Technology Addiction
It’s hard to argue that cell phones and other devices have changed the way we live.
But is it always in a good way? We’ve all seen it – two people sitting across from each other, both on their phones. Perhaps we’ve been that person. How have we gotten so disconnected from each other?!
Research is increasingly finding that use of devices can alter our brains in ways similar drug addiction! Checking a Facebook “like” lights up reward centers of our brain the same way a winning slot machine pull does. Anytime you engage these reward centers, we have the potential for addiction.
If you’re honest with yourself, is it hard to put down the phone? If you forget it, do you turn around and go back, or do you fret and worry the entire time you’re without it?
The average person looks at their phone over 50 times a day. This number actually goes UP when we are on vacation, when we’re supposed to be “unplugged!”
Chris Kresser has said this:
“Every addiction, no matter its lure, pulls us out of the present moment—away from important real-world activities—and technology is no different. Each time we check our inbox or social media account, there’s a chance something will be there for us, something that reinforces an aspect of who we think we are and releases a hit of that “feel-good” neurotransmitter dopamine. I’d need another entire article to go into it in detail, but trust me on this: tech designers pull from a deep bag of tricks to trigger dopamine and manipulate our brains in order to maximize the time we spend on our devices.”
Use of phones and other devices have been linked to several health issues, including mood disorders, impaired sleep (blue light is not natural light!), eye problems, distractibility that looks like ADHD, “text neck,” obesity, hearing damage, injuries/accidents, and more.
THIS IS NO JOKE.
If you have any sense that your device usage is taking over your life, or people you care about are telling you this, health coaching can help. There are a number of strategies I can help you with to regain your sense of control and priority. Please feel free to get in touch.
Resources that may be of interest :
Chris Kresser article on Tech Addiction
