mental health

noun
1.
a persons condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.
"all this pressure seems to be affecting his mental health"

IS OVERUSE OF
TECHNOLOGY AFFECTING
MENTAL HEALTH?
Whether we like it or not, technology has become a part of our everyday lives. We rely
on it for quick information, social networking, job searching, school related assignments,
and entertainment for when we are bored. But is being constantly connected to the
technological world affecting students mental health? It is rare to find a college student
that does not have a cell phone, laptop computer, email and Facebook account. A poll
taken by The Jed Foundation found that 90% of college students used a social
networking site within the last week. These tools are great for getting school work
finished, communicating with friends, staying connected with family while away at
school, and for getting in touch with professors. It is important though to make sure that
students are not becoming overly reliant on their technological devices and letting them
take control of their lives. Maintaining face- to- face interaction is a key part of mental
health.
School is definitely a very stressful part of life and although technology can work to ease
the stress and simplify your work load, it may have the reverse affect.
Technology was created to make our lives simplernot stressful! Removing negative
stress from your life is a major part of mental health. It is important to recognize your
reliance on technological devices to make sure that it is only leading to positive
outcomes on your health.

Mental Health Matters: How technology can

affect your mental health
Technology is changing every facet of our lives, so rapidly that it can be difficult to adjust to it. How
is technology affecting our mental health? And, perhaps more importantly, do we care enough about
the possible negative effects, particularly on the development of children, to make any needed
changes?

Children and teens, ages 8-18, are spending nearly 11 hours in a typical day using media, including 4
1/2 hours watching TV, 2 1/2 hours listening to music, and 1 1/2 hours on the computer. In addition,
cell phones are taking up 2 1/2 hours of their day, nearly 2 hours texting and over 1/2 hour talking.
Although during some of this time these individuals are multitasking (using more than one device at
a time), by comparison, less than one hour each day is being spent socializing in person by people 15
years old and older.
The effects of technology can start as early as infancy. Some infants spend hours each day in their car
seats, strollers, or swings, often positioned in from of a TV on which a TV show or perhaps a
children's DVD is playing. Many children have their own little TV in the car, even for short trips
around town! These infants and toddlers are limited in movement and touch as well as connection
with others, essential factors for healthy child development.
The majority of children today have televisions in their bedrooms. During the 6 1/2 hours each day
they are watching TV and playing video games, these children continue to experience limited contact
with others. Addictions to TV and video games are increasing, even among children.
At the same time as children are spending more and more time with technology, in the last five years
the use of psychotropic medications has tripled for 2-4 year olds and quadrupled for elementary
school aged children. Very young children are being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression,
anxiety, autism and other types of mental illness.
Is there a connection between the (over)use of technology with young children, limited exposure to
what we know young children need for healthy development, and the increase in psychiatric
diagnoses in children as young as two years old? Research may show that technology is actually
changing brain chemistry in our children.
If a child is demonstrating problem behaviors and/or psychotropic medications are being
considered, turn off the technology first. Provide outlets for energy and opportunities to connect to
others. It may take some time, but these changes may have a positive effect on a child's behavior.
One way of limiting some of the negative effects of technology on children is to encourage them to
spend one hour interacting with others face-to-face, engaging in physical activity and play, and
connecting with nature for every hour spent in technology use. There will likely be benefits for both
physical and mental health. In fact, this may be a useful guideline for adults as well.
Much of our stress is caused by technology. We often become overwhelmed by technology's flood of
incoming demands on our time and energy. Cell phones, texting, email, Facebook, Twitter . . . all
insistently demanding an immediate response. We allow the gadgets to dictate our lives.

