components such as pop-ups, infinite scrolling, and notifications, as seen on apps such as TikTok and Instagram, contribute to decreasing attention span and increased susceptibility to distraction. Authors comment on the increase of available stimuli to our brain that our minds are not evolved to handle, causing our attention to scatter and making it harder to focus on the tasks that are more important to us. Presented studies show that those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms have even lower attention spans when engaging in addictive patterns of social media usage [5].
Now, with a more technology-based society, being aware of the dangers of technology is crucial to ensure that we have the right to be in control of our minds. This is new territory for the world, but acknowledging the side effects of technology dependency, including an increased chance of a sedentary lifestyle, decreased attention span, and increased susceptibility to distraction, is needed to start noticing the effects of technology design. Only then can we begin to make healthier choices for ourselves and for the future generations to come in this technological age.
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