Has an increase in the use of technology affected the rise of mental illness in the U.S.?

We must realize that the technology is for our betterment and not so we become its slaves to the point where it causes us more harm than good.

Each year, around 43.8 million American adults (18.5%) suffer from a mental illness. This translates to one in every five adults. Statistics also show that every year the U.S. spends approximately $193 billion in earnings on several mental illnesses. Researchers believe that these figures are going to rise as we become overly connected with technology that can create mental health issues like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders and other such illnesses.

Smartphones and Gadgets Are the New Cancer

Research and studies have shown that increased use of technology caused issues with attention, behavior, and self-regulation problems for people who were already at a risk for mental health issues. In a study, 151 adolescents were surveyed on their daily digital technology use on their smartphones. They were surveyed for a month, three times per day and 18 months later they were assessed for mental health problems. The researchers found that they were more likely to conduct problems like lying, fighting, and other behavioral problems. On days that these adolescents used their digital devices more they were unable to be attentive and suffered from ADHD symptoms.

Adverse Effects of Technology on Your Mental Health

We are in an era where everyone seems to be living on the Internet. While it may have its benefits, its overuse can take a toll on your health. Here are some of the mental illnesses or disorders that are on the rise because of abuse of technology:

1. Phantom Ringing Syndrome: According to Dr. Larry Rosen, 70% of the people who spend a lot of time on their mobiles have experienced phantom buzzing in their pocket. The tingling feeling in the leg leads to a burst of neurotransmitters from the brain which causes anxiety and makes us want to quickly jump to action and attend the phone right away even when most of the times when it is not even ringing.
2. Triggers Sadness and Loss of Self-esteem: One study showed that sites like Facebook and Instagram were making people more depressed and less satisfied with their lives. The more time people spent on such site, the more socially isolated they felt. Not just that, users who spend too much time surfing social media also tend to compare their lives with that of others and get mentally depressed thinking how others are more successful, happy, beautiful, and better in every way than them. This also causes low self-esteem which gives them a drained and sinking feeling leading to depression.
3. No-Mobile Phobia: Most of us have found ourselves in a state where we have got disconnected from the world because our phone’s battery died and there was no charging outlet nearby. This phobia of being without your phone can have extremely negative effects on some people. So much, that this condition has been added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Our brains are so conditioned to respond to notifications as soon as they arrive that it has become a reflex action that gets repeated every two minutes regardless of whether there are in fact any actual notifications. This is also called as “FOMO” or Fear of Missing Out reaction.
4. Cyberbullying and Other Threats: As per a survey by an organization that aims for internet safety, it was reported that 95% of the teenagers who used social media had witnessed cyberbullying and 33% had been the victims themselves. Such cyberbullying leads to incidents of self-harm and suicides, especially among young adolescents who become the innocent targets. Los Angeles Unified reported more than 5,000 incidents of suicidal behavior in the year 2015. There were only 255 incidents reported in the 2010-2011 school year.
5. Online Gaming Addiction: Online gaming addiction has found a place in the index of American Psychiatric Association. According to a 2010 study, it was revealed that approximately 8% of the population aged between 9 and 39 suffered from online gaming or internet addiction. As a result, there are a lot of online help groups in the United States today that aim to help the users who are addicted to online gaming or internet. There are also many apps that are released very often to provide continued support through their recovery programs.

Drawing Boundaries for Using Technology

It goes without saying that there is an immense need for us to check our internet habits and the time we spend in front of the screens. Turn off your devices and take a break from it regularly. Do not let any gadgets dictate your lives. We must realize that the technology is for our betterment and not so we become its slaves to the point where it causes us more harm than good. Use it in moderation for a healthier and happier life.