Social isolation can also be caused by overuse of technology. While it may appear that texting,
Facebook, and Twitter have the potential to reduce social isolation, none of these forms of
communication include face-to-face contact. Some research is suggesting that people are having a
harder time even understanding facial expressions. It is important to cultivate a balance between
face-to-face and online communication.
The interruptions and urgency of technology's demands can affect family life as well. Technology
allows the lines between work and home to become blurred, as people are more easily able to take
work home with them. Many people find it difficult to turn off the technology and stop working.
Failure to set boundaries is harmful to both physical and mental health.
The effects of technology on mental health may depend on whether we are in control of the
technology usage or whether the technology is controlling us. It is important to take back the control.
To take control:
Prioritize. Focus on what's most important.
Make yourself unavailable for periods of time. For example, if you are doing something with your
children, turn your cell phone off. You can even try this for a whole day, maybe your day off.
Set limits for yourself. For example, only check your emails at specific times during the day.

Practice moderation in technology use.

The researchers analyzed and compiled the data, and the results revealed that intensive use
of cell phones and computers can be linked to an increase in stress, sleep disorders and
depressive symptoms in young adults.
Heavy Technology Use Linked to Fatigue, Stress and Depression in Young Adults

Some of the more specific findings are:

Heavy cell phone use showed an increase in sleep disorders in men and an increase in
depressive symptoms in both men and women.
Those constantly accessible via cell phones were the most likely to report mental health
issues.
Men who use computers intensively were more likely to develop sleeping problems.

 Regular, late night computer use was associated with sleep disorders, stress and depressive
symptoms in both men and women.
Frequently using a computer without breaks further increases the risk of stress, sleeping
problems and depressive symptoms in women.
A combination of both heavy computer use and heavy mobile use makes the associations
even stronger.
Sneaky Ways Technology Is Messing With Your Body And Mind

Technology can be a beautiful thing. It connects us to others, it's super convenient and, if
used mindfully, can even help us find a little bit of calm. But as the old adage goes, too much
of anything can be bad.
It's no secret that a little unplugging can go a long way, yet we're spending more time than
ever glued to our screens. But here's the sad reality: All that tech is taking a toll on our
health. Need proof? Below is a breakdown of how technology affects our mental and
physical well-being. Perhaps it's time to power down for a bit.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS
Staring at your phone all day might wreck your spine.
Recent research by New York spine surgeon Kenneth Hansraj found that our constant
Instagram scrolling and incessant text messaging may be hurting our backs. The study
found that when you tilt your head 60 degrees to stare at your phone, you're putting 60
pounds of pressure on your neck. Previous research also shows that sitting in front of our
computers all day can also negatively affect our stature. Talk about a bad back.
Your phone could cause blemishes.
Here's a gross fact: Our phones are actually teeming with bacteria (think about it,
where don't we bring our devices?). And where are we putting that bacteria? Directly on our
face.
Germs pile up on our phones thanks to our external environment, which could trigger acne
or eczema outbreaks, Everyday Health reported. Luckily, the problem is easily fixed.
Experts suggest cleaning and sterilizing your phone, as well as going hands-free whenever
possible.
WiFi exposure may lower men's sperm count.
Laptops are extraordinarily convenient for comfort -- but men who work with themon their

laps may be hurting their reproductive chances. One 2011 study found that men who were
exposed to electromagnetic radiation from laptop WiFi for four hours had sperm with DNA
damage and decreased motility.
And it's not just the computers. A recent meta-analysis of past studies, led by researchers at
University of Exeter, U.K., suggests that men who store their phones in their pockets risk
exposing themselves to radiation levels that may also lower sperm levels.
All that messaging may be giving you text claw.
It may not be an official medical diagnosis, but the symptoms are still very real. Any
repetitive motor activity -- like grasping your phone too much -- could cause muscle tension
or irritate current conditions like tendonitis. It could also cause forearm or wrist pain.
Too much screen use could could strain your eyes.
When you were a kid and someone called you out for falling asleep you'd say, "I'm just
resting my eyes." It may have been a cover up then, but it's important now if you're stuck
staring at a computer all day. Too much eye contact with our screens is exhausting our
sight, causing our vision to become blurry and drying out our eyes. But you're not alone:
Nearly 70 percent of American adults say they've experienced symptoms of digital eye strain
at some point in their lives, USA Today reported.
Constant tech-indulgence may be giving you a headache.
No, that pounding in your head you feel isn't because you noticed on Facebook that your ex
just got engaged (although, that may be part of it). If you stare at a screen for too long, you
may experience tension headaches as another result of digital eye strain. Reading dark text
on a bright screen can lead to muscle spasms at the temples. To alleviate the pain, adjust the
contrast on your screen.

