Communication Technology Invasion

The world is much different from the way it was hundreds of years ago, and this is largely attributed to the advent of the internet. The internet has made life easier for people in many ways, even though some may end up getting addicted in the process.

In this article, you will learn a few benefits that come with the judicious internet use

Education

The internet is one of the places where you can learn almost anything for free. There is a truckload of resources on the internet that you might never get to exhaust because people keep uploading every second.

Hence, it is important to be certain about what you want to learn on the internet per time before you start consuming those resources.

Better communication

Communicating with people has never been better thanks to the presence of the internet. You can communicate with people who live several miles away because of the internet. The interesting part is communicating through the internet is fast, seamless, and easy.

Fast access to information

If you want to remain abreast of what is happening in society and the world, the internet should be your go-to place. With a few clicks, you can have access to the different news outlets that contain the latest information that you need.

Better business prospects

For business owners, the internet can be leveraged to access a larger audience.

You can have people who will be ready to pay for your products and services without the need to meet you physically. The internet can also give you insights into the strategies that your competitors are implementing.

One of the mistakes that people make when it comes to the internet, is spending several hours there at the detriment of other productive tasks.

If not used properly, the internet can be a huge distraction tool.

Therefore, it is best to be intentional and laser-focused about what you need the internet to do for you instead of spending time roaming different online platforms with no purpose in mind.

Internet addiction is an example of behavioral addiction which is characterized by spending several hours on the internet at the detriment of other productive tasks.

With the signs mentioned in this article, you will be able to tell if you or someone you know is addicted to the internet or not.  

Spending most of your working hours online

One of the ways to know that internet addiction is in play is when you spend more time on the internet instead of attending to other important duties.

For instance, if a student is addicted to the internet, they may not prioritize academic duties because their attention is fixated on different online activities.

Hence, even though they are aware of the negative consequences that come with this negligence, they still prefer to spend more time on the internet.

Loss of interest in hobbies and important activities

Another sign of internet addiction is when you don’t feel like doing your hobbies anymore because you prefer to spend time on the internet. Some of the people who know you might notice a shift in your interests which might be strange to them.

Relationship problems

People addicted to the internet are more likely to have unstable relationships, and this is because they don’t invest much time in fostering relationships with people. They spend more time on the internet which may result in conflicts with people who are close to them.

Work/School Problems

Another sign of internet addiction is when the individual begins to experience some problems at school or work.

Someone addicted to the internet is likely to ignore work and school, and pay more attention to the internet. In the long run, they will discover that their performance is below par because they spend excess time on the internet.

If you think that you are struggling with internet addiction or you know someone who is, you can seek help at a rehab. With proficient counseling and addiction therapy, the root cause of the addiction will be addressed and it could become easier to provide a long-lasting solution.

Introduction

The problem of technology dependence manifests itself through different addictions like gaming and porn addiction. Some other common problems caused by technology dependence include

– Shopping addiction, some people can’t just stop shopping because shopping has become easy to do.

– Social media addiction is a common disorder among teens.

– Nomophobia, in other words, NO MOre PHOne BIA.  

Also, people who tend to develop severe anxiety in the absence of technology should seek help. In this article, we will attempt to list some practical steps people can take to solve the problems of technology dependence.

How to Solve the Problem of Technology Dependence

For the scope of this article, we consider the reliance on technology a habit problem. The solutions we will proffer are practical habitual steps to break off the bad habit.  

• Turn Off your Devices for Short Periods

Learn to start small by turning off your devices for short periods. For example, you can turn off your phone during dinner. You can also utilize the scheduled power-off feature on your phone or computer. When you take short walks, you can leave your phone at home.

In line with the Two-Minute Rule, “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.” When you want to develop a habit of keeping away your devices, you can start with short intervals.

• Develop New Habits

The addiction to technology is developed during periods of idleness. To curb this, stop being idle. When you have nothing to do, you can pick up a new activity. You can take a walk down your street, you can pick up a book, you can do the dishes, etc.

Just come up with something that appeals to you in the moments when you are idle.

• Turn Off your Notifications

Notifications are like the wheels that turn your attention to your phone every minute. Develop the habit of turning off your notification. It will prevent you from looking at your phone every second.

Introduction

The ease that technology brings to our lives is undeniable. The 21st century has brought unprecedented strides in technological advancements. The tendency to be overly dependent on technology has its downsides which will explore in this article. 

What are some disadvantages of being dependent on technology?

Major Disadvantages of Technology Dependence

• It affects the Memory

Contrary to popular belief that our memory is helped by technological devices, the reliance on technology somewhat ails our memorization ability. People don’t need to remember the exact figure of “pi” as they are a Google search from it.

