Digital Age Anxiety—How Technology Affects Our Psychological Health
Have you noticed your anxiety levels dropping when you have the chance to step away from technology for a few days? Maybe you feel especially calm hiking or camping. Perhaps you recently vacationed in an area with poor service, and you felt centered and present while “disconnected.” Or maybe you took a purposeful social break over a random weekend at home. When the work week started again, you quickly realized that your tech habits contributed to your stress levels.
Our over-reliance on technology and social media seems to be causing an anxiety crisis. Why does life in the digital age make us feel so anxious and stressed? For good reason. There’s extensive neuro-chemical research surfacing showing what the screens are doing to our brains. While technology is likely here to stay, there are things we can do to support our health as humans and continue to meet the world as it’s changing.
Feeling Like You Should Always Be Available
Before practically everyone had a smartphone and a reliable internet connection at home, there was no expectation that you would always be “available.” You didn’t feel guilty if you let a phone call go to voicemail. Plus, you weren’t expected to stay connected with your boss or coworkers when you weren’t at work. Projects could always wait until the next day. Now, most people always have a phone in the back pocket, and so does everyone else. This creates a different dynamic in our daily life, relationships, and way we relate to the larger world around us.
Viewing Other People’s “Highlight Reels”
While some people will share publicly about tough times and setbacks on social media, it’s more common to share life highlights. This can result in a skewed perspective on what adult life is. It might seem like everyone is thriving except for you. When you have a bad day, you log on to see your friends’ happy posts, which makes you feel worse. Deep down, you know that no one’s life is perfect all the time, yet social media warps your perception. Or perhaps you enjoy seeing others’ lives, but you find yourself unable to concentrate enough to read a book, finish a task or project, watch an entire movie all the way through, or feel the need to compulsively check your device. These are important behaviors to witness in ourselves and are connected to very real neuro-chemicals.
Constant Exposure To Negative News
Chances are, many people spent a lot of time viewing positive, aesthetically pleasing content on social media. This can be entertaining in a certain way, but there is another side to extensive screen time. We also see countless negative articles, videos, posts, and comments every single day. At times, we may feel like the future will inevitably be bleak, even when everything in day-to-day life is ok. The negative content you see online can affect your mood, leaving you feeling anxious, depressed, and pessimistic.
Pressure To Build A Certain Image
When you use social media, you can find yourself becoming hyper-conscious about everything you post. Nowadays, it can look like everybody is trying to build a “brand,” even if they’re not an influencer or business owner. Years ago, you might have posted a funny photo with your friends without considering what other people would think. Now, you end up thinking carefully before you share anything because you worry about maintaining a specific “image.” Thinking before sharing isn’t a bad idea in this day and age where anything we share / write down / put on the internet might make it’s way to the New York Times, but it can also become a fixation and cause psychological distress.
Craving Instant Gratification
The masses have possibly become accustomed to instant gratification because of technology. When you post something, you quickly receive notifications from your friends and family who “like” the post or leave comments. If you send an email, you’re used to hearing back from the person within a few hours to a full day at most. When you’re searching for the answer to a question, you can find it quickly. Again, respect the biology and neuro-chemicals. This hurts our attention span and capacity for patience. Are you struggling with anxiety that you suspect is linked to technology usage? A therapist can help you build healthier habits as well as provide the most recent neuroscience research. This is especially important for children, parents of children, teenagers, and young adults. Developing brains are in a whole different place than we were even just a few years ago. Reach out to learn more about scheduling a session for anxiety therapy.