Before you start reading this post, there’s a little reminder. Please don’t be like the ones who get more depressed after reading serious topics, and don’t be like the ones who get offended easily. Here’s just a perspective on how technology is leading to depression, and how you can better manage your technology usage to avoid getting trapped. We can see that there are not just mental effects of using technology, there are physical effects too. Using the technology for a prolonged period, and increased screen time will impact the quality of your sleep.
How Technology Leads to Depression?
Technology can lead to depression by fostering feelings of isolation, inadequacy, and anxiety through constant exposure to idealized online personas and experiences. Additionally, excessive screen time can disrupt sleep patterns and physical activity levels, both crucial for mental well-being. All this can result in a depressed state which can negatively impact your life.
Technology Leading to Depression: An Analysis
Let’s agree that it all comes down to our choices. When we choose to use technology more than it is needed, we end up getting trapped.
Also, the time that we should be spending on sleeping, exercising, or giving rest to our body is replaced by screen time, which leads to a depressed mood and a decrease in our concentration level. In recent years, several studies have been conducted and these studies have found a link between computer-based technology that is; social media, and depression.
The participants of these studies were people who spent most of their time on technology and the people who spent the least time using technology. As you all might have guessed, the people who spent most of their time using technology were the ones who reported depression more, thus suggesting a higher depression rate.
Did you know that the more you can connect to people in an empathetic way, the more you get value out of social interactions? But currently, with the rise in technology usage, we are experiencing an opposite trend.
By using technology, we are connecting to as many people as possible but in the process, we are losing sight of meaningful social connections. We are so easily distracted because of these technologies that by the time we realize our mistake, we are either too late or just not motivated enough, or maybe too bored to rectify it.
We seek new connections hoping not to repeat our mistakes but still end up acting as before. This lack of empathetic connection with people around us makes us more isolated, and if this continues, it eventually leads to depression.
Understanding the Impact of Technology on Our Mental State
Now we will be looking closely at the impact that technology usage is having on our mental state. Have you wondered what makes you happy? Your external factors or the way you perceive those external factors? It’s always your perception, and here’s why.
Suppose you see posts on social networking sites related to events that you were looking forward to being a part of, but unfortunately, you weren’t invited. If you perceive these incidents as disheartening and worry about why you weren’t invited, it will disturb your mental state.
Your fear of missing out, or the way you like to call it, FOMO will make a difference in your real life, thus leading to less rewarding social interactions. Another cause of depression is low self-esteem, and we experience this when we compare ourselves with others on social media. We are aware that what we see in technology is not always the reality, but a part of us still aims to become like them.
Once you start following things on social media without really understanding it, unknowingly your thoughts start to change, and this has a direct impact on your behavior and social interactions. You see people around you who seem more successful and this makes you less happy. These feelings are related to depression and cannot be neglected. Technology exposes you to all types of emotions including negative ones.
Sometimes it’s okay to feel negative emotions but feeling such emotions regularly will lead to depression and deteriorate your quality of life. Some people can better manage their emotions while others have a hard time dealing with them.
We will see this with an example: there are people who are obsessed with their idols. They use technology to get as much information about themselves as possible, and during this process, they come across negative things. Since they are already so invested in them, they get affected more by this negativity than they should be.
The following table explores the various aspects of technology and how it can cause depression:
| Aspects of Technology | How it can lead to depression |
|---|---|
| Prolonged Social Media Use | It makes us feel inadequate when compared with others, and trolling can hamper our self-esteem |
| Screen Time | We’ve developed a reliance on technology; we can’t stay still without looking at our phones. |
| Self Isolation | An increase in time spent online has reduced human interaction, which can lead to loneliness in real life |
| Online harassment and cyberbullying | It is very distressing emotionally, and being victimized online can trickle back into reality |
| Addiction | Overindulgence in technology has allowed us to develop an addiction, making us lazier, shrieking responsibilities, and developing general neglect towards our surroundings |
| Reward system | Tricking our brains into a false sense of achievement, an increase in dopamine can be addictive |
| Sleep Reduction | It can damage our daily lives and physical health and cause mood disorders. |
How does technology negatively impact our mental health?
