Is mobile your friend or foe?
It is obvious to get addicted to your phones, no matter what’s your age in this fastest-growing digital world. It is the need of the era. It’s not only children who are glued to phones, adults too are equally suffering from mobile addiction. And why would they not? Everything is connected, from bank to prescription, from school to business, from identity to status, everything is just a click away. Why bother to go out, face traffic and parking hassle, stand in line and wait for the turn to get the work done, when things can easily be done like, meetings, banking, shopping, buying groceries, paying bills, investing, chatting, and what not… from the comfort of ones home.
Earlier only the privileged were provided an opportunity to be on screen. But now, everyone can be on screen. Earlier only kings had the right to education now, the door is open for everyone who wishes to study. Earlier students had to walk for miles to go to school now school comes on your mobile screen in the comfort of your home. Earlier families would wait for years to see the face of their children who live far from them, now they can video call for free. Earlier information was restricted to newspapers and news channels now, it’s just a thumb away. Earlier one had to get up, get ready and go to work, now work comes home through the internet and mobiles. Earlier your loved one needed to wait for your letter for days now email is just a click away. Earlier to do overseas business one needed to travel, now it’s a zoom away. Earlier shopping used to be an experience outdoors, now it is just a click away. The world is changing, we are no longer confined to our own city and state but we are now connected globally. This growth is good, but at what cost? We are so busy seeing emojis that we are forgetting to express our real emotions. We are so lost in seeing the images of people that we can not acknowledge our relations on hand. We want more and more, every piece of information is like a comma, and a full stop seems to be missing. Real connections are now reel connections. And the further we are away from reality, we remain disconnected from the organic, pure relationships. The war in Russia and Ukraine impacts the global economy.
In this fast-growing digital world, how can one maintain the sanity of being content? Need to know everything, is at its peak. What is happening in a neighbor’s life is extended to what is happening in neighboring countries? To keep up with this fast pace it’s important to keep up with information. To keep up with the information one needs to be connected to their mobile all the time.
All these connections bring disconnections with self and the near and dear ones. We are no longer aware of what we want? Why do we want, what we want? In the name of information and news, we are feeding and sharing toxic garbage through social media. Likes, dislikes, number of our friends and followers decide our status. Privacy of our choices, thoughts, and personality is now global algorithms. Search engines, social media, and other digital platforms keep tabs on what we purchase, what we think, and what we shop. They then use the information fed by us to sell more products to us.
This confusion is creating mental health problems. Children are no longer listening to their parents, hooked to their devices most of the time. The dinner table is no longer family time. To keep their children busy, parents will give them a phone during outings and social visits, so that parents can remain free of their children’s chaos. Phones work as babysitters in most homes nowadays. People are no longer seeing or expressing the real emotions that have been taken over by emojis.
Feelings of anxiety, fear of missing out, confusion, unable to make choices, low confidence, breathlessness, and sadness are the signs that you or your loved one is struggling to maintain the connection to self. It is indeed confusing how to bring balance in reel and real life. To stay connected or to get rid of phones? Is the phone your friend or foe?
How can you tell? How do you see the signs of device addiction?
Do you see yourself or your loved ones on the phone most of the time? Scrolling the screen without any agenda? Checking for messages, forwards, and replies frequently? Feeling left out or jealous when you see pictures of other people enjoying themselves? Constantly making programs so you can upload pictures on social media? The thirst to be seen and liked by others? In the company of real people engaging in the digital world. At gatherings with your friends and family others are busy talking, laughing, enjoying with each other and you see yourself busy; phubbing. On trips, you are more focused on uploading what you are doing rather than enjoying the present moments. These could be the signs that you made mobile your enemy instead of a friend.
What can you do?
Well, it’s not like one size fits all when it comes to mental health. To get connected to yourself, to help your loved ones and family members- to get rid of mobile addiction; to teach your child mobile hygiene; to learn to get digital detox, and to make mobile / devices your friend seek professional help.
Parita Sharma
+91 9712777330
Counselling Psychologist