MENTAL EFFECTS
All that Googling can cause anxiety.
You've heard of hypochondriacs but what about cyberchondriacs? It sounds outlandish, but
it does exist. The cause? An effort to self-diagnose a health problem you might be having.
Experts suggest that searching for your symptoms online can result in some serious
anxiety, Greatist reported.
Not only that, but constantly scrolling through your social networks isn't helping your
anxiety either. One 2012 study found that excessive social media use may increase our stress
levels. Yikes.
Staring at screens can mess with your sleep.
Before you shut down for the day, make sure to also shut down your phone and computer.

Research shows that excessive tech use -- particularly right before bedtime -- can have an
adverse impact on our sleep cycles thanks to the glowing light that's emitted from screens.
This is especially true for young adults, who arguably need the most help when it comes
to getting the proper amount of shuteye.
Loneliness and Facebook browsing are inextricably linked.
Previous research found that the popular social networking site can cause feelings of
loneliness, but a recent study is suggesting a slight variation: Lonely people just turn to
Facebook more often. Regardless of the research, experts conclude that this Internet
paradox is a very real phenomenon. Our social networks are linked to feelings of
loneliness, as well as a decrease in happiness and satisfaction -- and that's not exactly warm
and fuzzy news.
You could suffer from withdrawals.
It may sound frivolous, but there is such a thing as technology addiction -- and it's a
prominent problem. According to a 2012 study, 66 percent of people would feel panicked
without their phones. Research from Swansea and Milan Universities also found that heavy
Internet users suffered from withdrawal similar to those experienced by drug users when
they went offline, TIME reported.
Too much tech is literally changing your brain.
Emails, text messages, news feeds, oh my. Research shows the technology we process each
day is actually rewiring our brains, between the multitasking and the addiction we feel when
we're without it. "We are exposing our brains to an environment and asking them to do
things we werent necessarily evolved to do," Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist at the
University of California, San Francisco, told the New York Times in 2010. "We know already
there are consequences."

10 Ways Social Media Affects Our

Mental Health
Since the face of psychology is constantly changing, it is impossible to end the
History of Psychology series with a definitive, and thats how psychology
came to be. Separate branches of the discipline have formed, medicine has
become staggeringly important in treatment and prevention of mental
illnesses, theories have formed and crumbled, and scholars have dedicated

their careers to advancing the field. The science has been adapted by the
masses, and has even become prevalent in pop culture music (Blink 182s
Stockholm Syndrome comes to mind), television, and films have all explored
mental illnesses and treatments.
The series has only briefly outlined the sciences origins and growth, and it
continues to inspire many to study the workings of the human mind. Luckily,
those who came before us provided us with the tools and terminology to hit
the ground running and discover incredible things they couldnt have even
imagined.
More recently, the incorporation of technology into psychology has made it
possible

to

supplement

therapeutic

techniques

with

computer-based

counseling, test brain activity, and accurately record and analyze complex
data and thats not even the beginnings of its potential influence on the field.
Although technology will undoubtedly open up doors for the next generation of
researchers, a Google search of psychology technology actually leads to a
number of pages dedicated to explaining the effects of technology on our own
minds.
The topic is broad enough to expand into dozens of articles, so this top 10 list
tackles only some of the most staggering results of studies and surveys
pertaining to social media. Chances are, if youre reading this you participate
in social media in some way or another, so next time you go to check your
Facebook, retweet an interesting link, or choose an Instagram filter for a
selfie, think about the ways your brain is processing the seemingly endless
stream of information it is taking in.