It is not only depression that we have to tackle as a result of the overuse of technology. Rather, technology has been linked with various mental health issues over the last couple of years. We have mentioned here how tech can negatively impact our mental well-being:
- It can cause addiction, as proven in various studies. For example, social media addiction.
- Prolonged use of smartphones can lead to overindulgence, making it impossible to stay away from them.
- It can also harm your brain systems, affecting your emotional processing, attention spans, and decision-making abilities.
- Technology can also lead to major harm, such as depression and suicide attempts.
- It also increases our anxiety and can result in warped psychology, such as FOMO.
- Prolonged use of smartphones is also linked to hallucinations such as phantom vibration syndrome, where we are constantly imagining something vibrating, which keeps us on edge.
- It can affect our attention spans, making us impatient.
- It even affects our dreams, as a study has shown that we now dream mostly in color, whereas the older generation used to have dreams in black and white.
To eradicate these issues, you can consult someone who can help. You may also use a mental health app.
Proactive Approach to Using Technology to Fight Depression
By now we have learned to see both sides of the argument, so let’s discuss the bright side of using technology to avoid getting depressed. The data and information are a driving force behind advancements, and accessing those same data and information was a struggle and a costly affair back then.
But now with technology, you don’t have to feel helpless anymore for not having the right resources. You can use technology and find solutions to your problems, including the problems that you are not sure about letting the people around you know.
There are applications available that help you get out of depression. These applications are designed by mental health experts who use their knowledge to help you in the best possible manner. But again, depending solely on technology for treating serious concerns is not a good move. Instead use a proactive approach, every time you end up getting depressed using technology, reflect on it and see if in any way you can change your perception, thus changing its impact on your mental state.
While we fully agree that technology can have severe downsides, we must also accept that it can be used for good, even fighting mental health issues. Here’s how technology can help you fight mental issues:
- You can use the internet to find an online support group for guidance and help. It is helpful for those who are introverted and uncomfortable sharing their thoughts in a public setting.
- Telehealth services are on the rise, allowing people to seek medical help from the comfort of their homes.
- Mobile apps and web services are also available to help people with anonymous online therapy.
- Technology can also help with monitoring and awareness.
Digital Detox and how it can help
A digital detox is nothing but a period of time when you refrain from using devices such as your smartphone, laptop, PC, tablet, etc. It also involves avoiding social media sites and similar services. Basically, anything that can be addictive and harmful, just like a typical detox
It helps build resistance towards technological devices and allows you to remain strong in the face of enticement. Instead, you can use the digital detox to focus more on real-time interactions, interpersonal relationships, or your hobbies.
A digital detox can help your physical and mental wellbeing by:
1. Enhancing your sleep quality
By simply eliminating smartphones from your daily routine, you will find that you have more time to sleep, your sleep cycles will improve, and you will have a fulfilling night with quality sleep.
2. Low Stress
With no digital devices around you, you won’t find a constant source of notifications blaring down on you, allowing you to relax and live in the moment.
3. More productivity
Technology is also a distraction, which can lead to procrastination or laziness. A detox will allow you to be more productive in whatever you do.
4. Enhanced interpersonal relationships
Since you have time, you can spend it on your loved ones, friends, and family, improving your relationships, mending bridges, and communicating for real.
5. Mindfulness
Taking a break from technology can allow you to appreciate nature or even yourself, making you not only more self-aware but also mindful of your thoughts and actions.
Conclusion
You can simply change the way you use technology, and it will help you better manage its impact on your mental health. Technology has the potential to reach out to people all around the world, including the ones who are not well-connected. This creates a medium to spread awareness about mental health and its importance to living a quality life. The same technology that is becoming a source of depression, if used correctly, can be converted into a place for healthy discussions about many issues.
We can start this on an individual level, instead of letting technology depress you, use technology to create a safe space for people struggling with depression or other mental health issues.