The fact that almost every information we need is some clicks away from us causes us not to stress memorizing them. The lack of memorization causes impairments in the memory section of our brain.

Technology is addictive 

In the past, people battled drug and alcohol addictions, sex addictions, etc. However, with the advent of technological devices, there is a wider range of addictions such as video game addiction, phone addiction, etc. They are all captured within the spectrum of “technology addictions”

The tendency to be overly dependent on technology can cause extreme anxiety when there’s no technology around. People can get addicted to porn, gaming, or other things they frequently do on their devices.

• It is Affecting Human Interaction

As people prioritize their “screen-time” over “people-time” they tend to become less relatable. In the past, social culture was based on how people interact physically.

Nowadays, cyberbullying and online abuse are becoming more commonplace because people care less about the person at the receiving end. The dependence on technology is causing more people to become insensitive.

Conclusion

Technology is a gift whose impact is undeniable. However, when a person becomes overly dependent on technology, there’s a propensity for such a person to have a defective personality.    

Some particular signs of premature aging are “wrinkles, sagging, brown spots and blotches, redness and visible capillaries, dry, and dull skin.” But, the fact of the matter is that when people think of premature aging it is usually in relation to the effect of the sun’s harmful UV rays. However, while many have the ability to protect themselves from these physical changes through preventive measures, others may do the exact opposite, and instead, speed up the process via drugs. In turn, addiction can cause premature aging to arise more often than not, slowly altering the individual’s appearance.

Consequently, that particular person may be so far in abusing the substance to the point where he/she may not even notice the changes that are taking place in that of his/her physical features. For, such features may shift at a slow rate, over the course of the time that the addict uses the drug. In contrast, the addict could be aware of the sudden change, yet be far more worried about his/her next fix. In these instances, this is where the family, friends, and/or loved ones would oftentimes notice changes in appearance long before the addict himself/herself does. 

Premature aging can easily be seen when researching the effects that drugs have on a person’s physical appearance. It is through said research that a number of images can serve as examples to such, one of the most common being the results of meth. The reason that these hard substances affect one’s outward appearance is because it is affecting his/her inward appearance just as much, by tearing down and/or damaging his/her immune system bit by bit. That’s why these types of drugs do more harm rather than help to the individual who consumes them.

In conclusion, premature aging can be stopped before it is too late. But in order to do so, it is most effective if the addict seeks out treatment and/or help within the early stages of his/her addiction. It is only then that he/she has the ability to stop the first signs of premature aging. If he/she fails to do so the effects of it are oftentimes irreversible because the aging that has already happened cannot be undone. Fortunately, if the person begins working towards sobriety, he/she can put a halt on premature aging before it gets too far out of hand.

Seconds turn into minutes－and minutes turn into hours－before one begins to realize all the time they’ve spent scrolling through news feed after news feed. One app closes out, and quickly turns into another, as what was once seen as a way to “pass the time” suddenly becomes all consuming. Some even find themselves growing bored, yet still scrolling in repetition, unable to keep their right thumb from moving in an upward motion. They have checked out, but their mind has not, as FOMO－along with other psychological traits－begins to take hold.

In relation, our current day and age allows pre-teens, teens, and/or young adults the access to several forms of technology－whether it to be through laptop, phone, tablet, TV, and a number of other outlets. And as a result－no matter their preference－they oftentimes find themselves consumed by certain media habits, becoming accustomed to a wide range of technology through adaptation－and/or growing up in a world that has provided them with such. But in consequence, they begin failing to remember that they aren’t the only ones, and that there are many who haven’t been as “fortunate” to grow up in such an era. And in response those particular people are oftentimes deemed as “old”, and pitied for their lack of knowledge in regards to the tech world.

Not only that, but those who aren’t of this generation－who don’t engage in the same media platforms－such as Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, etc.－are outcasted all the same as many individuals use these platforms to add, friend, or follow peers, colleagues, and even strangers/celebrities that they feel influenced/inspired by. But, what happens to those who’d rather read a paperback book, and feel the pages beneath their thumbs, rather than to hold an e-reader. Or what happens to those who’d much rather turn on their radio, and pop in a CD or cassette tape, rather than to download a song via iTunes or google music.

In turn, it seems as though we live in a generation in which even iPods are becoming outdated, due to the rapid acceleration of technology. It’s in the midst of such that overlapping generations are having to become accustomed to one another’s technology usage－and/or habits－and help one another, rather than dehumanize him/her based on his/her knowledge. In conclusion, next time grandpa, grandma, mom, or dad find themselves struggling with their Bluetooth don’t hesitate to take out the time to be gracious, and assist them in their endeavors.