1. Social media is addictive.

Studies show that 63% of Americans log on to Facebook daily, and 40% log
on multiple times each day. People use the site for myriad reasons; however,
it usually serves, on some level, the same basic purposes: distraction and
boredom relief. Likes and comments are positive reinforcement for posting
information, making it difficult for a person to stop. Researchers have found
this so common that they created a scale to measure this addiction: The
Berge Facebook Addiction Scale.
2. Social media makes us compare our lives with others.

Posts on social media many times present an idealized version of whats

happening, what something looks like, or how things are going. This can lead
users to constantly compare themselves to others and think less of their own
lives. If things are going particularly well for people in your newsfeed and
youre having a rough day, of course this will likely negatively affect your
mood. In fact, in 2012 a team of researchers in the UK surveyed users, 53%
of whom said social media had changed their behavior; 51% said it was
negative behavior because of decline in confidence they felt due to unfair
comparisons to others.
3. Social media makes us restless.

Out of the same sample as the above example, two-thirds admitted to having
difficultly relaxing when unable to use their social media accounts.

4. Social media gives rise to cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying is an enormous concern, especially for adolescents. An

organization that aims for internet safety, called Enough is Enough, conducted
a survey that found 95% of teenagers who use social media have witnessed
cyberbullying, and 33% have been victims themselves.
5. Social media glamorizes drug and alcohol use.

A study that explored the relationship between teenagers, social media, and
drug use found that 70% of teenagers ages 12 to 17 use social media, and
that those who interact with it on a daily basis are five times more likely to use
tobacco, three times more likely to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use
marijuana. In addition, 40% admitted they had been exposed to pictures of
people under the influence via social media, suggesting correlation between
the two factors. Although a correlation is all it is, it makes sense that social
media would amp up the amount of peer pressure to which teenagers are
exposed.
6. Social media can make us unhappy.

A study from the University of Michigan collected data about Facebook users
and how it correlated with their moods. Simply put, they found that the more
avid users were overall more unhappy than those who used the site less.
Over more time, avid users also reported lower satisfaction in their lives
overall.

7. Social media can lead to fear of missing out, aka FOMO.

Fear of missing out is a phenomenon that occurs when you feel pressure to
be doing what everyone else is doing, attend every event, and share every life
experience. It can evoke anxiety and cause social media users to question
why everyone is having fun without them. Surveys have even found that
people feel insecure after using Pinterest because they feel that they arent
crafty or creative enough. Facebook and Twitter can make people feel like
they arent successful or smart enough.
8. Social media often leads to multitasking.

How many tabs do you have open right now? How are you even concentrating
on one thing? The thing is, youre probably not especially if one of those
tabs is a social media site. Research has shown that our brains dont have the
capacity to fully focus our attention on two things at once, and instead
multitasking causes our brain to quickly switch from one task to another. This
hinders information processing and productivity. Closing out your Twitter feed
can seriously help you get some work done.

Social media isnt all about selfie-taking narcissists, cyberbullies, and killing
productivity. When used in moderation with the right intentions, it really can
achieve what it was first set out to do: connect people. Which brings us to
9. Social media enhances our connectivity.

A paper linking social media usage to the Freudian ideas of the id, ego, and
super-ego cites many examples of positive psychological effects of social
media. Perhaps one of the most important points is that social media doesnt
necessarily take us out of the real world. It can instead be used to revive and
preserve relationships with other people. Even more exciting about this
technological world is that there is an incredible number of like-minded people
who can connect in just one click. Research presented in the journal The
British Psychological Society found that students who experience low self-

esteem can take advantage of social media and its capability to bond them
with others in order to pull themselves up from slumps in their mood.
10. Social media can help with socialization.

Research presented at the 119th annual American Psychological Association

found that introverted adolescents can actually gain social skills by using
social media. In part, this is because shy individuals may feel safer behind a
computer screen (or smartphone, or tablet, or well, you get the ideaits
everywhere). Dr. Larry D. Rosen, who presented the information, also stated
that teens were becoming very good at virtually expressing empathy towards
others.